@article{Nelson, author = {Nelson, Marie}, title = {The Sacrifice of Isaac: A Humanistic Interpretation}, series = {Neuphilologische Mitteilungen, Vol. 89, No. 3 (1988), pp. 286-294. [Online ISSN 2736-9714] [jstor.org/stable/43343868]}, journal = {Neuphilologische Mitteilungen, Vol. 89, No. 3 (1988), pp. 286-294. [Online ISSN 2736-9714] [jstor.org/stable/43343868]}, abstract = {Erich Fromm, one of the pioneers of Third Force psychology, consciences: the authoritarian conscience, which, representing the values of munity or culture, demands obedience; and the humanistic conscience, which, the inner self, asks that the individual act in ways that show his respect for his potentiality. It is not surprising that the two consciences, in life as well as in literature, often in conflict. What is surprising is the occasional example of ready obedience demands of an authoritarian conscience. The biblical account of the sacrifice Old English versions of which are discussed in this paper, provides just such an comparison of the language of the C{\ae}dmonian poet with that of {\AE}lfric's almost word translation from the Vulgate leads to a conclusion that the biblical story and Isaac represents a moment in the history of religious consciousness when the authoritarian conscience was succeeded by the humanistic conscience.}, language = {en} }