This collection of essays deals with the ancient Jewish romance called Joseph and Aseneth. It tells how Aseneth, daughter of an Egyptian priest, became the wife of Joseph, Pharaoh's viceroy, following her conversion to the God of the Hebrews. It is an instructive witness to Jewish diaspora theology and hence to the soil on which Christianity grew. The earliest form of the work is disputed. No full critical edition currently exists.
The volume assembles 13 studies previously published from 1961 to 1991 in German, English, and French, including a preliminary Greek text and the Serbo-Slavonic translation. They are accompanied by a fresh introduction, bibliography, and indexes.
The book documents 40 years of research and may serve as a basis for further study of the textual tradition and the theological and cultural importance of Joseph and Aseneth.
Christoph Burchard, Dr. theol. (1961) and Dr. theol. habil. (1969), Göttingen, is since 1971 Professor of New Testament Theology at the University of Heidelberg. He has published books and articles on ancient Jewish texts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the New Testament.
All those interested in ancient Jewish and Christian literature, Oriens Christianus, medieval book illustration, hagiography and its impact on European literature, as well as theologians, armenologists, and slavists.