Stephen of Ripon and the Bible: allegorical and typological interpretations of the Life of St Wilfrid

This article attempts a re-reading of Stephen of Ripon's Life of Saint Wilfrid in the light of a biblical exegetical methodology which is contemporary to its composition, being derived chiefly from the works of Bede. Through an analysis of typology in the Life , this study argues that Stephen compared his hero with various biblical reformers. By inaccurately linking Wilfrid's main enemies with quartodecimanism Stephen could claim that Wilfrid was in conflict with enemies who could be rhetorically characterized as types of perfidious Jews. Ultimately Stephen is shown to have used a theology of Jewish–Christian supersessionism to characterize and explain his subject's turbulent career. The work includes an appendix speculatively interpreting two resurrection miracles.