Constructing Early Christian Families: Family as Social Reality and Metaphor

by Moxnes,Halvor; Moxnes,Halvor

• ISBN13: 9780415146388
• ISBN10: 0415146380
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1997-05-23
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The family is a topical issue for studies of the Ancient world. Family, household and kinship have different connotations in antiquity from their modern ones. This volume expands that discussion to investigate the early Christian family structures within the larger Graeco-Roman context. The essays in the volume offer original and diverse perspectives; particular emphasis is given to how family metaphors, such as 'brotherhood' function to describe relations in early Christian communities. Asceticism and the rejection of sexuality are considered in the context of Christian constructions of the family. Moxnes' volume presents a comprehensive and timely addition to the study of familial and social structures in the Early Christian world, which will certainly stimulate further debate.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	ix	(2)
List of contributors	xi	(2)
Preface	xiii	(2)
List of abbreviations	xv
1 INTRODUCTION	1	(12)
Halvor Moxnes
Part I The social context of early Christian families	13	(90)
2 WHAT IS FAMILY? PROBLEMS IN CONSTRUCTING EARLY CHRISTIAN FAMILIES	13	(29)
Halvor Moxnes
3 THE FAMILY IN FIRST-CENTURY GALILEE	42	(24)
Santiago Guijarro
4 THE FAMILY AS THE BEARER OF RELIGION IN JUDAISM AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY	66	(15)
John M. G. Barclay
5 THE RELATIVISATION OF FAMILY TIES IN THE JEWISH AND GRAECO-ROMAN TRADITIONS	81	(22)
Stephen C. Barton
Part II Family as metaphor	103	(98)
6 THE ROMAN FAMILY: IDEAL AND METAPHOR	103	(18)
Eva Marie Lassen
7 FAMILY IMAGERY AND CHRISTIAN IDENTITY IN GAL 5:13 TO 6:10	121	(29)
Philip F. Esler
8 EQUALITY WITHIN PATRIARCHAL STRUCTURES: SOME NEW TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP AS A BROTHER- OR SISTERHOOD AND A FAMILY	150	(16)
Karl Olav Sandnes
9 BROTHERHOOD IN PLUTARCH AND PAUL: ITS ROLE AND CHARACTER	166	(17)
Reidar Aasgaard
10 BROTHERHOOD IN CHRIST: A GENDER HERMENEUTICAL READING OF 1 THESSALONIANS	183	(18)
Lone Fatum
Part III Family, sexuality and asceticism in early Christianity	201	(49)
11 PAUL WITHOUT PASSION: ON PAUL'S REJECTION OF DESIRE IN SEX AND MARRIAGE	201	(15)
Dale B. Martin
12 ASCETICISM AND ANTI-FAMILIAL LANGUAGE IN THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS	216	(19)
Risto Uro
13 FAMILY STRUCTURES IN GNOSTIC RELIGION	235	(15)
Ingvild Salid Gilhus
Index of ancient sources	250	(12)
Index of modern authors	262