Arché : a collection of patristic studies /
:
During the past forty years J.C.M. van Winden OFM, Emeritus Professor of Early Christian Literature at Leiden University and editor of Vigiliae Christianae , has built up an impressive body of published research on early Christian thought and related areas of Greek and Jewish philosophy. In this volume in honour of his 75th birthday his more important contributions, originally published in a wide range of journals and other publications, have been collected together. These are grouped together in five categories: The archè in early christian thought, Essays on the Church Fathers, Philonica, Plotiniana, Essays on the relation between Greek and Patristic Thought. The volume includes a hitherto unpublished survey article on early Christian exegesis of 'the beginning' in Gen. 1:1 (in German), English translations of five contributions originally published in Dutch, and a complete bibliography of Pater van Winden's scholarly work.
:
1 online resource (xiii, 331 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004313088 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Philo and the church fathers : a collection of papers /
:
The extensive writings of the Jewish philosopher and exegete Philo of Alexandria (15 BCE to 50 CE) were preserved through the efforts of early Christians, who decided that these works could assist them in developing their own distinctive kind of thought. The present collection of papers, written from 1989 to 1994, is published as a companion volume to the author's monograph Philo in Early Christian Literature: A Survey (1993). The papers deal with various aspects of the process of reception that Philo received at the hands of the Church Fathers. Authors who are given particular attention are Athenagoras, Clement, Origen, Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, Isidore of Pelusium and Augustine. The papers also include a hitherto unpublished English translation of the author's inaugural lecture held at Utrecht in April 1992.
:
1 online resource (xii, 275 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 230-239) and indexes. :
9789004312999 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Exegeting the Jews : the early reception of the Johannine Jews /
:
In Exegeting the Jews: The Early Reception of the Johannine \'Jews\' , Michael G. Azar analyzes the rhetorical function of the Gospel of John's \'Jews\' in the earliest surviving full-length expositions of John in Greek: Origen's Commentary on John (3rd century), John Chrysostom's Homilies on John (4th century), and Cyril of Alexandria's Commentary on John (5th century). While scholarship often has portrayed the reception history ( Wirkungsgeschichte ) of the Gospel's "Jews" as simply and uniformly anti-Jewish or antisemitic, Azar demonstrates that these three writers primarily read John's narrative typologically, employing the situation and characters in the Gospel not against contemporary Jews with whom they regularly interacted, but as types of each patristic writer's own intra-Christian struggle and opponents.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004316164 :
1542-1295 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Paulus, die Evangelien, und das Urchristentum : Beiträge von und zu Walter Schmithals /
:
This volume contains the author's 'late harvest' from the fruits of half a century scholarly research in the fields of the New Testament. The essays on Paul oppose the view of history held by the 'Tübingen School' (F.C. Baur), and point out the importance of literary criticism for the theological interpretation of the pauline letters. The essays on the Letter to the Hebrews assign the appropriate historical place within early Christianity to this New Testament book. The essays on the synoptic gospels force the crisis of synoptic form criticism, and give convincing reasons for the alternative solution concerning the origin of the synoptic tradition. Five contributions complete the author's 'Theologiegeschichte des Urchristentums' edited 1994. In the second part various prominent German New Testament scholars engage into a discussion with Schmithals's contributions.
