Ignatius of Antioch and the parting of the ways : early Jewish-Christian relations / by Thomas A. Robinson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Robinson, Thomas A. (Thomas Arthur), 1951-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Antioch (Turkey)--Church history.

Antioch (Turkey).

Judaism (Christian theology)--History of doctrines.

Judaism (Christian theology).

Christianity and other religions--Judaism.

Christianity and other religions.

Judaism.

Judaism--Relations--Christianity.

Relations.

Christianity.

Ignatius, Saint, Bishop of Antioch, -approximately 110.

Ignatius.

Physical Description:

xiv, 285 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Peabody, Mass. : Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2009.

Summary:

How did the early Christian movement, which began amongst Jewish people, soon develop into a community that was nearly devoid of Jews? Was this "parting of the ways" spurred by internal tensions within the Christian church, socio-political factors in the Roman empire, or growing animosity between Christians and the broader Jewish community? In Ignatius of Antioch and the Parting of the Ways, Thomas A. Robinson addresses these intriguing historical questions by taking a careful look at one of the few Christian authors who wrote about this parting firsthand-Ignatius, the Bishop of Antioch, who was martyred early in the second century. Robinson stresses the importance of hearing the voice of Ignatius in his own historical setting. In contrast with scholars who argue that a sharp separation between Jews and Christians happened centuries later, Robinson contends that Ignatius's writings show that the parting of the ways was already well underway in his lifetime.

Contents:

Antioch : the city and its people

Ignatius

The city of Antioch

The founding of Seleucid Antioch

The booms and busts of Antioch

Roman Antioch

The population and cultural mix of Antioch

The religious milieu of Antioch

The Jews of Antioch

The status of Jews in Greek cities

Jewish religious scruples

Politeuma

The status of Jews in Antioch

Population shifts and immigrants in Antioch

General considerations

Jewish immigration

Non-Jewish immigration

Christian conversion in Antioch

Jews, nouveauJews, and near Jews

Proselytes (nouveau Jews)

The "God-fearers" (near Jews)

Antioch, anxiety, and religious conversion

Competition for converts

Christians in Antioch

Was theChristian church a Jewish synagogue?

Were there separate Christian assemblies in Antioch?

House-church units

Use of the term "Cristian"

Ignatius in antioch

Ignatius's church and the matthean community

Ignatius as bishop

Ignatius establish the office of Bishop in Antioch?

Ignatius and the Jews of Antioch

Glimpses of Ignatius's church life

The centuries after Ignatius

Ignatius lose control of the church in Antioch

Ignatius's opponents

The problem

Different heresies in different cities

Anti-docetic comments to judaizing churches

Ignatius's theological sensitivities

Different attitudes to the Jewish scriptures

Uncircumcised judaizers

So many Christianities, so few opponents

Another approach to Ignatius's opponents

Religious and ethnic tensions in Antioch

Ignatius and the climate of suspicion

Jewish-gentile tensions in Antioch

Maccabean influences

The Roman Civil War

The incident of Caesar's statue

Riots in Alexandria and edicts in Antioch

Accusations of a plot to burn Antioch

The request to expel the Jews

An atmosphere of distrust

Internal Jewish tensions in antioch

Jewish-Christian relations in Antioch

Evidence of tension and separation

Judaism's awareness of Christianity

The Jerusalem Council and innovations in Antioch

Muting the tension between Jews and Christians

Christian reflection on persecution and martyrdom

Ignatius's reflection on martyrdom

The Jewish roots of martyrdom

The religious test

The Christian evidence

Judaism and Ignatius's dilemma

The "peace" in Antioch

The traditional view

Harrison's study of Ignatius's vocabulary

Swartley's study of Ignatius's vocabulary

The cause of unworthiness

Unanswered questions

The appointment of a new bishop

Schism and the bishop's accountability

The schismatics' response to Ignatius in Antioch

The schismatics' response to Ignatius in Asia Minor

Ignatius's response to schismatics in Asia Minor

The Roman involvement

Was Ignatius the sole martyr?

Ignatius's stance in Asia Minor

The response to good news from Antioch

Ignatius's requests to the churches of Asia Minor

Ignatius's main concerns

A problem for the persecution thesis

Directions for future investigation

Boundaries, identity, and labels

The Ignatian boundary terms

Identifying Judaism and Christianity

Perspective 1: siblings

Perspective 2: subspecies

Perspective 3: Christianities and Judaisms

Perspective 4: fluid boundaries and flexible membership

Perspective 5: narrowing the labels

Perspective 6: elite labels

Perceptions : the essence of boundaries

The parting of the ways

Christianity : a special case

The burden of historical scholarship.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [243]-265) and indexes.

ISBN:

9781598563238

1598563238

OCLC:

314379093