Inspired Voices Research Cluster Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences University of Sydney
Free Public Lecture Professor Gerard Naddaf (York University, Canada) Sacred Texts: From Inspiration to Philosophy and Allegory 11 November 2011 6‐8 pm New Law School Lecture Theatre 101 University of Sydney, Camperdown Campus Abstract The transition from myth to reason, muthos to logos, marks the birth of philosophy. Much has been written about this “miracle.” But how did the proponents of myth respond? They fought back with mutho-logia, that is, with a logos about myth. This “rational” approach invoked the same logos as that associated with philosophia. In fact, philosophia and mythologia were at times so intimately connected that it was difficult to distinguish between them. This is due to the “spell” of myth, particularly Greek/Homeric myth, or to be more precise, because of the allegorical interpretation of Homeric myth. The practice of allegorical interpretation preserved the notion that the “first” poets were divinely inspired men with access to “divine” secrets about the universe. In this lecture, I will begin with Homer and Hesiod, turn to the origin of philosophy, move on to the first quarrel between philosophy and poetry, and then review the birth of the practice of allegorical interpretation. I will give an overview of the role allegory played in the philosophic, religious, and even scientific traditions from this period to at least the Enlightenment. I will also endeavour to show how believers practiced allegorical interpretation in relation to the Torah, the Christian Bible, and later the Qur’an. In doing so, I will show, that, although there has always been a struggle between the literal and allegorical interpretations of sacred texts, the practitioners of allegory commonly viewed both religious and philosophical texts as emanating from the same divine source — that is, as inspired by God. I will end with some reflections on the interpretative clashes between competitive “inspired” texts. ______________________________________________________________________ Professor Naddaf will also be giving a seminar paper at the Inspired Voices Research Cluster Seminar series on Nov. 10, 3.30-4.30 at the Centre for Classical and Near Eastern Studies of Australia (CCANESA) in the Madsen Building at the University of Sydney. Seating is limited. If interested in attending the seminar contact rick.beni...@sydney.edu.au
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