Social memory
In biblical studies, the term "social memory" refers to the collective process by which communities remember, interpret, and transmit their experiences, beliefs, and narratives related to their religious, cultural, and historical identity. This concept is particularly relevant in examining how ancient Israelite and early Christian communities constructed their collective understanding of their past and how this understanding informed their religious traditions, practices, and the composition of biblical texts.
Social memory studies in biblical scholarship emphasize the dynamic and interactive nature of remembering within these communities. They focus on how individuals and groups shape their collective memories through retelling stories, rituals, and shared experiences. These memories, in turn, influence the interpretation and transmission of biblical texts and traditions.
Continuing the Testimony of the Acts of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:1-3)
Acts 1:1-3 provides an introduction to the book of Acts and sets the stage for the narrative that follows. In Acts 1:1-3, Luke addresses his writing to Theophilus, who is likely a patron or a person of high social status. He explains that his earlier work, the Gospel of Luke, was about all that...