Violence in ancient Christianity : victims and perpetrators / edited by Albert C. Geljon, Riemer Roukema
- Published:
- Leiden ; Boston : Brill, [2014]
- Physical Description:
- vi, 252 pages ; 25 cm.
- Additional Creators:
- Geljon, Albert C.
- Series:
- Language Note:
- Nine contributions in English and 1 in German.
- Contents:
- Religious violence between Greeks, Romans, Christians and Jews / Jan N. Bremmer -- Violence against Christians and violence by Christians in the first three centuries : direct violence, cultural violence and the debate about Christian exclusiveness / Danny Praet -- Eusebius' view on Constantine and his policy / Fred Ledegang -- Avenging Julian : violence against Christians during the years 361-363 / Hans C. Teitler -- Attraction and hatred : relations between Jews and Christians in the early church / F.J. Elizabeth Boddens Hosang -- Violence in the early years of Cyril of Alexandria's episcopate / Hans van Loon -- Priscillian of Avila's Liber ad Damasum, and the inability to handle a conflict / Joop van Waarden -- Quid dicam de vindicando vel non vindicando? (Ep. 95, 3) : Augustine's legitimation of coercion in the light of his roles of mediator, judge, teacher and mystagogue / Paul van Geest -- Repression von Häretikern und anderen religiösen Gruppierungen im späteren Altertum, in der Sprache wiederspiegelt / Gerard Bartelink -- Reception and interpretation of Jesus' teaching of love for enemies in ancient Christianity / Riemer Roukema.
- Summary:
- Ancient Christianity had an ambivalent stance toward violence. Jesus had instructed his disciples to love their enemies, and in the first centuries Christians were proud of this lofty teaching and tried to apply it to their persecutors and to competing religious groups. Yet at the same time they testify to their virulent verbal criticism of Jews, heretics and pagans, who could not accept the Christian exclusiveness. After emperor Constantine had turned to Christianity, Christians acquired the opportunity to use violence toward competing groups and pagans, even though they were instructed to love them personally and Jewish-Christian relationships flourished at grass root level. General analyses and case studies demonstrate that the fashionable distinction between intolerant monotheism and tolerant polytheism must be qualified.
- Subject(s):
- ISBN:
- 9789004274785 (hardback : alk. paper)
9004274782 (hardback : alk. paper) - Bibliography Note:
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
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