Memory, Mission, and Identity: Orality and the Apostolic Miracle Tradition

This book uses social memory theory to evaluate the miracle stories of Peter and Paul in three second-century texts: canonical Acts, the Acts of Peter and the Acts of Paul. Far from negligible to the spread of early Christianity, the memory of Jesus' miracles and those related to apostles Peter and Paul was important for establishing early Christian identity and promoting discipleship. The memory of miracles of Peter and Paul was retained and developed in an effort to promote imitation of Jesus in second-century Christian communities.

This book is divided into two parts. The first establishes the methodology based on orality, memory and performance of the miracle tradition of Jesus and the apostles. Chapter one sets the foundation of narrative identity, imagination and identity. The second chapter focuses on the transmission of the miracle tradition of Jesus based on orality, memory and performance. The stories about Jesus' miracles were important for the discipleship of early Christian communities. The third chapter focuses further on the miracle tradition of Jesus and the expectation that his disciples would imitate him. Specifically the Twelve played an important role in transmitting the tradition but were also expected to take part in Jesus' mission to Israel. The fourth chapter uses the established methodology and evaluates the memory of the miracles of Peter and Paul in the canonical book of Acts. The fifth chapter applies the same method to the Acts of Paul. The sixth chapter similarly applies the method of orality and memory to the Acts of Peter.