Struggles for power in early Christianity : a study of the first letter to Timothy / Elsa Tamez ; translated from Spanish by Gloria Kinsler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Tamez, Elsa.

Standardized Title:

Luchas de poder en los orígenes de Cristianismo. English

Language:

English

Spanish

Subjects (All):

Bible. Timothy, 1st--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bible.

Bible. Timothy, 1st.

Physical Description:

xxv, 163 pages ; 21 cm

Edition:

[English edition].

Place of Publication:

Maryknoll, N.Y. : Orbis Books, [2007]

Summary:

The First letter to Timothy is a troubling text-especially for those concerned about the marginalization of women, in the church. But rather than dismiss this text, Elsa Tamez seeks first to reconstruct the situation behind it, analyzing power struggles in the primitive church in relation to social position, gender roles, theological pluralism, and authority in the church. She tells us that "we should learn to understand and to dissent, to formulate a new manner of being the household of God so that all it's members, men and women, can be welcomed and be seated with joy and mutual solidarity at 'the table of God's hospitality.'"

Contents:

Foreword by Juan Jose Tamayo

Preface to the English edition

Introduction

The rich and the struggles for power in the Christian community

Rich women and the struggles for power

The text: 1 Timothy 2: 8; 3:1a

Against expensive clothing

An attack against wealthy women

The system of patronage

The wealthy should not expect to be rewarded for their favors

The text: 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Associations and the christian community in 1 Timothy

Godliness is not a means of gain

The text: 1 Timothy 6:3-10

Money, godliness and other teachings?

The wealthy, godliness and the struggle for power

The patriarchal household and power relations between genders

The cultural background of the imperial patriarchal Roman society

The family in the time of the empire

The domestic codes

The houses where families lived

The cultural values of honor and shame

The patriarchal household as an ideal for the concept of family

Against women who teach and have authority over men

The text: 1 Timothy 2: 8-12

The salvation of women through childbearing

The text: 1 Timothy 2: 13-3:1a

The option for poor but obedient widows

The text: 1 Timothy 5:3-16

Widows in antiquity

An order of widows

Rules for donations for the widows and for the order of widows

Theological positions and the struggles for power

The diversity of theological positions in the midst of the struggles for power

The shaping of society by the Roman empire

The theological response of the letter to the internal and external conflicts

God and Jesus Christ are the Saviors

Godliness as a condition for salvation

The church leaders as the guarantee of the knowledge of the truth for salvation

An opening that excludes and an option for the poor conditioned on obedience

Between intolerance and useless divergences

Criteria for leadership and the struggles for power

Leadership positions in the beginnings of the Christian communities

The supervisor, the college of presbyters, and the struggles for power

Requirements to be a supervisor: who are excluded?

The text: 1 Timothy 3:1-7

Requirements to be deacons and deaconesses : who are excluded?

The text: 1 Timothy 3:8-12

The socio-economic structure of the Roman Empire

Acts of Paul and Thecla

Plurality in early Christianity

The first letter of Paul to Timothy (complete text).

Notes:

Translation of: Luchas de poder en los orígenes de Cristianismo.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 151-154) and indexes.

ISBN:

1570757089

9781570757082

OCLC:

71800522