The Encyclopedia of Christianity

The Encyclopedia of Christianity
Author: Erwin Fahlbusch
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Total Pages: 924
Release: 1999
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780802824158

"The Encyclopedia of Christianity is the first of a five-volume English translation of the third revised edition of Evangelisches Kirchenlexikon. Its German articles have been tailored to suit an English readership, and articles of special interest to English readers have been added. The encyclopedia describes Christianity through its 2000-year history within a global context, taking into account other religions and philosophies. A special feature is the statistical information dispersed throughout the articles on the continents and over 170 countries. Social and cultural coverage is given to such issues as racism, genocide, and armaments, while historical content shows the development of biblical and apostolic traditions."--"Outstanding reference sources 2000", American Libraries, May 2000. Comp. by the Reference Sources Committee, RUSA, ALA.

Exploring Christian Identity from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages

Exploring Christian Identity from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages
Author: Chris Baghos
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Total Pages: 128
Release: 2024-10-04
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1036410994

This book challenges the popular understanding that all Byzantines regarded the Christian faith, Hellenic cultural legacy, and Roman imperial tradition as inextricably linked. To this end, it outlines and explores the patristic resistance to the emperor’s involvement in ecclesial affairs as evidenced by the writings of St. Maximus the Confessor and his disciples, in addition to their martyrial and monastic influences. It therefore considers what the orthodox Christians of the Early Byzantine period perceived as their identity capital, including the virtues defined by the New Testament and such Late Antique texts as the Acts of Justin and the Sayings of the Desert Fathers. Factoring in the theological crisis of the seventh century, this investigation highlights how the Confessor’s clerical and lay accusers reclaimed the Greek legacy to distinguish themselves from the defenders of Christ’s two wills residing in “Old Rome”. Contrary to the conviction of many scholars, this book discloses that many Byzantines did not recognise anything holy about the office of the emperor (with the church fathers especially rejecting imperial trappings).

Radical Martyrdom and Cosmic Conflict in Early Christianity

Radical Martyrdom and Cosmic Conflict in Early Christianity
Author: Paul Middleton
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 225
Release: 2006-06-30
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 056731572X

Several view of martyrdom co-existed in the early Church. The 'orthodox' position, generally accepted by scholars, was that a Christian should choose martyrdom rather than deny the Faith, but should not, on any account, court death. Although it has been recognised that some in the early Church did seek a glorified death, by giving themselves over to arrest, most scholars have dismissed such acts as differing from 'the accepted attitude to martyrdom' in the early Church. Therefore, instances of volitional, or radical martyrdom, have been largely overlooked or sidelined in scholarly investigations into the theology and origins of Christian martyrdom. Paul Middleton argues that, far from being a deviant strand of early Christianity, 'radical martyrdom' was a significant, and widely held idealised form of devotion in the late first to early third centuries. Christian martyrdom is placed within the heritage of Jewish War tradition, with each martyr making an important contribution to the cosmic conflict between Satan and God. Radical Martyrdom re-examines the presentation, theology, and origins of Christian martyrdom up to the beginning of the Decian persecutions in the light of new perspectives on the subject.

The Martyrdom of the Franciscans

The Martyrdom of the Franciscans
Author: Christopher MacEvitt
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2020-03-06
Genre: History
ISBN: 0812251938

A study of three hundred years of medieval Franciscan history that focuses on martyrdom While hagiographies tell of Christian martyrs who have died in an astonishing number of ways and places, slain by members of many different groups, martyrdom in a Franciscan context generally meant death at Muslim hands; indeed, in Franciscan discourse, "death by Saracen" came to rival or even surpass other definitions of what made a martyr. The centrality of Islam to Franciscan conceptions of martyrdom becomes even more apparent—and problematic—when we realize that many of the martyr narratives were largely invented. Franciscan authors were free to choose the antagonist they wanted, Christopher MacEvitt observes, and they almost always chose Muslims. However, martyrdom in Franciscan accounts rarely leads to conversion of the infidel, nor is it accompanied, as is so often the case in earlier hagiographical accounts, by any miraculous manifestation. If the importance of preaching to infidels was written into the official Franciscan Rule of Order, the Order did not demonstrate much interest in conversion, and the primary efforts of friars in Muslim lands were devoted to preaching not to the native populations but to the Latin Christians—mercenaries, merchants, and captives—living there. Franciscan attitudes toward conversion and martyrdom changed dramatically in the beginning of the fourteenth century, however, when accounts of the martyrdom of four Franciscans said to have died while preaching in India were written. The speed with which the accounts of their martyrdom spread had less to do with the world beyond Christendom than with ecclesiastical affairs within, MacEvitt contends. The Martyrdom of the Franciscans shows how, for Franciscans, martyrdom accounts could at once offer veiled critique of papal policies toward the Order, a substitute for the rigorous pursuit of poverty, and a symbolic way to overcome Islam by denying Muslims the solace of conversion.

