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Religious Studies 535: Varieties of Christianity
Robert Kraft (kraft@ccat.sas.upenn.edu), Spring 1995
  409 Duhring Wing; tel. 898-5827
WWW Home Page URL = http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/kraft.html

Survey Oriented Primary/Secondary Ancient Sources:
    [NOTE: as representatives of their respective periods, they are
    "primary" sources, but in what they report they are "secondary"]
  Book of Acts (New Testament; WWW)
  Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 1-4

Collections of Ancient Primary Sources:
    (see also the larger collections in Ante-Nicene Fathers,
     Ancient Christian Writers, and similar series)
  New Testament [an ancient collection] (any version; see WWW)
  Apocryphal New Testament [modern collection] (James or Hennecke 
    or Elliott)
  Apostolic Fathers [modern collection] (Lake/Loeb, Grant, Sparks, 
    etc.; see also WWW)
  Early Fathers Anthology [modern] (Richardson)
  New Eusebius Anthology [modern] (Stevenson)
  Nag Hammadi Library [ancient, fragmentary] (Robinson)

Modern Secondary Syntheses (recommended as examples):
  Tyson, Joseph. The NT and Early Christianity [introductory].
  Koester, Helmut. Introduction to the NT (2 vols) [advanced]. 
  Harnack, Adolph von. Mission and Expansion of Early Christianity
    (2 vols) [very valuable source of detailed information].
  Bauer, Walter (etc.). Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity
    [available in electronic form; in process of updating].

Anthologies of Secondary Treatments (recommended for guidance):
  Jewish Encyclopedia [1900s, respected Reform Jewish scholarship]
  Encyclopedia Judaica [1970s, more recent scholarly perspectives]
  Hastings Dictionary of Christ & the Gospels [pre 1900, useful]
  Hastings Dictionary of the Apostolic Church [same]
  Dictionary of Christian Biography (Smith-Wace) [same]
  Anchor Dictionary of the Bible [recent, respected (1992)]
  Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (ed. Livingstone, 198?\2)
  Dictionary of Early Christianity (ed. Ferguson, 199?)

Focus Questions, by the week = class meeting

1. Getting Oriented to the Sources

Identify four different COLLECTIONS of early Christian Literature 
and be able to give at least one in-depth example from each. 

[Suggestion: look at tables of contents of Primary Source Collections]

2. Getting Oriented to the Participants

Identify four different sub-GROUPS within early Christianity and 
be able to describe in some detail at least one representative of 
each sub-group.

[Suggestion: work from tables of contents of Secondary Syntheses, 
with help from Secondary Anthologies as necessary]


3. Getting Oriented to the Significant Events

Identify four different key EVENTS that helped shape the 
development of early Christianity and conjecture how that 
development might have been affected if each event had not 
occurred. 

[Suggestion: look for turning points suggested by the 
organization of the Secondary Syntheses] 

4. Getting Oriented to the ONLOOKERS and OPPONENTS

Identify four types of non-Christian contemporaries in that early 
period and describe each position vis-a-vis Christianity. Do the same 
for four specific individuals. 

[Suggestion: pay special attention to "backgrounds" treatments in 
the Secondary Syntheses, and follow up in the Secondary Anthologies] 

5. Concepts of "Messiah/Christ" in Relation to Joshua/Jesus

Identify four different models of "messianic" expectation present 
in the pre-Christian world and show how each did or did not 
become associated with Jesus/Joshua.

[Suggestions: consider such passages as GJohn 4.1-42, GMk 12 
and parallels in GMt 21-22 and GLk 20, Paul/Rom 1.1-4, Heb 6-7, 
"GHebs" Coptic fragment, AscIsa 11, GLk 7.1-35 and parallels in 
GMt 11] 

6. Joshua/Jesus as Revealer

Identify four different ways in which Joshua/Jesus is depicted as
a "revealer" of special "knowledge" and/or material to his 
disciples (pay attention to chronological [i.e. at what point in 
his career, broadly speaking] and geographical/physical issues 
[where, in what forms] as well as to audience and content). 

[Suggestions: compare the approaches in such sources as Paul
(Gal 1.16, 2 Cor 12), GThom (and "Q"), GJohn, Rev 1-3, EpApostles 
(see 2 Pet 1.16-18), Dialogue of the Savior (NH), Sophia of 
Jesus Christ (NH), Montanus, Clement of Alex. --] 

7. Joshua/Jesus as Representative/Intermediator/Model

This way of viewing things builds, to a large extent, on how 
God's representative "messiah" (above #5) and/or "revealer" 
(above #6) is depicted, with a focus on what that agent does on 
behalf of the dependent followers; identify four different ways in 
which Joshua/Jesus is depicted as an "intermediary" between humans 
and the divine (pay attention to what is at stake in his filling such 
a role) and/or four different functions attributed to Joshua/Jesus in 
this context. 


