Corpus-Paul

[RSBrenchley AT aol.com]

In a message dated 19/01/05 16:44:36 GMT Standard Time, corpus-paul-request AT lists.ibiblio.org writes:

<<There is quite a debate going on now about literacy levels in
Judea and within Diaspora Jewish communities, but the numbers for literacy
are generally still quite low (surprising to me to learn). It is an open
question how the receptions of these letters worked, but the topic of
literacy and orality as well as manuscript availability does bear on the
topic at hand. Why was appeal to Scripture as authority made, where and how
was Scripture accessed by the recipients, and who was presumed to be
available to explain it, are just the kind of questions being raised.

Regards,
Mark>>

    I wonder how much of it people would have learnt by heart, from constant repetition? I once came across a Nigerian preacher who couldn't read or write, but knew the entire Bible in Yoruba, and most of it in the Authorised. In a culture with the literacy levels found in the Roman empire, one must surely have encountered people like this far more often than in Britain today.

 

    Regards,

 

    Robert Brenchley