:
1 online resource (xi, 841 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789047412472 :
0169-734X = :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Jewish identity in the Greco-Roman world =Jüdische identität in der griechisch-römischen welt /
:
The articles discuss various aspects of Jewish identity in the Greco-Roman period. Was there a common 'Jewish' identity, and how could it be defined? How could different groups develop and maintain their identity within the challenge of Hellenistic and early Roman culture? What about the images of 'others'? How could some of those 'others' adopt a Jewish lifestyle or identity, whereas others, abandoned their inherited identity? Among the questions discussed are the translation of Ioudaios, Jewish and universal identity in Philo, the status of women and their conversion to Judaism, the participation of non-Jews in the temple cult, the practice of Emperor worship in Judaea, and the image of Egypt and the Nile as 'others' in Philo. Two articles enter the debate whether Jewish identity had an ongoing influence within early Christianity, in Paul and in the rules known as the Apostolic Decree.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and indexes. :
9789047421559 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Die Würde des Menschen : ein Beitrag zur Anthropologie in der alten Kirche /
:
There can be no doubt that there is a link between early Christian statements on human dignity and the corresponding modern concept, as it appears ever more frequently in current bioethical debates. This study attempts to throw light on the surprisingly complex process of the emergence of such a Christian concept of human dignity in antiquity and portrays it as a process governed by contradictions and antagonisms: between biblical and platonic anthropology; between a platonic and a stoic perception of humanity; between gnostic and antignostic cosmology; between biblically based criticism of human culture on the one hand and heilsgeschichtlichem cultural optimism on the other hand; between Greek and Roman thinking. This history of the idea of the "dignity of man" is being recounted taking into consideration the complex matrix of Christian theory and practice (including issues such as worship, contraception and abortion), piety and theological reflection, ethics, liturgy and theological as well as cutural anthropology. *** Bei dieser Studie handelt es sich um den Versuch einer zusammenfassenden Darstellung der christlich-antiken Auseinandersetzung mit der Würde des menschlichen Lebens Diese wird nicht nur gegenwärtig etwa in der Bioethik wieder kontrovers diskutiert, sondern ist auch in der Antike ein Feld philosophischer und theologischer Überlegungen gewesen. Volp fragt, inwieweit sich in den Schriften der antiken christlichen Denker die Vorstellung einer mit einer besonderen Würde ausgestatteten gemein-menschlichen Natur findet, die Menschen von Tieren und von belebter und unbelebter Materie unterscheidet, und wie diese Natur gefaßt und begründet wird. Ausgehend von der These, daß diese Überlegungen nicht nur Auswirkungen auf die ethische und religiöse Praxis der Alten Kirche hatten, sondern umgekehrt auch entscheidend von ihr geprägt wurden, konzentriert sich die Arbeit nicht nur auf die theoretischen Äußerungen der Kirchenväter, sondern bezieht ethische Konkretionen (Schwangerschaftsabbruch, Umgang mit Menschen mit Behinderungen, Krieg) und den christlichen Kult mit in die Untersuchung ein. Zum Vorschein kommt ein überraschend komplexes Bild einer alles andere als selbstverständlichen geistesgeschichtlichen Entwicklung, deren Folgen bis in die heutige Zeit nachwirken.
:
1 online resource (466 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 375-427) and indexes. :
9789047411277 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Christian origins and Greco-Roman culture : social and literary contexts for the New Testament /
:
In Christian Origins and Greco-Roman Culture , Stanley Porter and Andrew Pitts assemble an international team of scholars whose work has focused on reconstructing the social matrix for earliest Christianity through the use of Greco-Roman materials and literary forms. Each essay moves forward the current understanding of how primitive Christianity situated itself in relation to evolving Hellenistic culture. Some essays focus on configuring the social context for the origins of the Jesus movement and beyond, while others assess the literary relation between early Christian and Greco-Roman texts.
:
1 online resource (vii, 751 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004236219 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Establishing boundaries : Christian-Jewish relations in early council texts and the writings of Church Fathers /
:
This book addresses the ongoing close relations between ordinary Christians and Jews on a daily basis at a time when church leaders were increasingly trying to establish boundaries between Christians and other religious groupings, especially Jews. Until recently, most historical studies of late antique Christian-Jewish relations had been primarily based on the writings of the church fathers.This new study makes use of a new type of source material: fourth to late sixth century council documents in which clear indications are given of the daily relationships between Christians and Jews. The texts from the eastern and western Mediterranean describe contacts between Christianity and Judaism at the level of ordinary people. These contacts remained close for a much longer period than the church leaders would have liked.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. [177]-198) and index. :
9789004190658 :
1388-2074 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Tod und Ritual in den christlichen Gemeinden der Antike /
:
The development of Early Christian rituals in connection with death and burial has so far not sufficiently been explored. Volp's study focuses on the surviving literary sources-both pagan and Christian-, together with inscriptions and other archaeological remains while taking into account recent results from science and humanities. A summary of death and ritual in the ancient Mediterranean religions is followed by detailed analyses of the Christian sources from the 2nd to the 5th century. Thus, basic developments are being discovered which led to and accompanied the forming of Christian rituals, such as ritual purity or the social structure of family and society. Being the first such interdisciplinary approach, it also represents the first monographic work on the topic since 1941.
:
Originally presented as the author's thesis (doctoral)--Universität Bonn, 2001. :
1 online resource (xii, 337 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 273-309) and indexes. :
9789004313309 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
The earliest history of the Christian gathering : origin, development and content of the Christian gathering in the first to third centuries /
:
Recent research has made a strong case for the view that Early Christian communities, sociologically considered, functioned as voluntary religious associations. This is similar to the practice of many other cultic associations in the Greco-Roman world of the first century CE. Building upon this new approach, along with a critical interpretation of all available sources, this book discusses the social and religio-historical background of the weekly gatherings of Christians and presents a fresh reconstruction of how the weekly gathering originated and developed in both form and content. The topics studied here include the origins of the observance of Sunday as the weekly Christian feast-day, the shape and meaning of the weekly gatherings of the Christian communities, and the rise of customs such as preaching, praying, singing, and the reading of texts in these meetings.
