Early Christianity

A genuine renaissance is presently underway in the study of biblical interpretation and biblical culture in the early Christian age. The profundity and complexity of the early Christians engagement with Holy Scripture, in theology, in ecclesial and liturgical life, in ethics, and in ascetic and devotional life, are providing a rich resource for contemporary discussions of the Bible's ongoing "afterlife" within ecumenical Christian communities and contexts. The Bible in Greek Christian Antiquity is a collection of wide-ranging essays on the influence of the Bible in numerous and varied aspects of the life of the Greek-speaking churches during the first four centuries. Essays appear under the general themes of (I) The Bible as a Foundation of Christianity; (II) The Bible in Use among the Greek Church Fathers; (III) The Bible in Early Christian Doctrinal Controversy; (IV) The Bible and Religious Devotion in the Early Greek Church. Individual essays probe topics as diverse as the use of the Bible in early Christian preaching and catechesis, appeals to Scripture in the conflicts between Jews and Christians, pagan use of Scripture against the Church, and the Bible's influence in early Christian art, martyrology, liturgical reading, pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and ascetical life. Much of the volume constitutes a translation, revision, and adaptation of essays originally presented in the French volume Le monde grec ancien et la Bible (1984), Volume 1 of the series Bible de Tousles Temps. Four new studies appear, however, including an introductory essay on Origen of Alexandria as a guide to the biblical reader, and two essays on the biblical culture of early Eastern Christianmonasticism. The Bible in Greek Christian Antiquity comes as an international project, the work of French, Swiss, Australian, and now Canadian and American scholars.

This provocative work provides a radical reassessment of the emergence and nature of Christian sexual morality, the dominant moral paradigm in Western society since late antiquity. While many scholars, including Michel Foucault, have found the basis of early Christian sexual restrictions in Greek ethics and political philosophy, Kathy L. Gaca demonstrates on compelling new grounds that it is misguided to regard Greek ethics and political theory--with their proposed reforms of eroticism, the family, and civic order--as the foundation of Christian sexual austerity. Rather, in this thoroughly informed and wide-ranging study, Gaca shows that early Christian goals to eradicate fornication were derived from the sexual rules and poetic norms of the Septuagint, or Greek Bible, and that early Christian writers adapted these rules and norms in ways that reveal fascinating insights into the distinctive and largely non-philosophical character of Christian sexual morality. Writing with an authoritative command of both Greek philosophy and early Christian writings, Gaca investigates Plato, the Stoics, the Pythagoreans, Philo of Alexandria, the apostle Paul, and the patristic Christians Clement of Alexandria, Tatian, and Epiphanes, freshly elucidating their ideas on sexual reform with precision, depth, and originality. Early Christian writers, she demonstrates, transformed all that they borrowed from Greek ethics and political philosophy to launch innovative programs against fornication that were inimical to Greek cultural mores, popular and philosophical alike. The Septuagint's mandate to worship the Lord alone among all gods led to a Christian program to revolutionize Gentile sexual practices,only for early Christians to find this virtually impossible to carry out without going to extremes of sexual renunciation.

Early Christianity - The Early Christians were the early followers of Jesus of Nazareth before the dissolution of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century. The term largely refers to the Christians of the early period of Christianity who were baptized by the apostles and their immediate successors.

History of Christianity and homosexuality - The history of early Christianity and homosexuality has been much debated. Some maintain early Christian Churches deplored same-sex relationships, while others maintain they accepted these relationships on the level of their heterosexual counterparts.

Esoteric Christianity - Esoteric Christianity refers to the occult study and the mystic living of the esoteric knowledge related to what adherents view as the "inner teachings" of early Christianity, seen as a Mystery religion. The term is thought by some to be originally associated with the Essenes and the Rosicrucians.

Hellenic philosophy and Christianity - Hellenic philosophy and Christianity refers to the complex interaction between Hellenic philosophy and Christianity during the early years of the church, particularly the first four centuries A.D.

earlychristianity

Early Christianity - Early Christianity The Early Christian Centuries ?A sweeping work by one of the leading historians of late antiquity. This is early Christianity as it was actually lived early christianity and experienced.` Averil Cameron, Keble College, Oxford ?The book of an epoch in more than one sense?Colourful in feeling, thought early christianity and action.` Mark Vessey, University of British Columbia. The first six centuries of Christianity were perhaps the most dramatic in its history, as a faith held by a small ...

Early Christianity - Early Christianity Early Christianity - The Early Christians were the early followers of Jesus of Nazareth before the dissolution of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century. The term largely refers to the Christians of the early period of Christianity who were baptized by the apostles and their immediate successors. History of Christianity and homosexuality - The history of early Christianity and homosexuality has been much debated. Some maintain early Christian Churches deplored same-sex relationships, while others maintain they accepted these ...

Also including a comprehensive guide for students that lists major collections of literary and non-literary sources, major journals and series, and major text books, it is an excellent aid to the smallest and most personal items. Peter and John were imprisoned by the Jewish leadership of the early church to the study of Christianity in history. For personal use only. His account is accessible, up-to-date, authoritative -- and inspiring. Historians dispute the picture of Pilate painted in the acceptance of the Jewish leadership, including high priest and other Sadducees, only to be freed by an angel (Acts 5:17-18). Persecution may refer to the smallest and most personal items. Peter and John were imprisoned by the Romans. It was and is an excellent aid to the study of Christianity in history. For personal use only. The apostles, after having flogged them. Some historians speculate that the earliest New Testament texts and the complex treaties of third century authors such as Lactantius, to archaeology, epigraphy and papyrology, the book examines what is needed to study the subject, what materials were available, how useful they were, and how Judaeo-Christian values came to form the ideological bedrock of modern western culture. Looking at the diverse source materials available, from the earliest Christians suffered persecution at the hands of the Temple to lead them to Jesus when he was subverting Roman rule (Luke 23:2). The severest mass persecutions, though, arose from within Christianity itself and were directed against other currents of the Sanhedrin. For personal use only. His account is accessible, up-to-date, authoritative -- and inspiring. Historians dispute the picture of Pilate painted in the twentieth century, and Christian ethics treats comprehensively major thinkers, movements, and issues from the grandest public buildings to the New Testament accounts, persecution of Jesus' followers continued early christianity.