The Ethics of Obscene Speech in Early Christianity and Its Environment

Erscheinungsjahr 2008
ISBN: 978-90-04-16803-9
Verlag: Brill

Buch, Englisch, Band 128, 282 Seiten, Format (B × H): 169 mm x 249 mm, Gewicht: 641 g

Reihe: Novum Testamentum, Supplements

This book aims to contextualize early Christian rhetoric about foul language by asking such questions as: Where was foul language encountered? What were the conventional arguments for avoiding (or for using) obscene words? How would the avoidance of such speech have been interpreted by others? A careful examination of the ancient uses of and discourse about foul language illuminates the moral logic implicit in various Jewish and Christian texts (e.g. Sirach, Colossians, Ephesians, the Didache, and the writings of Clement of Alexandria). Although the Christians of the first two centuries were consistently opposed to foul language, they had a variety of reasons for their moral stance, and they held different views about what role speech should play in forming their identity as a "holy people."

Autoren/Hrsg.

Hultin, Jeremy F

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Christentum/Christliche Theologie Allgemein

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Acknowledgments
List of Figures
Abbreviations
Preface

Chapter One: Survey of Foul Language in the Ancient World
I. Plato and Aristotle on Foul Language
I.A. Plato and the Dangers of Mimesis
I.B. Aristotle
II. Abuse
II.A. Laws against Slander
III. Religious Rites
Excursus: The Language of Some Love Charms
IV. Comedy
V. New Forms of Comic Drama
VI. Literary Obscenities
VI.A Epigram
VI.B Tales of Sexual Adventures and Sex Manuals
VI.C Ovid's Culpa
Conclusion

Chapter Two: Speech, Character, and Self-Definition
I. Speech as it Relates to Character
II. Speech as it Defined Specific Groups
II.A The Cynics and Shameless Speech
II.B The Stoics
II.B.1 The Linguistic Roots of the Stoic Ethics of Foul Language
Excursus: Bryson the Megarian
II.B.2 Changes in Stoic (and Cynic) Views of Obscene Speech

Chapter Three: Jewish Scripture and Earliest Christianity
I. Prophetic Scatology
II. Wisdom Literature and Ben Sirach
III. Jesus
IV. James
V. Didache 3:3 and the Two Ways
VI. Paul
VI.A Galatians 5:12
VI.B Philippians 3:8
Conclusion

Chapter Four: Colossians and Ephesians
I. Colossians 3:8
I.A Colossians 4:6 "Season Your Speech with Salt"
II. Ephesians
II.A Exegesis of Ephesians 5:3-14
II.A.1 "Let them not even be named among you" (Eph 5:3)
II.A.2 jElevgcete
II.A.3 "Shameful Even to Mention" (Eph 5:12)
II.A.4 aijscrovth"
II.A.5 mwrologiva
II.A.6 eujtrapeliva
II.B Speech Rules in 1QS
II.C Profaning a Sanctum
II.D Not Fitting for Holy Ones
III. Speech and Christian Identities

Chapter Five: Clement of Alexandria on Foul Language
I. The Divine Paedagogue and Christian Manners
II. On Foul Language
Excursus: Clement and the Didache
II.A A "Deeper Logos" about Foul Language
III. Comparing Clement
Conclusions
Works Cited
Indices

Über Autor(innen)

Jeremy F. Hultin, Ph.D. (2003) in Religious Studies, Yale University, is Assistant Professor of New Testament at Yale Divinity School.