[Suggestions: explore such passages as Paul/1 Cor 15(end time 
victor), Paul/Rom 5-8(victor over sin), Paul/Gal 2("in me"), 
3(curse); ?Paul/Phlp 2.1-13("mind"); "Paul"/1 Tim 1.12-2.7, 
"Paul"/2 Tim 2.8-13, "Paul"/Tit 2.11-14; 1 Pet 1; 1 Jn 1.5-2.17; 
Heb 1-2(pioneer), 5, 7.20-8.13, 12.1-11; GJn 1.1-18(logos), 
6.35-65(nourishment), 17(model?), 19(kingdom); Rev (lamb); 
ApcrJn start (NH -- and other materials mentioned above under 
#6); 1 Clem 36; Barn 8(scapegoat); 2 Clem 3-4; Irenaeus (on 
substitution and ransom to devil)] 

8. Joshua/Jesus as Possesor of Special Powers (Miracle/Magic)

Identify four distinguishable types of extraordinary actions 
performed by Joshua/Jesus on his surrounding world (or four types of 
mastery, in relation to the perceived source of the problem, 
attributed to Jesus -- over nature, over sickness, over satan/demons, 
over human opposition, over death, over sin, over historical 
circumstance, etc.) and name four other such "miracle workers" from 
the same period, including two that are not his own followers 
and two that are. 

[Suggestions: compare various relevant stories in the synoptic 
gospels and in GJohn, look for claims regarding any "competitors"; 
note similar activities by early Christians (e.g. in canonical and 
apocryphal Acts accounts),check encyclopedia articles on (ancient) 
magic, miracle, healing, etc.] 

9. Institutionalizing/Domesticating the Apocalyptic Impetus

Explore the use and meanings in early Christian writings of such 
terms as "kingdom of God/Heavens," "parousia," "second coming" or 
"return" of Christ, "last days/times," "antichrist" and related 
imagery, "day of the Lord" (or "of judgment"), and the like. 

[Suggestions: use a concordance for NT and Apostolic Fathers; 
look at Paul/1 Cor 7, 15; ?Paul/1 Thess 5; GMk 8.34-9.1 (and 
parallels); "Paul"/1 Tim 4; 2 Pet 3; Heb 1; Rev 22; Didache 16; 
2 Clem 17; Diognetus 5] 

OR

Identify four instances in which apparent frustration of apocalyptic 
hopes led to the modification of existing ideas/practices or the 
development of new ideas/practices in early Christian circles. 

[Suggestions: explore the implications of the synoptic 
"transfiguration" accounts (compare 2 Pet 1), Paul/1 Cor 15 
(resurrection past), ?Paul/1 Thess 4-5 (end anticipation), 1 Jn 
(antichrist), 2 Pet (delay of end); consider how early Christians 
related "kingdom of God" to human institutions or to citizenship 
ideals]  


10. Patterns of Authority and Structure

Identify four different existing institutions in the early 
Christian period that influenced Christian language and 
perceptions about authority, directly or indirectly; and/or
describe four different patterns in which early Christian groups 
organized themselves with reference to authority structures. 

[Suggestions: consider models from Political, Economic, Religious, 
Social, Intellectual (academic), and Aesthetic spheres -- note the 
useful mnemnotic acronym PERSIA; for some specific passages, see 
Paul/1 Cor 12, ?Paul/1 Thess 4-5, ?Paul/Eph 4-6 (Col 3.18-4.6), 
Heb 8.1-10.25, GJn 18.33-38, 3 Jn, Acts 1-5, 1 Clem 40-43, Ign/ 
Smyr 8-9 (and in general), Did 11-15, Hermas Par/Sim 9 (browse)] 


11. Patterns of Liturgy/Cult

Identify four different early Christian community practices or ritual 
developments, and be prepared to discuss the background of at least 
one of them. 

[Suggestions: Paul/1 Cor 5, 8-11, Paul/Rom 6.1-11, Did (entire), 
Heb -- & Barn -- (isolation), Pliny to Trajan, 1 John 
(confession?), James 5.13-20, Justin/Apol 61-67, GPhil [NH] 64-71, 
synoptic sending out of the 12/70, "great commission"] 

12. Patterns of Study, Connectedness, Rationalization

Early Christians imitated, adapted and created various approaches 
and arguments in defense and/or explanation of their positions. What 
patterns and principles of interpretation and presentation are 
recognizable in the following examples: Paul/Rom 9-11, GMt 1-2, 
5.17-48, Rev 13 (compare 4 Ezra [2 Esdras] 11-12), 1 Clem 7-12, 
Barn 7-8, 9-10, 18-20, Did 3, Justin/Dial 1-7, Origin of World 
[NH] (start)? 

[Suggestions: Be alert to patterns that might suggest educational 
influences, "school type" activities, philosophizing commonplaces, 
scriptural associations/allusions, and the like] 

13. Patterns of Social Involvement and/or Withdrawal

In what ways, and for what reasons, did early Christians attempt 
to distance themselves from the world in which they found 
themselves and in what ways did they acknowledge and affirm it? 
Pay attention to attitudes regarding social contacts and meetings, 
citizenship, military service, attendance at theater and/or the 
games and banquets (note accusations of misanthropy, atheism, secret 
orgies, and the like). 

[Suggestions: Paul/Gal 5-6.10, Paul/1 Cor 7, Paul/Rom 13, 
"Paul"/1 Tim 4-6, Heb 13, 1 Pet 1-4, 1 Jn 4-5, Rev 22.6-21, Did, 
Justin (accusations), 2 Clem 5-7, Diognetus 5-6; see also 
Marcion, Tertullian, "encratism"] 


14. Synthetic Overview

Reconstruct four different types of Christianity in the early period 
and show how each has its own identity/personality in relation to the 
others, and to the extra-Christian worlds. Try to choose varieties 
sufficiently different from each other that they probably would have 
argued (or did argue) strongly (or at least loudly) against each 
other. 

[Suggestion: review all the relevant materials and imagine how 
each position would relate to the others.]

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