VARIETIES OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY                         RelSt 535 
Outline of Topics for Class Discussion                   R. Kraft 
                                                     January 1987

Overview of the Sources and their Geographical Distribution 
  
The Spread of Early Christianity (see especially Bauer, Orthodoxy 
                                                 Harnack, Mission 2)
  Phoenecia, Syria (Antioch, Edessa), and Eastward towards India
  Alexandria and Egypt
  Asia Minor (Cyprus, Cilicia)
  Greece (Macedonia, Achaia, Illyricum) 
  Rome and Westward towards Gaul and Spain
  North Africa
  
Classification of Extant Sources (Primary, Secondary) 
  
  Christian Literature (see especially Goodspeed-Grant, Koester+) 
  Inscriptions and Incidental Written Remains 
  Evidence from Art and Archaeology 
  References to Christians by Others
  
Selected Problems Confronting Early Christianity
  
What Happens When the Expected End Fails to Arrive? 
 *Paul/Paulists, Montanus/Montanism 
  J. Gager, Kingdom and Community 
  
  Earliest Christianity as an Eschatological/Apocalyptic Impetus
  Frustrations, Fulfillments, and Future Hopes
  Eschatology Internalized and Institutionalized
  
How is Authority Constituted, Recognized, Enforced, Transmitted?
 *Galatians, Didache, 1 Clement, Ignatius, Epistle of Apostles
    
  Development of Authoritative Traditions > Literature
  Models of Human Leadership (Spiritual Authority, Institutional Base)
  Inclusion/Exclusion -- Struggles between Orthodoxy and Heresy 
  
Belief and Conduct in Christian Communities 
 *Johannine Epistles, Pastorals, 2 Clement, Justin Apology  
  
  From Messiah to "Christology" 
  From Confrontations to Creedal Formulations 
  From Varieties (Heterodoxy) to "Heresies" 
  Communities at Worship (Heteropraxy to Orthopraxy)
  
Relationships to Surrounding Societies
 *Justin Dialogue, Tatian Apology, Diognetus
  
  From Jewish Messianism to Christian Anti-Jewishness 
  From Pagan Gentiles to "the Third Race" 
  From Survival to a "Public Image" and Socio-Political Influence 
    
Synthesis: Types of Varieties of Early Christianity 
  
  Christian Jews -- Jesus' God is Creator, Moses' Words Endure
  "Gnostic" Christians -- Alien to the Material World and its Creator 
  Emerging "Mainstream" -- Preserving/Forging a Middle Ground   
  
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