Human-ness and God-ness in Biblical and Classical Culture: That One Seems to Me a Little Less than a God

This volume explores the poetic and philosophical boundaries between humanity and divinity across the Hebrew Bible, Graeco-Roman literature, and early Christian thought. Inspired by Psalm 8 and the verses of Sappho and Catullus, the title evokes the ancient tension between being human and “almost divine.” Essays by leading scholars examine prophetic transmission, divine legitimization of power, asceticism, animal symbolism, and mystical emptiness—tracing how ancient cultures conceptualized the divine-human interface. From Mesopotamian treaties and biblical naming to Latin hymnody and Indian mysticism, the volume traverses cultural and ontological boundaries. Dedicated to Sten Hidal, whose pioneering work bridged Hebrew and Classical traditions, this collection honors his legacy by continuing the inquiry into what it means to be “a little less than a god.”