The African memory of Mark : reassessing early church tradition / Thomas C. Oden. [print]

"We often regard the author of the Gospel of Mark as an obscure figure about whom we know little. Many would be surprised to learn how much fuller a picture of Mark exists within widespread African tradition, tradition that holds that Mark himself was from North Africa, that he founded the church in Alexandria, that he was an eyewitness to the Last Supper and Pentecost, that he was related not only to Barnabas but to Peter as well and accompanied him on many of his travels. In this provocative reassessment of early church tradition, Tom Oden begins with New Testament evidence and adds to it African sources, including synaxaries, archaeological sites and non-Western historical documents. The result is a fresh and illuminating portrait of Mark, one that is deeply rooted in African memory and seldom viewed appreciatively in the West"--From publisher description.

Preface : not for Africans alone -- A boy named John Mark -- The African memory of St. Mark. -- Defining African memory ; -- The African roots ; -- The literary sources of the African memory of Mark -- The identity of the biblical Mark viewed from African tradition. -- A portrait of Mark ; -- The African mosaic of the Lord's Supper and Pentecost according to Mark ; -- Mark with Peter and Paul -- Mark in Africa. -- The call of Mark to carry the good news to Africa ; -- Mark's martyrdom sites in Alexandria -- Mark in the historical record. -- Mark's African identity viewed historically -- The ubiquity of Mark. -- The puzzle of Mark ; -- When the John Mark of history meets the St. Mark of memory ; -- The Markan nucleus of African liturgy and catechesis.

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