The New Historicism.The New Historicism New Historicism is an approach to literary criticism and literary theory based on the premise that a literary work should be considered a product of the time, place, and circumstances of its composition rather than as an isolated creation. . By Gina Hens-Piazza. Guides to Biblical Scholarship: Old Testament Series (Fortress, $13). In recent decades the methodological pendulum in biblical studies Biblical studies is the academic study of the Judeo-Christian Bible and related texts. For Christianity, the Bible traditionally comprises the New Testament and Old Testament, which together are sometimes called the "Scriptures. has swung from historical criticism to different forms of literary criticism. New Historicism marks a swing back toward history without leaving the literary behind. New Historicism takes seriously both the historical roots of the text and the historical impact that texts (in this case biblical) have on their reading communities, past, present, and future. Hens-Piazza offers a fine description of this complex web of postmodern post·mod·ern adj. Of or relating to art, architecture, or literature that reacts against earlier modernist principles, as by reintroducing traditional or classical elements of style or by carrying modernist styles or practices to extremes: literary theory, historicism his·tor·i·cism n. 1. A theory that events are determined or influenced by conditions and inherent processes beyond the control of humans. 2. A theory that stresses the significant influence of history as a criterion of value. , biblical texts, and their interpretation. While accessible to the beginner, those with strong interests or background in the methodologies of biblical study and/or literary theory will gain quicker access. Sam Giere, University of St. Andrews, Scotland |
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