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Summary:

"A new narrative history of the origins and development of ancient Mediterranean Christianity from the time of the apostle Paul up to the fifth century CE"-- [Provided by publisher]
"How, over the course of five centuries, one particular god and one particular Christianity came to dominate late Roman imperial politics and piety The ancient Mediterranean teemed with gods. For centuries, a practical religious pluralism prevailed. How, then, did one particular god come to dominate the politics and piety of the late Roman Empire? In Ancient Christianities, Paula Fredriksen traces the evolution of early Christianity-or rather, of early Christianities-through five centuries of Empire, mapping its pathways from the hills of Judea to the halls of Rome and Constantinople. It is a story with a sprawling cast of characters: not only theologians, bishops, and emperors, but also gods and demons, angels and magicians, astrologers and ascetics, saints and heretics, aristocratic patrons and millenarian enthusiasts. All played their part in the development of what became and always remained an energetically diverse biblical religion.The New Testament, as we know it, represents only a small selection of the many gospels, letters, acts of apostles, and revelations that circulated before the establishment of the imperial church. It tells how the gospel passed from Jesus, to the apostles, thence to Paul. But by using our peripheral vision, by looking to noncanonical and paracanonical texts, by availing ourselves of information derived from papyri, inscriptions, and archaeology, we can see a different, richer, much less linear story emerging. Fredriksen brings together these many sources to reconstruct the lively interactions of pagans, Jews, and Christians, tracing the conversions of Christianity from an energetic form of Jewish messianism to an arm of the late Roman state"-- [Provided by publisher]

Table of Contents:

• Frontmatter
• Contents
• Preface
• Maps
• 1. The Idea of Israel
• 2. The Dilemmas of Diversity
• 3. Persecution and Martyrdom
• 4. The Future of the End
• 5. Christ and Empire
• 6. The Redemption of the Flesh
• 7. Pagan and Christian
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgments
• Timeline
• Glossary
• Supplementary Reading
• Sources Index
• Names and Places Index
• Subject Index

Author/Creator:

Fredriksen, Paula , author

Languages:

English

Language Notes:

Item content: English

Main Work:

Ancient Christianities: the first five hundred years [by Fredriksen, P.]

Other Related Resources:

Print version: Ancient Christianities [by Fredriksen, P.] (1; Princeton : Princeton University Press, [2024] — ISBN 9780691157696; LCCN 2024012622)

Subjects:

Church history — Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600

General Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on October 15, 2024).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xxi, 263 pages) : maps

Call Numbers:

BR165 .F745 2024eb

ISBNs:

9780691264974 (electronic book)
069126497X (electronic book)
9780691157696 (hardcover) [Invalid]

Library of Congress Control Numbers:

2024012623

OCLC Numbers:

1428538699