Das Johannesevangelium in Mittelalterlicher Rezeption

The Gospel of John ranks among the most influential texts of Western intellectual history. Its theological and cultural impact shaped art, literature and philosophy for centuries?-?yet its medieval reception has remained comparatively underexplored. This volume unites contributions from biblical studies, church history, Latin philology, medieval studies, philosophy and art history to close this research gap. After an introductory overview, the chapters analyse major forms of John's reception in Latin and Old High German biblical poetry, in paraphrases and legendary traditions, in mysticism and philosophy. Liturgical and dramatic contexts?-?including the figure of John in passion plays?-?are also examined. Art-historical contributions address book art, patronage and pilgrimage, revealing the wide-ranging veneration of the Evangelist. Furthermore, the volume contains the first edition of a previously largely unknown Latin commentary on John, providing new insight into medieval exegesis. In this way, the contributors offer an interdisciplinary approach to the medieval history of the Gospel's reception and its central role in Europe's cultural memory.