Focussing on three first- and early-second-century documents (the Shepherd of Hermas, 1 Clement and the Ignatian epistles), this work contributes to a growing body of literature concerned with the social setting of early Christianity. Maier argues that the development of structures of leadership in the early Christian church is best accounted for by reference to the hospitality, patronage, and leadership of wealthy hosts who invited local Christian groups to meet in their homes. Sociological models and types are employed to analyze the tensions that arose from excesses of patronage and leadership by the well-to-do. Recognizing the socio-economic setting of these conflicts corrects the interpretation of early Christian conflicts over the ministry as purely theological and doctrinali.
Author(s): Harry O. Maier
Publisher: Canadian Corp. Studies in Religion
Year: 2002
Language: English
Pages: 245
The Social Setting of the Ministry as Reflected in the Writings of Hermas, Clement and Ignatius......Page 4
Contents......Page 8
Acknowledgments......Page 10
A Topic With a Long History......Page 12
The Early Ministry and the Household: A House-Church Trajectory......Page 15
The Methodology......Page 16
The Strategy......Page 21
The Traditional Graeco-Roman Household......Page 26
The Household and Mystery Religions and Foreign Cults, Philosophical Schools, Associations, and Jewish Synagogues......Page 29
Mystery Religions and Foreign Cults......Page 30
Philosophical Schools......Page 32
Associations......Page 33
The Household Synagogue......Page 34
Notes......Page 35
The Early Pauline Churches as Sectarian......Page 40
The Household Context of the Christian Sect......Page 43
Hospitality and Gospel Transmission......Page 44
Wealth, Patronage, and the Pauline House Church......Page 46
House-Church Leadership......Page 47
The Household Setting of Colossians and Ephesians......Page 51
Community Leadership......Page 53
Authorship, Location and Date......Page 54
Wealth and Leadership......Page 55
Notes......Page 58
Date......Page 66
Purpose of the Work......Page 69
Wealth and House Churches......Page 70
Summary......Page 75
Relation Between the Church and the World......Page 76
Ethics and Separation from the World......Page 83
Notes......Page 89
The Setting of the Corinthian Dispute......Page 98
Some Previous Attempts to Account for Development in the Corinthian Church......Page 105
A Critique of Previous Accounts of Development in 1 Clement......Page 107
Sectarian Development and the Corinthian Church......Page 109
Household Leadership and Sect Development in the Corinthian Church......Page 111
The Corinthian Church as an Established Sect......Page 117
Institutionalization......Page 119
Berger and Luckmann's Model of Institutionalization......Page 121
The Death of Paul and the Desire to Preserve Sect Ideals......Page 123
Elders and Institutionalization......Page 128
Clement's Contribution to the Institutionalization of the Corinthian Church......Page 129
Summary......Page 132
Berger and Luckmann's Model of Legitimation and the Institutional Setting of the Corinthian Community......Page 133
The Symbolic Universe Implied in 1 Clement......Page 137
God as Master and the Institutional Order......Page 142
Notes......Page 146
The Social Setting of the lgnatian Epistles......Page 158
The Setting of the Community Divisions......Page 159
The Setting of the Common Assembly......Page 164
Charisma in the Ignatian Epistles......Page 167
Ignatius' Charismatic Authority......Page 169
Ignatius' Charismatic Authority and the Sectarian Identity of the Asian Churches......Page 174
The Unworthiness of Ignatius......Page 179
Ignatius and Community-Protecting Charisma......Page 181
Legitimation......Page 193
Notes......Page 198
6. Epilogue......Page 210
Notes......Page 212
Abbreviations......Page 214
Bibliography......Page 216
Back Matter......Page 242
