Hi all...
I am looking for "a Roman perspective on 1st century Christian life" to dispel the myth that 1st century Christians performed their earthly service 'door to door' (JW stylee).
Any info or links appreciated.
Regards
blanko
A roman perspective on 1st century Christian life
by El blanko 11 Replies latest watchtower bible
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gaiagirl
Two books which might offer some insight on Roman views of early Christians are "A History Of Pagan Europe" (Jones & Pennick, 1995, published by Barnes & Noble) and "Pagans and Christians" (Robin, Lane, and Fox, 1989, published by Knopf). I don't recall if they commented on the door-to-door aspect (so probably they didn't), but other revelations were eye-opening.
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El blanko
Cheers for that. I'll have a look on Amazon
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jgnat
I stumbled across Pliny the Younger of Bithynia's comments on Christianity, these are contemporary accounts.
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El blanko
Cheers - this is going down the right road now. I'll print that off for starters and continue my quest.
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peacefulpete
Wilken's book "Christians as the Romans saw them" is a great and readable collection of Roman writings that dealt with the Christians and why they were often disturbed by their arrogance and intolerance.
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the_classicist
From the Pliny link jgnat gave:
They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god,
I don't think there are any secular sources outlining their practices... but you might want tho check the Church fathers too... in fact I think that I'll do that.
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Narkissos
Afaik there is no Roman source on Christianity before the early 2nd century. This in itself speak volumes.
On the door-to-door issue, any commentary of Acts would show what is really meant by kat'oikous (20:20). It has nothing to do with evangelism, let alone a universal ministry: it just refers to apostolic activity within the home structure of the early church, i.e. in the homes of various Christian "patrons" who accommodated Christian meetings.
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El blanko
Thanks all. I've just ordered a new book
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the_classicist
Plus if you wish to translate literally, kat'oikous (kata oikous) does not mean house to house at all (at least in Classical Greek), it means "down the houses." So the apostles were going "down the houses" (probably horizontal movement rather vertical ), possibly signalling, as was said before, that they were visiting houses of believers. I would think that if it were house to house preaching, as in visting everyone in the town, it would be written as apo oikous (apo takes the acc. right?) pros oikous (pros definitely takes the acc.) ["from houses to houses"].