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In this paper I will attempt to step into Llull's large footsteps by
trying to recreate what he might have said when standing in the
synagogue in Barcelona 1299, in front of a Jewish audience in
order to convince them of the truth of Christianity. While this may
seem a hopeless and speculative task, it is a useful exercise because
it raises questions about Llull himself, the cultural and intellectual
environment he flourished in and his relations with both Jews and
Muslims. More importantly, it allows us, some seven hundred years
later, to explore our own relationship with this important historical
figure, as well as providing a greater measure of freedom of
interpretation in suggesting what Llull would have wanted to convey.
Additionally, this approach may suggest new lines of investigation and
raise different questions and issues regarding Llull that may not have
previously been considered.
From a methodological point of view, I will start by looking at the
medieval approaches to preaching and Llull's place within that world.
I will then examine the Jewish milieu, establishing general practices
regarding preaching before examining the evidence and its implications
for Llull's own visit to the synagogue. I will then attempt to
reconstruct what Llull might possibly have said basing myself as
closely as possible on the Lullian material available to us. Llull
himself left us a considerable amount of material concerning
predication, and the enormous Lullian corpus of writings provides a
wealth of source material from which it is possible to glean the
approach Llull might have adopted in the synagogue.
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