Religious identity in late antiquity : Greeks, Jews, and Christians in Antioch / by Isabella Sandwell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sandwell, Isabella, author.

Series:

Greek culture in the Roman world.

Greek culture in the Roman world

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

John Chrysostom, Saint, -407.

John Chrysostom.

Libanius.

Church history--4th century.

Church history.

Identification (Religion).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 310 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Studies of religious interaction in the fourth century AD have often assumed that the categories of 'pagan', 'Christian' and 'Jew' can be straightforwardly applied, and that we can assess the extent of Christianization in the Graeco-Roman period. In contrast, in this 2007 text, Dr Sandwell tackles the fundamental question of attitudes to religious identity by exploring how the Christian preacher John Chrysostom and the Graeco-Roman orator Libanius wrote about and understood issues of religious allegiance. By comparing the approaches of these men, who were living and working in Antioch at approximately the same time, she strives to get inside the process of religious interaction in a way not normally possible due to the dominance of Christian sources. In so doing she develops approaches to the study of Libanius' religion, the impact of John Chrysostom's preaching on his audiences and the importance of religious identity to fourth-century individuals.

Contents:

Understanding religious identity in fourth century Antioch

Identity and religious interaction in Antioch

Chrysostom and preaching as discourse and ideology

Libanius and the practical use of religious allegiance

Comparing Libanius and chrysostom's representations of religious identity and allegiance

Imperial society, religion and literary culture in fourth century Antioch

The imperial city of Antioch

The religious context of fourth century Antioch

The oral and literary world of Libanius and John Chrysostom

Constructed and strategic religious identities and allegiances

Chrysostom and the construction of religious identities

Labelling and the construction of religious identities

The construction of Christian identity and Greekness

Greek religion and the construction of religious difference

Christians versus Jews, Greeks and heretics

Libanius and the strategic use of religious allegiance

Libanius' labelling and definition of religious allegiance

The strategic use of references to religious allegiance

References to the religious allegiance of Christians and Jews

A feel for the fourth century religious game

Religious identities and other forms of social identification

Religious identity and other social identities in Chrysostom

Religious identity and political identity

Civic identity and religious identity I : the transformation of the city

Civic identity and religious identity II : the demonization of civic life

Ethnic identity and religious identity

Religious allegiance and other social identities in Libanius

Religious allegiance and the political sphere

Civic identity and religious allegiance I : the separation of civic and religious life

Civic identity and religious allegiance II : religious difference and the civic community

Religious allegiance and ethnic identity

Religious identities and social organization

Chrysostom and social structure among Christians in Antioch

Chrysostom's preaching and textual communities

Construction of a sense of community

Unbaptized Christians and the Christian community

Choice and multiplicity of social allegiance among christians

Libanius, religious allegiance, and social structure

Libanius' writings and a 'pagan' party focused on Julian

Libanius' self-representation and his relationship with Julian

References to religious organization in Julian's reign

Social networks and religious allegiance

Assessing the impact of constructions of identity

Religious identity, religious allegiance and religious practice

Defining religious practice and defining religious practice

Religious practice and religious identity

Demonic forces and personal religious power.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references (p. 282-307) and index.

ISBN:

1-107-18375-8

1-281-08518-9

9786611085186

1-139-13325-X

0-511-34207-1

0-511-48291-4

0-511-34154-7

0-511-34096-6

0-511-34260-8

OCLC:

476123910