:
Revision of the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--Leiden University, 2009. :
1 online resource (xvii, 342 pages) : illustrations, plans. :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 301-321) and indexes. :
9789004190702 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Persecution in 1 Peter : differentiating and contextualizing early Christian suffering /
:
In Persecution in 1 Peter , Travis B. Williams offers a comprehensive and detailed socio-historical investigation into the nature of suffering in 1 Peter. While interpreters commonly portray the conflict situation addressed by the epistle as \'unofficial\' persecution consisting of discrimination and verbal abuse, Williams demonstrates the inadequacy of this modern consensus by situating the letter against the backdrop of conflict management in first-century CE Asia Minor. Drawing on a wide range of historical evidence and on modern social-psychological perspectives, this work reconstructs the conflict situation of the Anatolian audience and offers important insights regarding the legal culpability of Christians following the Neronian persecution, the roles of local and provincial authorities in the judicial process, and the variegated conflict experiences of different socio-economic groups within the Christian communities.
:
1 online resource (xxvii, 483 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. [387]-446) and indexes. :
9789004242012 :
0167-9732 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
The proof from prophecy : a study in Justin Martyr's proof-text tradition: text-type, provenance, theological profile /
:
Originally presented as the author's thesis (doctoral)--Oslo, 1981.
Includes indexes. :
1 online resource (xiv, 505 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 473-487). :
9789004266674 :
0169-9732 ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Clement of Alexandria on trial : the evidence of "heresy" from Photius' Bibliotheca /
:
Clement of Alexandria (c.150-215 CE) is one of the most significant theologians of the second-century, and his work is still the subject of intense academic debate. This book provides a new perspective on Clement's thought, through a critical examination of the work of one of his critics, Photios (c.820-893 CE). Photios, the Patriarch of Constantinople, based his critique on Clement's (now lost) treatise 'Hypotyposeis', claiming the work contained eight 'heresies'. The book examines each 'error' listed in the 109th codex of Photios' 'Bibliotheca' in depth, using evidence from Clement's existing work to consider the likely accuracy of Photios' critique. Focusing on these eight 'heresies' offers a unique opportunity to illuminate what in terms of post-Nicene orthodoxy are Clement's most problematic opinions, setting them in the context of their original philosophical and theological frame.
:
1 online resource (xvi, 185 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789047429715 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Eingeordnete Freiheit : Freiheit und Vorsehung bei Origenes /
:
Eingeordnete Freiheit compares Origen's notion of freedom of choice with the concepts of contemporary philosophers. The first chapter deals with the philosophical problem of freedom of choice throughout the history of Greek philosophy. In the second chapter Origen's writing on this topic is assembled, translated, analyzed and commented upon. The comparison between Origen and his contemporaries leads in chapter three to the conclusion that Origen's concept of freedom differs especially from the philosophical perspective, since human freedom does not stand in opposition to the inevitable pattern of the pronoia or heimarmene but to Gods care for every individual. Chapter four shows that the notion of oikonomia in Christian theology is based on the concept of providence in Origen.
:
1 online resource (ix, 225 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 216-222) and index. :
9789004312951 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Grace and the Will According to Augustine.
:
The doctrine on grace, one of the most discussed themes in his later years, was regarded by Augustine as the very core of Christianity. This book traces the gradual crystallisation of this teaching, including its unacceptable consequences (such as double predestination, inherited guilt which deserves eternal punishment, and its transmission through libidinous procreation). How did the reader of Cicero and "the books of the Platonists" reach the ideas that appear in his polemic against Julian (and which remind one of Freud rather than the Stoics or Plotinus)? That is the point of departure of this book. It surely cannot be expected that there is a definite answer to the question; rather, the aim is to follow and understand the development.
:
Part Three: Introduction. :
1 online resource (442 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-378) and indexes. :
9789004229211 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
The Didache in modern research /
:
This volume makes available a collection of the most important and influential modern articles on the Didache or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles , many of them appearing in English for the first time. Leading Jewish and Christian scholars in the field represented in the volume include G. Alon, J-P. Audet, E. Bammel, J. Betz, J.A. Draper, D. Flusser, A. de Halleux, E. Mazza, K. Niederwimmer, W. Rordorf, G. Schöllgen, H.R. Seeliger and C.M. Tuckett. Essays included provide a representative sample of most aspects of study of this first-century Christian writing, documenting an increasing scholarly interest in its importance for the understanding of Christian origins. The editor provides an extensive review of scholarship on the Didache in the past fifty years, outlining its major trends and implications.
