Backgrounds of Early Christianity,9780802806697

Backgrounds of Early Christianity

by
Edition: 2nd
ISBN13: 9780802806697
ISBN10: 0802806694
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 1993-09-01
Publisher(s): Eerdmans Pub Co
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Summary

Widely used as a textbook since its publication in 1987, this work provides an analytical and systematic introduction to the Roman, Greek, and Jewish political, social, literary, and religious backgrounds necessary for a historical understanding of the New Testament in the early church.

Author Biography

Everett Ferguson is Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas

Table of Contents

Preface xv
Acknowledgments xvii
Abbreviations xviii
General Bibliography xix
Introduction: Perspectives on Parallels 1(4)
Political History
5(40)
Introduction
5(1)
Near East Before Alexander
6(4)
Persian Empire
6(1)
Greece
7(3)
Alexander the Great
10(5)
Macedonia
10(1)
Life of Alexander III (356-323)
10(3)
Alexander's Influence
13(2)
The Hellenistic Kingdoms
15(4)
The Diadochi
15(1)
Ptolemies-Egypt
15(2)
Seleucids-Syria
17(2)
Rome
19(20)
The Roman Genius
19(2)
Rome and the West
21(1)
Rome and the East
22(1)
The Later Republic: Civil Wars
23(2)
Augustus (31 B.C.-A.D. 14)
25(5)
The Early Empire
30(8)
The Later Empire
38(1)
Administration of the Empire
39(6)
Cities
39(2)
Provinces
41(2)
Client Kingdoms
43(2)
Society and Culture
45(92)
Introduction
46(1)
The Roman Military
46(6)
Legions
46(2)
Emblems, Weapons, and Dress
48(3)
Auxiliaries
51(1)
Praetorian Guard
51(1)
Other Units
52(1)
Social Classes
52(4)
The Senatorial Order
53(1)
The Equestrian Order
53(1)
Municipal Aristocracies
54(1)
Plebeians and Other Free Persons
54(1)
Freedmen
55(1)
Patron-Client Relationship
55(1)
Slavery
56(3)
Roman Citizenship
59(2)
Roman Law
61(2)
Social Morality
63(11)
Marriage and Family
65(5)
Place of Women
70(3)
Exposure of Children
73(1)
Economic Life
74(14)
Trade and Travel
78(4)
Coinage
82(5)
Taxation
87(1)
Entertainment
88(12)
Theatres
88(3)
Athletics
91(2)
Arenas
93(1)
Circuses
94(1)
Gymnasia and Baths
94(2)
Banquets
96(2)
Music
98(2)
Education
100(4)
Literature and Language
104(22)
Authors
104(5)
Rhetoric
109(2)
Literary Forms and Genres
111(6)
Making of Books
117(5)
Reading and Studying of Books
122(1)
Inscriptions and Papyri
123(1)
Language
124(2)
Art and Architecture
126(5)
Clubs and Associations
131(6)
Greek Clubs
131(1)
Roman Colleges
132(1)
Egyptian Associations
133(1)
The Statutes of an Association
134(2)
Conclusion
136(1)
Hellenistic-Roman Religions
137(162)
Ancient Greek Religion
138(17)
The Epic Age: Homer
139(7)
Hesiod
146(3)
The Archaic Period
149(4)
Signs of Dissolution in the Classical Age
153(2)
Ancient Roman Religion
155(6)
Deities
155(2)
Religious Personnel
157(1)
Religious Observances
158(1)
Soul and the Dead
159(1)
Characteristics of Roman Religion
160(1)
Religion in Hellenistic-Roman Times: General Characteristics
161(5)
Domestic and Rural Religion
166(4)
Greek
166(2)
Roman
168(2)
Civic Cults
170(15)
Priesthood
172(2)
Ritual Prescriptions
174(2)
Sacrifice
176(4)
Votive Offerings
180(1)
Prayers and Hymns
181(2)
Festivals
183(2)
Other Features
185(1)
Ruler Cult
185(14)
Antecedents and Presuppositions
186(4)
Historical Developments
190(7)
Forms of the Imperial Cult
197(2)
Personal Religion
199(36)
Oracles
199(7)
Dreams and Divination
206(1)
Healing Cults
207(5)
Magic and Maledictions
212(7)
Imprecations and Oaths
219(1)
Demons and Superstition
220(2)
Astrology, Astral Religion, and Fate
222(6)
Death and the Afterlife
228(7)
Greek Mysteries and Eastern Religions
235(47)
Local Mysteries
236(1)
Eleusinian Mysteries
237(6)
Dionysiac Mysteries
243(6)
Egyptian Deities: Isis, Osiris, and Sarapis
249(11)
Phoenician Deities: Astarte and Adonis
260(1)
Syrian Deities: Atargatis and Others
261(3)
Phrygian Deities: Cybele and Attis
264(6)
A Persian Deity: Mithras
270(9)
Mystery Religions and Christianity
279(3)
Gnosticism, Hermetic Literature, Chaldaean Oracles
282(14)
Origins of Gnosticism
288(2)
Characteristic Features
290(2)
Gnosticism in the New Testament
292(2)
The Hermetica
294(2)
Chaldaean Oracles
296(1)
