The Rise of Normative Christianity

by Hultgren, Arland J.

• ISBN13: 9781592447381
• ISBN10: 1592447384
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-07-05
• Publisher: Wipf & Stock Pub

Summary

The influences wrought by the ancient documents discovered at Nag Hammadi have given rise to the notion that various Gnostic interpretations are mere alternatives to more traditional interpretations of Jesus and His significance. Hultgren contends that such a tradition originated at the beginnings of Christianity and came to dominate as the most adequate expression of Jesus' legacy.

Table of Contents

Preface
Abbreviations
Normative Christianity as a Problem and Issue	p. 1
The Problem with Normative Christianity
The Rise of Normative Christianity as an Issue
Before Orthodoxy: Four Approaches	p. 7
Truth Preceded Error
Heresy Preceded Orthodoxy
Fixed and Flexible Elements
Diverse Trajectories from the Beginning
Confession and Community in Christian Tradition	p. 19
The Fusion of Confession and Community Ethos
Confession and Community in the Analysis of Christian Traditions
The Beginnings of a Normative Tradition	p. 25
The Churches of Palestine
The Q Community
The Churches of Paul
Some Commonalities
The Shaping of Normative Christianity	p. 55
Three Case Studies
Developments in Syria
Developments in Asia Minor
The Johannine Community
Some Commonalities
The Limits to Diversity	p. 81
The Range of Diversity
Limiting Factors
The Factors as Work
The Effects
Normative Christianity and the Legacy of Jesus	p. 105
Jesus and His Legacy
Earliest Christianity and Normative Christianity
Notes	p. 113
Bibliography	p. 167
Index of Ancient Sources	p. 189
Index of Modern Authors	p. 205
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