Institute for Medieval Studies

Session	543
Title	Rewriting the Bible in Medieval England
Date/Time	Tuesday 4 July 2017: 09.00-10.30
Organiser	Cathy Hume, Department of English, University of Bristol
Moderator/Chair	Anke Holdenried, Department of History, University of Bristol
Paper 543-a	Royal Authority in the Biblical Quotations of the Old English 'Pastoral Care' (Language: English) Amy Faulkner, Department of English Language & Literature, University College London Index Terms: Biblical Studies; Language and Literature - Old English
Paper 543-b	'That elfe and vile conjoin': Herod's Reconstruction of the Christ Child through Changing Insults (Language: English) Rose A. Sawyer, Institute for Medieval Studies, University of Leeds Index Terms: Biblical Studies; Folk Studies; Language and Literature - Middle English; Performance Arts - Drama
Paper 543-c	'Patience' and Its Middle English Peers: Marvels and Morality (Language: English) Cathy Hume, Department of English, University of Bristol Index Terms: Biblical Studies; Language and Literature - Middle English
Abstract	This session will focus on biblical literature written in medieval England. We will consider its creative achievements, audience, and political and cultural functions. The session bridges the gap between Old and Middle English and dramatic and non-dramatic texts and aims to bring new attention to vernacular biblical literature. Faulkner will argue that Alfred used biblical quotations to further his royal agenda. Hume will suggest that 'Patience' is unusual among late medieval biblical poetry in its focussed exemplarity. Sawyer will consider the insults in two Chester plays based on the Bible and consider their functions.