Later Developments: Monotheism and Sun Worship
296(3)
Hellenistic-Roman Philosophies
299(74)
Introduction
300(6)
Philosophy as Religion
300(1)
Philosophy as Ethics
301(2)
Popular Philosophy
303(1)
Philosophy and Individualism
304(1)
Philosophy in Its Social Setting
305(1)
Sophists and Socrates
306(4)
Sophists
306(1)
Socrates (469-399 B.C.)
307(3)
Plato and the Academy to the First Century
310(8)
Life of Plato (429-347 B.C.)
310(2)
The Dialogues
312(1)
Plato's Thought
313(2)
Plato's Influence
315(1)
The Old Academy
315(1)
The Skeptical Academy
316(1)
The Eclectic Academy
317(1)
Aristotle and the Peripatetics
318(7)
Life of Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)
318(1)
Aristotle's Thought
318(4)
Aristotle's Influence
322(1)
Theophrastus (370-285 B.C.)
322(1)
Strato
323(1)
Later History and General Character
323(1)
Aspects of the Peripatetic Legacy
324(1)
Skepticism
325(2)
Pyrrho (c.360-c.270 B.C.)
326(1)
Aenesidemus
326(1)
Sextus Empiricus (C.A.D.200)
326(1)
Influence of Skepticism
327(1)
Cynicism
327(6)
Beginnings of Cynicism
327(2)
Cynic Characteristics
329(2)
Dio of Prusa (A.D. 40 to after 112)
331(1)
Lucian of Samosata (C.A.D. 120 to after 180)
331(2)
Stoicism
333(15)
Early Stoa
333(2)
Stoic Physics
335(2)
Stoic Logic and Epistemology
337(1)
Stoic Ethics
337(2)
Middle Stoa
339(3)
Later Stoa: Roman Stoicism
342(4)
Stoicism and Christianity
346(2)
Epicureanism
348(8)
Epicurus and His School
348(2)
Lucretius (94-55 B.C.)
350(1)
Epicurean Physics
350(2)
Epicurean Epistemology
352(1)
Epicurean Ethics
353(1)
Estimate and Comparisons
354(2)
Eclecticism
356(4)
Characteristics
356(1)
Cicero (106-43 B.C.)
357(3)
Neopythagoreanism
360(4)
Pythagoras
360(1)
The Pythagorean Revival
360(1)
Apollonius of Tyana and Philostratus
361(2)
Numenius
363(1)
Middle Platonism
364(3)
Characteristics
364(2)
Plutarch (C.A.D. 50-after 120)
366(1)
Plotinus and Neoplatonism
367(6)
Life of Plotinus (A.D. 205-270)
367(1)
Plotinus' System
368(1)
Later Neoplatonists
369(4)
Judaism
373(174)
Jewish History, 538 B.C. To A.D. 200
376(27)
The Persian Period
376(3)
The Greek Period
379(4)
The Maccabean Period
383(5)
The Roman Period
388(15)
Jews in the Early Roman Empire
403(3)
Jewish Literature and Other Sources in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods
406(74)
The Old Testament in Greek
407(6)
Jewish Literature in Greek: Fragments
413(1)
Apocrypha
414(8)
Pseudepigrapha
422(14)
Dead Sea Scrolls
436(10)
Apocalyptic Writings
446(4)
Philo
450(6)
Josephus
456(5)
Rabbinic Literature
461(9)
Archaeological Sources
470(9)
Pagan References to Jews
479(1)
Parties and Sects
480(22)
Pharisees
480(6)
Sadducees
486(1)
Qumran Community, Essenes, and Therapeutae
487(10)
Zealots
497(2)
Herodians
499(1)
Samaritans
499(3)
Beliefs and Practices
502(25)
One God
503(1)
Israel, the Chosen People
504(1)
Torah, Tradition, and Scripture
505(5)
Jewish Mysticism
510(2)
Proselytes and Godfearers
512(5)
Messianism and the Glorious Destiny
517(2)
Afterlife
519(2)
Festivals and Holy Days
521(6)
Daily Devotions
527(1)
Organization and Institutions
527(20)
Temple and Priesthood
527(6)
Sanhedrin
533(3)
Community Organization
536(2)
Rabbis
538(1)
Synagogue
539(8)
Christianity in the Ancient World
547(38)
Literary References to Christianity in Non-Christian Sources
548(1)
Archaeological Remains Bearing on Early Christian History
549(4)
Inscriptions
549(2)
Papyri
551(1)
Coins
552(1)
Some Claimed Archaeological Remains of Early Christaianity
553(3)
Rotas-Sator Word Square
553(1)
``Cross'' at Herculaneum
554(1)
Talpioth (Jerusalem) Ossuaries
554(1)
Tomb of Peter
555(1)
Attitudes of Pagans Toward Christians
556(9)
The Legal Status of Christianity
565(6)
Hindrances to the Acceptance of Christianity
571(1)
Religious Rivals
572(7)
Judaism
572(1)
Pagan Religion and Philosophy
573(2)
Gnosticism and Rival Versions of Christianity
575(1)
Jewish Christianity
576(3)
Factors Favorable to Christianity
579(3)
External Circumstances
579(1)
Hellenistic Judaism
580(1)
Religious Quest
581(1)
What Was Unique in Christianity?
582(3)
Index of Subjects 585(21)
Index of Scripture References 606(6)
Map of the Ancient World 612

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