Faith-drama and theatre:: Theodore !de Beze's bible drama 'Abraham Sacrifiant'

The article analyzes Theodore de Beze's Abraham Sacirifant (1550) as a major example of early protestant biblical drama. Instead of understanding this genre as a rather mechanical rendering of biblical content into dramatical form the present paper stresses the intense relation of form and content. It shows how de Beze rewrites the episode which has played a crucial role in medieval mystery plays, using the theatrical means of humanist drama. The concentration for the protagonist's struggle with faith does not only parallel the exegetical interest of Luther and Calvin in Gen 22, but more general the reformer's stress of justification. In so far justification is conceptualized as enduring struggle, de Beze's play is essentially dramatic, in so far justification proceeds by faith, the struggle remains invisible and cannot be presented on stage but indirectly, through the medium of dialogue.