Lectors in the Early Church: The Public Reading of John's Gospel during the First Two Centuries C.E.

In this project I investigate the public reading (or performance) of John’s Gospel during the first and second centuries C.E. Since there are few surviving accounts of such readings, I focus on how lectors (i.e. trained public readers) analyzed and delivered literary writings for audiences.

In this project I investigate the public reading (or performance) of John’s Gospel during the first and second centuries C.E. Since there are few surviving accounts of such readings, I focus on how lectors (i.e. trained public readers) analyzed and delivered literary writings for audiences.

The study includes inquiries into distinctive features of early Christian manuscripts, the identity and function of lectors, and the use of sound structure and stylistic analysis in the preparations for public reading. The insights from these areas are then applied to the text and the public reading of John’s Gospel.