The Johannine Renaissance in Early Modern English Literature and Theology

This Volume Argues That The Fourth Gospel And First Epistle Of Saint John The Evangelist Were So Influential During The Early Modern Period In England As To Share With Pauline Theology Pride Of Place As Leading Apostolic Texts On Matters Christological, Sacramental, Pneumatological And Political. It Argues Further That, In Several Instances, Johannine Theology Is More Central Than Both Pauline Theology And The Synoptic Theology Of Matthew, Mark And Luke, Particularly With Regard To Early Modern Polemicising On The Trinity, Distinctions Between Agape And Eros And The Ideologies Of Radical Dissent, Especially The 17th-century Antinomian Challenge Of Free Grace To Traditional Puritan Pietism. Introduction: The Johannine Renaissance -- The Flesh Profiteth Nothing: John 6, The Bread Of Life, And Devotional Poetry Of Belief -- Noli Me Tangere And The Reception Of Mary Magdalene In Early Modern England -- Spiritual Comfort And Assurance: The Role Of The Paraclete In Seventeenth-century Poetry And Polemic -- God Is Love: Johannine Agape And Early Modern Devotional Poetry -- Johannine Dualism, Antinomianism, And Early Modern English Radical Dissent -- Discipleship Misunderstanding And Johannine Irony In The Poetry Of George Herbert And Henry Vaughan -- Afterword: The Johannine Enchantment Of The World. Paul Cefalu. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 323-336) And Index.