John: A Samaritan Gospel

<p>The Gospel of John is enigmatic; scholars have sought to identify its distinctive features. Is it influenced by Hellenistic culture, Gnosticism, Dositheism, or is it an editorial compilation? These distinct characteristics have led scholars to speculate about the intended recipients of the Fourth Gospel. Identifying the audience is crucial in deciphering these distinct characteristics. Why did the author(s) use specific literary techniques and devices? Why were particular stories selected? This dissertation does not seek to dismiss the existing scholarly analyses that have identified the recurring themes and structure of the Gospel of John; instead, it prompts the question, "Why?" Understanding the dialogue's audience provides insight into the issues being addressed. We now understand that the Gospels are also a form of dialogue. They are narratives shared with a specific group of people. I intend to delve into how identifying an Israelite-Samaritan audience can shed light on as many of these distinct characteristics as possible. The debate about identifying John's intended audience remains unresolved, as no single group is universally acknowledged as the recipient of the Gospel of John. In other words, in the study of John's history, the exploration of its audience is a result of interpreting its form and structure. However, this dissertation contends that identifying the recipient should be a fundamental aspect of approaching and comprehending the entirety of John's text. Based on this assertion, I will investigate whether a proto-Samaritan group of remnant Israelites could have been the intended recipients of the Gospel of John.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Religion, PhD

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

School of Arts and Humanities

Year dc:date.available

2026

Author dc:creator

• Stringfellow, John Colin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gary Gilbert
• Tammi Schnieder
• Christopher Skinner

• Ancient Mediterranean Studies
• Gospel of John
• New Testament
• Samaritans
• Biblical Studies
• Religion

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/1127

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarship.claremont.edu:cgu_etd-2149