:
1 online resource (xviii, 445 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 383-412) and indexes. :
9789004332492 :
0169-734X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Der Briefwechsel zwischen Augustinus und Hieronymus und ihr Streit um den Kanon des Alten Testaments und die Auslegung von Gal. 2, 11-14 /
:
This volume deals with the correspondence between Augustine and Jerome, discussing the way the letters were handed down to posterity, as well as their contents. In the first part it is shown that Jerome and Augustine both published a collection of the correspondence. In addition a list of manuscripts is given. The second part deals with the conflict between Augustine and Jerome. Not only their discussion whether the Hebrew Bible or the Septuagint should be considered canonically authoritative for the Church, but also their argument on the right exegesis of the quarrel between Peter and Paul in Antioch, whether Christians should observe the Jewish Ceremonial Laws (Gal. 2,11-14). The book is of particular interest for scholars in Patristic and Jewish Studies, giving a fresh approach to this important correspondence.
:
Originally present as the author's thesis (doctoral)--Universität Heidelberg, 1992. :
1 online resource (395 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 299-334) and indexes. :
9789004312883 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Christologische Schriftargumentation und Bildersprache : zum konflikt zwischen Metapherninterpretation und dogmatischen Schriftbeweistraditionen in der patristischen Auslegung des...
:
This volume examines the early Church's methods of theological argumentation concerning the metaphorical texts of the Bible. Ps 45 presents some of the oldest biblical evidence for the divinity of Christ and was often cited in christological and trinitarian controversies. In the 4th century the conflict between the traditional interpretation of the Church and linguistic methods erupted. In the course of the debate with Arian exegesis the significance of metaphor and the possibility of speaking of God were conceived anew. This study is based on dogmatic, exegetical and spiritual texts ranging from Justin to Cyril of Alexandria and Theodoret of Cyrus. It shows how the various forms of argumentation interact: how scholarly theology was mediated through preaching, and pastoral and catechetical interests affected christological reflection.
:
1 online resource (xxi, 438 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references (p. 415-428) and indexes. :
9789004312937 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
La perte de l'Esprit Saint et son recouvrement dans l'Église ancienne : la réconciliation des hérétiques et des pénitents en occident du IIIe siècle jusqu'à Grégoire le Grand /...
:
Quand Dieu fait don de l'Esprit aux croyants, comment l'Esprit est-il conféré ? L'Esprit peut-il être perdu ? Laurence Decousu s'attache à répondre à ces questions en étudiant comment l'Église ancienne réconciliait les pénitents et ceux qui s'étaient séparés d'elle. Depuis le Moyen-Âge, la théologie catholique pense que l'Esprit est donné à travers des rites célébrés une fois pour toutes : baptême, confirmation, ordre. Or l'Église des Pères n'a pas vu ces rites comme transmettant l'Esprit et ses effets. Pour eux, recevoir l'Esprit dépendait d'une initiative divine, à la fois directe, libre et souveraine. Cette étude représente une contribution importante pour renouveler la pneumatologie, la pastorale, et les relations œcuméniques. When God gives the Spirit to believers, how is the Spirit conferred ? Can the Spirit be lost ? Laurence Decousu answers these questions by studying the reconciliation of penitents and those who have separated themselves from the Church. Ever since the Middle Ages, theology has held that the Spirit is given through rites celebrated once for all : Baptism, Confirmation, Order. The Church Fathers did not see these rites as transmitting the Spirit and the effects of the Spirit. For them, reception of the Spirit depended on a divine initiative that was direct, free and sovereign. This study is an important contribution to the renewal of pneumatology, pastoral practice and ecumenical relations.
:
1 online resource (xiii, 545 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004291683 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Human nature in Gregory of Nyssa : philosophical background and theological significance /
:
This volume explores Gregory Of Nyssa's concept of human nature. It argues that the frequent use Gregory makes of phusis -terminology is not only a terminological predilection, but rather the key to the philosophical and theological foundations of his thought. Starting from an overview of the theological landscape in the early 360's the study first demonstrates the meaning and relevance of universal human nature as an analogy for the Trinity in Cappadocian theology. The second part explores Gregory's use of this same notion in his teaching on the divine economy. It is argued that Gregory takes this philosophical theory into the service of his own theology. Ultimately the book provides an example for the mutual interaction of philosophy and Christian theology in the fourth century.
:
Revision of the author's thesis (doctoral)--University of Oxford in Michaelmas, 1997. :
1 online resource (ix, 271 pages) :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004274327 :
0920-623X ; :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.