The Apostolic Fathers

The Apostolic Fathers
Author: Michael W. Holmes
Publisher: Baker Academic
Total Pages: 832
Release: 2007-11
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 080103468X

A contemporary version of important early Christian texts that are not included in the New Testament. The translation, Greek texts, introduction, notes, and bibliographies are freshly revised.

Celibate Marriages in Late Antique and Byzantine Hagiography

Celibate Marriages in Late Antique and Byzantine Hagiography
Author: Anne P. Alwis
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 353
Release: 2011-10-27
Genre: History
ISBN: 1441127399

Celibate Marriages in Late Antique and Byzantine Hagiography explores the puzzling phenomenon of celibate marriage as depicted in the lives of three couples who achieved sainthood. Marriage without intercourse appears to have no purpose, especially in Christian antiquity, yet these three tales were copied for centuries. What messages were they promoting? What did it mean to be a virgin husband and a virgin wife? Including full translations, this volume sets each life in its historical context, and by examining their individual and shared themes, the book shows that the tension raised by pitting marriage against celibacy is constantly debated. It also highlights the ingenuity of Byzantine hagiographers as they attempted to reconcile this curious paradox. This book addresses a gap in late Antique and Byzantine hagiographic studies where primary sources and interpretative material are very rarely presented in the same volume. By providing a variety of contexts to the material a much more comprehensive, revealing and holistic picture of celibate marriage emerges.

The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom

The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom
Author: Paul Middleton
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 634
Release: 2020-01-27
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 111910002X

A unique, wide-ranging volume exploring the historical, religious, cultural, political, and social aspects of Christian martyrdom Although a well-studied and researched topic in early Christianity, martyrdom had become a relatively neglected subject of scholarship by the latter half of the 20th century. However, in the years following the attack on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, the study of martyrdom has experienced a remarkable resurgence. Heightened cultural, religious, and political debates about Islamic martyrdom have, in a large part, prompted increased interest in the role of martyrdom in the Christian tradition. The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom is a comprehensive examination of the phenomenon from its beginnings to its role in the present day. This timely volume presents essays written by 30 prominent scholars that explore the fundamental concepts, key questions, and contemporary debates surrounding martyrdom in Christianity. Broad in scope, this volume explores topics ranging from the origins, influences, and theology of martyrdom in the early church, with particular emphasis placed on the Martyr Acts, to contemporary issues of gender, identity construction, and the place of martyrdom in the modern church. Essays address the role of martyrdom after the establishment of Christendom, especially its crucial contribution during and after the Reformation period in the development of Christian and European national-building, as well as its role in forming Christian identities in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This important contribution to Christian scholarship: Offers the first comprehensive reference work to examine the topic of martyrdom throughout Christian history Includes an exploration of martyrdom and its links to traditions in Judaism and Islam Covers extensive geographical zones, time periods, and perspectives Provides topical commentary on Islamic martyrdom and its parallels to the Christian church Discusses hotly debated topics such as the extent of the Roman persecution of early Christians The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Christian Martyrdom is an invaluable resource for scholars and students of religious studies, theology, and Christian history, as well as readers with interest in the topic of Christian martyrdom.

Christianity at the Crossroads

Christianity at the Crossroads
Author: Michael J. Kruger
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2018-03-06
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0830887512

Christianity in the twenty-first century is a global phenomenon. But in the second century, its future was not at all certain. Michael Kruger's introductory survey examines how Christianity took root in the second century, how it battled to stay true to the vision of the apostles, and how it developed in ways that would shape both the church and Western culture over the next two thousand years.

The Cross or Prosperity Gospel

The Cross or Prosperity Gospel
Author: Kwaku Boamah
Publisher: Langham Publishing
Total Pages: 233
Release: 2022-05-30
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1839736755

Are Christians meant to experience suffering? This question has long been a contentious one within the church. Christ is risen, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, yet sickness, poverty, and persecution continue to be daily realities for Christians around the world. In this study of martyrdom and persecution in the early church, Rev. Dr. Kwaku Boamah reminds us that there is no Christianity without a cross and that suffering has played a prominent role in church theology and tradition since the time of Christ. Examining second- and third-century apologetic texts and martyr narratives, he utilizes a systematic comparative approach to create a holistic picture of the extreme challenges facing Christians under the Roman Empire. Drawing parallels to the history of persecution and martyrdom in his homeland of Ghana, Boamah locates the experience of African Christianity firmly within the larger narrative of church history, reminding Christians that they are not alone in their suffering but are members of a global, unified whole.