The first three hundred years of the common era witnessed critical developments that would become foundational for Christianity itself, as well as for the societies and later history that emerged thereafter. The concept of 'ancient Christianity,' however, along with the content that the category represents, has raised much debate. This is, in part, because within this category lie multiple forms of devotion to Jesus Christ, multiple phenomena, and multiple permutations in the formative period of Christian history. Within those multiples lie numerous contests, as varieties of Christian identity laid claim to authority and authenticity in different ways. The Cambridge History of Ancient Christianity addresses these contested areas with both nuance and clarity by reviewing, synthesizing, and critically engaging recent scholarly developments. The 27 thematic chapters, specially commissioned for this volume from an international team of scholars, also offer constructive ways forward for future research.
I. Contested Contexts: 1. The History of Ancient Christian History David E. Wilhite; 2. The Present and Future of Ancient Christian History David E. Wilhite; 3. Depicting the Other in Early Christian Polemic: Christian Rhetoric and Identity in the Early Heresiologists Richard Flower; 4. Why Did People Become Christians in the Pre-Constantinian World? Reframing the Question Éric Rebillard; II. Contested Figures: 5. Remembering Jesus in Earliest Christianity: The What and How of Socially-framed Memory Ben Sutton and Anthony Le Donne; 6. Remembering Jesus in the Second and Third Centuries CE Andrew Gregory; 7. Paul and His Diverse Champions Benjamin L. White; 8. Peter and His Diverse Champions Tobias Nicklas; III. Contested Heritage: 9. Jews and Christians in Pagan Antiquity: From the First through the Third Centuries Christine Shepardson and Paula Fredriksen; 10. The Marcionite Options Judith M. Lieu; 11. The Gnosticising Options: Routes Back to God Pheme Perkins; 12. Early Christian Involvement in Classical Education, Literature, and Philosophy Josef Lössl; 13. Scriptures and Interpretations in Early Christian History Peter W. Martens; IV. Contested Cultures: 14. Early Christians and Their Socio-Economic Contexts James R. Harrison; 15. Early Christians and Roman Imperial Ideology Adam Winn; 16. Martyrdom between Fiction and Memory David L. Eastman; 17. The Emergence(s) of Christian Material Culture(s) Eric C. Smith; 18. Manuscripts and the Making of the New Testament Tommy Wasserman; V. Contested Beliefs: 19. Contesting Creator and Creation Paul M. Blowers; 20. The Trinity in the Making Jennifer Strawbridge; 21. Resurrection, Transformation, and Deification M. David Litwa; 22. The Eucharist in the First Three Centuries Daniel Cardó; 23. Office, and Appointment to Office, in Early Christian Circles Alistair C. Stewart; VI. Contested Bodies: 24. Masculinity, Femininity, and Sexuality: The Construct of Self-Control in Early Christianity Susan E. Hylen; 25. Christian Slavery in Theology and Practice: Its Relation to God, Sin, and Justice Ilaria L.E. Ramelli; 26. Wealth, Almsgiving, and Poverty Helen Rhee; 27. Power, Authority, The Living and The Dead Robin M. Jensen.
Bruce Longenecker is Professor of Christian Origins and W.W. Melton Chair of Religion at Baylor University. His recent books include In Stone and Story: Early Christianity in the Roman World (Baker Academic, 2020), Greco-Roman Associations, Deities, and Early Christianity (Baylor University Press, 2022), and The Theology of Galatians. David Wilhite is Professor of Historical Theology at the George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University. His recent books include Ancient African Christianity, Ireneus and Paul (co-edited) The Apologists and Paul (co-editor) and Israel's LORD: YHWH as Two Powers in Second Temple Literature (co-author).
