The Genre of Acts: Moving Toward a Consensus?

Abstract

This article examines the four most widely discussed proposals for the genre of Acts in contemporary scholarship (biography as proposed by C. Talbert, novel as proposed by R. Pervo, epic as proposed by D. MacDonald, and history as reflected in the consensus of scholarship). Because the historical genre is currently the most widely accepted understanding, four historical subgenres are also considered (general history as proposed by D. Aune, political history as proposed by D. Balch, deuteronomistic history as proposed by T. Brodie, and apologetic history as proposed by G. Sterling). Currently the tendency of scholarship appears to be moving in the direction of understanding Acts as a mixture of genres, some of which are fictive.

The Unity of Luke—Acts in Recent Discussion

“…Do we have in Luke-Acts one work with two genres, a two-part 'historical monograph' (Aune 1987), a 'succession narrative' (Talbert 1974), a 'scientific treatise' (Alexander 1993) or a sui generis for the 'beginnings of Christianity' (Marshall 1993: 180). Those who advocate the unity of Luke-Acts have to solve the genre question that Parsons and Pervo have posed (see recently Pervo 1999 andPhillips 2006).…”

Innovation of a Master Wonder-worker in the Character of Simon Peter

“…As Suzanne Watts Henderson (2006, 241-61) points out, the Markan disciples are not called to accept any particular Christology but to participate in Jesus's mission, and when they fall short, it is because they underestimate the cost of following Jesus and the authority endowed in his followers. 3 See the overviews by Mikeal C. Parsons andRichard I. Pervo (1993, 26-37), Joseph Verheyden (1999, 45-48) and Thomas E. Phillips (2006).…”