The Wisdom literature in the Bible is a really interesting part of the history of the Judaeo-Christian tradition. I'm not at all familiar with the contemporary stuff from other faith traditions (beyond knowing it existed) -- I forget if it was supposed to be influenced by, or an influence on, the Athena myth in Greece? Or did all of them partake of the same pan-Mediterranean tradition?
I do know that there are a number of references to Divine Wisdom semi-personified in that little cluster of Old Testament books -- Psalms, Isaiah and Job all have elements of this as well as Proverbs.
I believe the Jewish interpretative tradition identifies the figure of Wisdom with the Torah, whereas in the Christian tradition she's usually identified with the Logos -- the Word of God which became incarnate as Christ (thus adding a different spin to the whole "gender of God" debate). Saint Sophia -- who has a cathedral in Constantinople / Istanbul -- is not a dead human, like most saints (or indeed an angel, like a tiny minority of them), but this same embodiment of "Holy Wisdom".
It's a fascinating aspect of the Judaeo-Christian tradition, and one I really wish I knew more about.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2004-11-27 04:22 am (UTC)I do know that there are a number of references to Divine Wisdom semi-personified in that little cluster of Old Testament books -- Psalms, Isaiah and Job all have elements of this as well as Proverbs.
I believe the Jewish interpretative tradition identifies the figure of Wisdom with the Torah, whereas in the Christian tradition she's usually identified with the Logos -- the Word of God which became incarnate as Christ (thus adding a different spin to the whole "gender of God" debate). Saint Sophia -- who has a cathedral in Constantinople / Istanbul -- is not a dead human, like most saints (or indeed an angel, like a tiny minority of them), but this same embodiment of "Holy Wisdom".
It's a fascinating aspect of the Judaeo-Christian tradition, and one I really wish I knew more about.