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My Name is Legion: The Story and Soul of the Gerasene Demoniac
Can a "legion" of demons convey a message? As Michael Willett Newheart asserts, a study of the Gerasene (Mark5:1-20) and the demons Jesus cast from him can indeed carry an important message of faith. Although the Gerasene may have suffered from mental illness, he (like other minor characters with major significance) exercised faith in a way the disciples did not.
Newheart interfaces narrative and psychological criticism with historical perspectives, cultural examination, and poetic reflection to create the first book-length treatment of the Gerasene demoniac. Chapter One, "The Gerasene's Story: Literary Criticism," focuses on the narrative analysis, and discusses the story through the angle of Jesus as teacher, healer, and Gerasene the healed follower. Chapter Two, "The Gerasene's Soul: Psychological Criticism," brings to light the psychoanalytic perspective of Mark 5:1-20. Ideal for students of the Bible, Gerasene's story demonstrates faith in a way that may help readers vicariously experience relief from their maladies.
Michael Willett Newheart, PhD, is associate professor of New Testament language and literature at the Howard University School of Divinity. He is the author of Word and Soul, published by Liturgical Press.
Newheart interfaces narrative and psychological criticism with historical perspectives, cultural examination, and poetic reflection to create the first book-length treatment of the Gerasene demoniac. Chapter One, "The Gerasene's Story: Literary Criticism," focuses on the narrative analysis, and discusses the story through the angle of Jesus as teacher, healer, and Gerasene the healed follower. Chapter Two, "The Gerasene's Soul: Psychological Criticism," brings to light the psychoanalytic perspective of Mark 5:1-20. Ideal for students of the Bible, Gerasene's story demonstrates faith in a way that may help readers vicariously experience relief from their maladies.
Michael Willett Newheart, PhD, is associate professor of New Testament language and literature at the Howard University School of Divinity. He is the author of Word and Soul, published by Liturgical Press.
- GenresNonfiction
152 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2004
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 3, 2019
Books that approach the Bible creatively are to be applauded, for the most part. This volume of the series Interfaces takes the character of the demon(s) named Legion as a way of exploring narrative and psychological criticism. There’s quite a bit of first-person narrative here (no, the author doesn’t claim to be possessed!), but the book is clearly intended to be used in classrooms instead of for research. Having said that, I learned a lot from the narrative criticism treatment of the story.
Biblical criticism has been around a long time and new methods try to say intriguing things about the stories. Narrative criticism, which occupies the first half of this study, looks at the literary elements of the story. I don’t think Mark (the main gospel explored) was a literary genius, but there are some noteworthy correlations drawn here. The second part deals with psychological criticism, which is more reader-response in orientation. Freud and Jung appear, along with Girard and the lesser known Frantz Fanon. The latter is clearly an important voice in the struggle against racism. Many readers, this one included, may not have heard of him before.
Being a student book, the point here isn’t to explore the nature of demons, as I mention on my blog post about it (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World). Still, the book has soul and it raises some important questions. If you’re looking to find new angles of approach to a strange story in the New Testament, this book may help. If you’re trying to research what first-century people believed about demons it may be of lesser utility.
Biblical criticism has been around a long time and new methods try to say intriguing things about the stories. Narrative criticism, which occupies the first half of this study, looks at the literary elements of the story. I don’t think Mark (the main gospel explored) was a literary genius, but there are some noteworthy correlations drawn here. The second part deals with psychological criticism, which is more reader-response in orientation. Freud and Jung appear, along with Girard and the lesser known Frantz Fanon. The latter is clearly an important voice in the struggle against racism. Many readers, this one included, may not have heard of him before.
Being a student book, the point here isn’t to explore the nature of demons, as I mention on my blog post about it (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World). Still, the book has soul and it raises some important questions. If you’re looking to find new angles of approach to a strange story in the New Testament, this book may help. If you’re trying to research what first-century people believed about demons it may be of lesser utility.
January 11, 2024
This was a good and interesting book, but not one for the person unfamiliar with Biblical criticism. If you have not read "The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church" (Pontifical Biblical Commission, 1993) I would suggest that you read that first. Also, a strong grounding in historical criticism is a must to understand the other forms of critical interpretation that this author engages in. And given that this book is about a particular event in Mark, knowing Mark's gospel of course is necessary.
I find his psychological criticism an interesting approach to modern (and social) application of the Biblical text. I would put this under a mix of social and literary (narrative) criticism, so I do see it as secondary to historical criticism, but an import part of the conversation to see how the text impacts us in modern times.
I find his psychological criticism an interesting approach to modern (and social) application of the Biblical text. I would put this under a mix of social and literary (narrative) criticism, so I do see it as secondary to historical criticism, but an import part of the conversation to see how the text impacts us in modern times.
July 23, 2012
OK, this is my book, so I'm going to love it, but I use it as a text in my divinity school classes, and students love it! It's clearly written, informative, and entertaining. It won an award from the Catholic Publishing Association. The book is part of the "Interfaces" series, which is for the undergraduate in an intro to biblical studies class. Each book focuses upon a biblical character and uses two scholarly methodologies. I use narrative criticism and psychological criticism. You can read the intro online at http://www.litpress.org/Detail.aspx?I... (Click "See a Sample.")
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews