A propos de l'auteur
Œuvres de Leif E. Vaage
Religious Rivalries in the Early Roman Empire and the Rise of Christianity (Studies in Christianity and Judaism) (2006) — Directeur de publication — 31 exemplaires
Subversive scriptures : revolutionary readings of the Christian Bible in Latin America (1997) 8 exemplaires
Asceticism and the New Testament 1 exemplaire
Q: The Ethos and Ethics of an Itinerant Intelligence 1 exemplaire
Oeuvres associées
Étiqueté
Partage des connaissances
- Nom légal
- Vaage, Leif Eric
- Date de naissance
- 1956
- Sexe
- male
- Nationalité
- Canada
- Lieu de naissance
- Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
- Études
- Claremont Graduate University
Trinity Lutheran College
Valparaiso University - Professions
- New Testament scholar
university professor
pastor - Organisations
- University of Toronto
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada
Membres
Critiques
Vous aimerez peut-être aussi
Auteurs associés
Statistiques
- Œuvres
- 9
- Aussi par
- 2
- Membres
- 92
- Popularité
- #202,476
- Critiques
- 1
- ISBN
- 15
In the introductory essay, Leif A. Vaage, begins with a critique of ÂÃÃcertain stock featuresÂà(3) which have dominated the discussion of religious rivalries and of the rise of Christianity. Both Edward Gibbon and Adolph Von Harnack are discussed in some depth. In their suggestions about the rise of Christianity both these authors relied, at least in part, on a mischaracterization of Judaism. In his critique of the paradigms presented by these authors, Vaage is interested not only in challenging these antiquated and triumphalist views, but also the validity of the term ÂÃÃmissionaryÂàand ÂÃÃmissionÂàas they apply both to Judaism and Christianity. Vaage thus also questions the recent work by Martin Goodman, who has asserted that ChristianityÂês missionary character was unique in the ancient world.
Philip Harland, in an article which complements his previous book Associations, Synagogues and Congregations: Claiming a Place in Ancient Mediterranean Society is primarily concerned with critiquing the model of decline that is often used to describe the polis in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Harland suggests these models are based on biased paradigms, namely an idealization of classical Athens and the conception of Christianity as a genuine religion in contrast to the various polytheistic religions of the ancient world. Harland looks at epigraphical evidence to show that Greco-Roman voluntary associations were active participants in the city and that their existence attests to the vitality of the Greco-Roman polis, rather than its decline. Harland concludes that rivalry was a natural outworking of the competition of these groups for imperial benefaction. As in the above piece by Vaage, Harland succeeds in laying bare the a-priori assumptions of an earlier generation of scholarship as well as presenting an abundance of evidence regarding associations in a succinct and accessible way.
Stephen WilsonÂês article concerns defection (Wilson, for the most part, consciously avoids the value laden term ÂÃÃapostasy,Âàbut see page 56) from religious groups in antiquity. The article utilizes a wide range of sources including Philo, Josephus, early patristics, the New Testament and philosophical writings. This dazzling breadth is to be expected from Wilson, whose Related Strangers remains one of the most comprehensive books about early Jewish/Christian relations. Wilson concludes that defections were common, and motivated by a broad range of factors. However, despite these defections, there is little evidence for missionary activity in antiquity.
Reena Basser and Jack Lightstone both focus on the early rabbinic literature. BasserÂês contribution, which concerns rabbinic legislation about pagan fairs in antiquity, contains some interesting insights, but the article lacks focus. The Russian formalists whose work Basser says she will utilize are mentioned only summarily and do not add much to her overall discussion. LightstoneÂês article is concerned primarily with issues of methodology and contains some interesting observations about the differences between the Avodah Zarah tractates of the Mishnah and the Tosefta and their respective takes on Jewish-Gentile relations.
The second section of the book focuses on the spread of particular religions. Terence Donaldson, in his article about Paul and mission, begins, similarly to Vaage, by challenging Martin GoodmanÂês assertion that Christianity was unique in the ancient world because it had a cohesive, centralized mission. Donaldson persuasively argues that PaulÂês mission was caught between his grand vision of a divinely inspired world-wide mission and the harsh realities of the implementing such a vision in the Roman world. Donaldson also suggests that there is little evidence of itinerant missionaries after the first century and the movement likely continued to spread informally from the major urban centres of the Roman world.
