Iosif Early Christian Attitudes to War, Violence and Military Service

1. Auflage 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4632-3476-8
Verlag: De Gruyter
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Wasserzeichen (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 402 Seiten

Reihe: Gorgias Studies in Classical and Late Antiquity

The early Christians were not of one mind when it came to war, violence and military service. There was a bewildering variety of opinion as to how they understood their place in the world. It seems however that generally they did not stand apart from society. On the contrary, they were happy to integrate and conform and they often accepted war and service in the army as activities which did not raise specific ethical problems.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Iosif, Despina

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Christentum/Christliche Theologie Allgemein
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religionsgeschichte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

- Table of Contents (page 5)
- Acknowledgements (page 9)
- 1. Introduction (page 11)
- 2. Jesus and the Evangelists or Love Your Enemies (page 29)
- Introduction (page 29)
- Old Testament (page 32)
- A. New Testament (page 36)
- NT Gospel Passages of Ambiguousor Even Irrelevant Character (page 40)
- Probably Conservative' NT Gospel Passages (page 43)
- Probably Radical' NT Gospel Passages (page 48)
- NT Acts (page 50)
- NT Epistles (page 51)
- Military Metaphors (page 55)
- B. Apocrypha (page 57)
- Jesus as a Child (page 58)
- Jesus as an Adult (page 61)
- After Jesus' Death (page 63)
- Pilate (page 66)
- Conclusions (page 69)
- 3. Positive Sources (page 71)
- 3.1. literary evidence or we go to war (page 71)
- Introduction (page 71)
- Conclusions (page 87)
- 3.2. inscriptions or having served with distinction (page 88)
- Introduction (page 88)
- Section A. Pre-Constantinian Christian Soldiers (page 96)
- Section B. Pre-Constantinian Christian(?) Soldiers (page 113)
- Section C. Pre-Constantinian(?) Christian Soldiers (page 121)
- Conclusions (page 130)
- 3.3. Papyri or I pray the merciful God (page 133)
- Introduction (page 133)
- Conclusions (page 144)
- 3.4. Dura Europos or the penetration of military into Civilian territory or two Clibanarri and one Cataphractarius (page 145)
- Introduction (page 145)
- Conclusions (page 151)
- 4. The Silent Sources. From Him Come the Kings and the Rulers and the Governors (page 155)
- Introduction (page 155)
- Reassuring Pagans of the Innocence of Christianity (page 158)
- Persuading Christians of the Necessity of Being Harmless (page 168)
- Finding the Demons Helpful (page 173)
- Views on Military Service and War (page 178)
- Military Images (page 183)
- Views on Violence (page 189)
- Views on Peace (page 193)
- Conclusions (page 195)
- 5. Dilemmas for Those Who Strive for Perfection or To Serve or Not to Serve? or Break Off the Ties That Bind and Entangle You in This World (page 197)
- Introduction (page 197)
- Non est tibi eadem causa quae ceteris (page 199)
- Conclusions (page 213)
- 6. Negative Sources (page 223)
- 6.1. The Pacifist Fathers or the Sons of Peace (page 223)
- Introduction (page 223)
- A Bewildering Variety of Opinion (page 225)
- Noster est magis Caesar (page 228)
- Setting Limits (page 234)
- Views on Military Service (page 239)
- Conclusions (page 249)
- 6.2. The Acts of the Military Martyrs or Death Will Pronounce Judgement on You (page 249)
- Introduction (page 249)
- Prologue (page 259)
- The Early Accounts or I cannot venerate false gods (page 263)
- The Late Accounts or we owe military service (page 271)
- Conclusions (page 291)
- 7. Councils or Those Who Throw Away Their Arms in Times of Peace Should Be Kept from Communion (page 297)
- Introduction (page 297)
- Sacrorum Canonum Contemptores et Ecclesiasticae Sanctitatis Profanatores (page 298)
- Conclusions (page 313)
- 8. Epilogue (page 315)
- 9. Bibliography (page 319)
- 10. Appendix A. Other Possible Epigraphical Evidence (page 367)
- 11. Appendix B. A Selection of the Sources Discussed (page 373)
- Index (page 397)