Steve MasonÂês article on Josephus is unique within the book in its understanding of mission. While both Vaage and Wilson are skeptical about the existence of missionary activity, Mason reframes the issue by noting that while the non-missionary character of first century Judaism is becoming a new consensus, ÂÃÃall the key terms are problematicÂà(140). Beginning with a description of the references to Jewish converts which abound in the classical Latin authors, Mason then turns to a discussion of coverts in JosephusÂê Antiquities. He successfully refutes the arguments of scholars who have argued that this work is negative in its assessment of converts and conversion to Judaism. Mason then examines the apologetic work Contra Apionem in order to argue that the work itself is a type of missionary literature, specifically a logos protreptikos, which was used by philosophical schools to procure members. Because many of the examples of this genre are second century Christian works, this claim is difficult to substantiate.
In his first of two articles in the book, Roger Beck looks at Mithraism, the mystery religion popular amongst Roman soldiers, in order to ascertain how this movement, which ÂÃÃrigorouslyÂÃ_ denied itself of all opportunities for self-promotionÂà(175) managed to gain adherents. After critiquing scholarly opinions on the movement as being less of a religion than a clique of Roman ÂÃÃgood olÂê boysÂà(178), Beck looks at new archeological evidence of the cult in Virunum and puts forth some interesting suggestions about the groupÂês use of sacred space. Beck concludes that Mithraism likely maintained its membership through social and familial networks. This, as the author notes, is how sociologist Rodney Stark suggests that Christianity spread throughout the empire. The essay thus provides a bridge to the final section of the book, which engages specifically with the arguments made by Stark.
The contributions by Adele Reinhartz and Steven Muir deal with the problems of applying sociological models to ancient texts. Reinhartz addresses StarkÂês suggestion that, contrary to common scholarly opinion, a Christian mission to the Jews continued until the 5th century. Stark maintains that this mission was primarily directed to Jews of the Diaspora, whose Hellenized form of Judaism put them on the margins of their tradition. Reinhartz astutely notes that StarkÂês conception of Hellenistic Judaism relies far too heavily on the writings of the first century philosopher Philo and on a conception of orthodoxy within Judaism that likely did not exist in the first century. However, utilizing the two-level reading of the Gospel of John popularized by J. Louis Martyn, Reinhartz concedes that some of the sociological principles applied by Stark, namely the importance of social networks, the marginality of the converts and continuity with the previous tradition, are borne out by the textual evidence, even though Reinhartz acknowledges that the two-level reading strategy is itself problematic and must be used with caution.
Steven Muir takes issue with StarkÂês contention that one of the reasons Christianity was ultimately successful is because of their superior care for the sick. While not doubting that Christianity engaged in widespread medical activity and that this aided in the spread of Christianity, Muir elucidates several problems with StarkÂês argument. He convincingly shows that Stark often makes ÂÃÃbreathtaking generalizationsÂà(216) which are based on erroneously assuming that ancient Christian rhetoric corresponded to social reality. While Christianity may have ÂÃÃmass-marketedÂà(231) charity, it was certainly not new in the religious world of the Roman empire.
Roger BeckÂês second contribution looks StarkÂês religion/market analogy, that is religions ultimately succeed or fail because of their ÂÃÃproduct linesÂà(233), and suggests that Stark does not go far enough in his comparison. The article also provides a succinct critique of StarkÂês presentation of pagan religions in antiquity.
In the final essay, Vaage suggests why Christianity ultimately triumphed in the Roman world. Against scholars who see 4th century Constantinian Christianity as a corruption of ChristianityÂês original character, Vaage convincingly argues that the movement, from its inception, had ÂÃÃa latentÂÃ_ lust for social dominanceÂà(253). An examination of NT literature, namely Luke-Acts, the Pauline corpus and Revelation shows that earliest Christianity borrowed the political language of the empire as evidence of its ÂÃÃintrinsic will to ruleÂà(278).
Ultimately, the essays in the book are interesting and succeed in challenging many long held scholarly assumptions. Scholars already informed in this area will also find the book invaluable. As a corrective to the work of Stark, the final section of the book is particularly useful.
… (plus d'informations)