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Archive for the ‘Second century’ Category


Mystery and the Making of a Christian Historical Consciousness

In De Gruyter, Jonathon Lookadoo, Paul, Second century, T. J. LANG on January 12, 2017 at 11:37 am

2017.01.01 | T. J. Lang, Mystery and the Making of a Christian Historical Consciousness: From Paul to the Second Century. BZNW 219. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2015. pp. xii +293. ISBN: 9783110442670.

Review by Jonathon Lookadoo, University of Otago

Early Christian conceptions of history are a complicated matter to study. Many early Christian texts highlight continuity between God’s actions in and after Jesus and the way in which God acted prior to Jesus. However, other passages suggest a break, even a rupture, which occurred after Jesus.

Mystery and the Making of a Christian Historical Consciousness steps into this complicated issue by studying the role of “mystery” (μυστήριον) in Pauline literature and tracing the usage of the concept through the second century. Read the rest of this entry »


Lewis Ayres, “Grammar, Polemic and the Development of Patristic Exegesis 150-250”

In Durham, Early Christianity, Lewis AYRES, Patristics, Reception history, Second century, SEMINAR REPORTS on November 29, 2011 at 2:46 pm

This is a report on a paper presented by Prof Lewis Ayres, Lecturer in Greek Patristics and Byzantine Studies in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University, at the NT Research Seminar at the Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, 28th of November 2011.

The list of forthcoming papers in the New Testament Research Seminars at Durham University can be found here. You can follow RBECS on Facebook, here.

An extensive written treatment of Prof Ayres’ argument was circulated in advance to the seminar members. His great and very interesting presentation emerged from his existing work on the 4th and 5th century Trinitarian controversies that shaped a certain way of reading Scripture. Prof Ayres’ aim was to identify as much as possible the origins of the classical Patristic exegesis and the significance of the ancient Grammarians in the development of the Patristic interpretative techniques. Read the rest of this entry »


Simon Gathercole, “The Religious Outlook of the Gospel of Thomas”

In Durham, Gospel of Thomas, Justin A. Mihoc, Second century, Simon GATHERCOLE on November 2, 2011 at 8:39 am

This is a report on a paper presented by Dr Simon Gathercole, Senior Lecturer in New Testament Studies in the Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge, at the New Testament Research Seminar, Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, 31 October 2011.

The list of forthcoming papers in the NT Research Seminars at Durham University can be found here. RBECS is also on facebook, here.

Dr Gathercole insightfully tackled a very puzzling Christian writing of the second century, namely the Gospel of Thomas (to be subsequently referred to as Thomas), focusing on its theology. His presentation is drawn from a larger project on the composition of Thomas, which he prepares for publication in the SNTS Monograph Series.

In the opening of his presentation, Dr Gathercole briefly introduced some general information on this writing. In antiquity, especially in the Church Fathers, there are a lot of allusions to Thomas (beginning with Ps.-Hippolytus, Cyril of Jerusalem and Origen), and wrongly attributed to Manichees. Read the rest of this entry »


The Legacy of John: Second Century Reception of the Fourth Gospel

In Brill, Charles E. HILL, Dan Batovici, John, New Testament, NT reception history, Second century, Tuomas RASIMUS on January 17, 2011 at 8:37 am

2011.01.02 | Tuomas Rasimus, ed. The Legacy of John: Second Century Reception of the Fourth Gospel. Supplements to Novum Testamentum 132. Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2010. Pp. xi + 406. ISBN: 9789004176331. Hardback

Reviewed by Dan Batovici, University of St Andrews.

The book is a fine collection of twelve essays on several second-century texts and their relation to the Fourth Gospel. The editor mentions in the very dense introduction the need to ‘abandon the old division between “orthodox” and “heterodox” forms of Christianity as misleading and anachronistic.’

It is commendable, indeed, to seek for the early reception of John beyond such a distinction, and this fresh view stands well in a context in which the two most recent major contributions on the early reception of John tend to focus on either the “orthodox” or the “heterodox” reception. Read the rest of this entry »


Markus Vinzent, “The Resurrection of Christ in Second Century, Early Christianity”

In Cambridge, Marcion, Markus VINZENT, New Testament, Nicki Wilkes, Q, Second century, SEMINAR REPORTS on January 2, 2011 at 8:04 am

This is a report on a paper presented by Professor Markus Vinzent, Professor of the History of Theology at King’s College London, at the Patristics Seminar at the Department of Theology and Religion, University of Cambridge, 29th of November 2010.

The programme of the Patristics Seminar in Cambridge will be published here.

Is Marcion ‘Q’ ?

In a recent fascinating and astoundingly controversial patristics seminar held at the University of Cambridge, Professor Markus Vinzent offered a précis of his soon to be published book: Christ’s Resurrection in Early Christianity. The focus of his presentation was the lack of attestation to the resurrection of Christ in early Christian literature between the time of Paul and Marcion. Read the rest of this entry »


Judith Lieu, “Heresy and Scripture”

In Durham, Heresy, Judith LIEU, Justin A. Mihoc, Scripture, Second century, SEMINAR REPORTS on December 27, 2010 at 5:30 am

This is a report on a paper presented by Professor Judith Lieu, Lady Margaret’s Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge, at the New Testament Research Seminar at the Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, 13th of December 2010.

The list of forthcoming papers in the NT Research Seminars at Durham University will be found here.

In her paper, Prof Lieu examined the ideas of ‘heresy’ and ‘Scripture’ as reflected in the writings of the 2nd century Christian theologians Justin Martyr, Irenaeus and Tertullian. The discussion on heresy is centered on the figure of Marcion and his ‘Gospel’ as a ‘falsification’ of Scripture.

The idea of (Christian) ‘Scripture’, and therefore canon, was coined surprisingly late, beginning with Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 293-373) who mentions a list of books in his 39th Festal Letter. Read the rest of this entry »


The Johannine Corpus in the Early Church

In Charles E. HILL, Dan Batovici, John, NT reception history, Oxford University Press, Patristics, Second century on October 7, 2010 at 11:20 pm

2010.10.03 | Charles E. Hill. The Johannine Corpus in the Early Church. Oxford: OUP, 2006 (Hardback, 2004). xiii-531 p. ISBN 0-19-929144-6. Paperback.

Reviewed by Dan Batovici, University of St Andrews.

This is the pre-print version of the review published in Religion and Theology 17 (2010), pp. 166-7.

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Trajectories through the New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers

In Andrew GREGORY, Apostolic Fathers, Christopher TUCKETT, Dan Batovici, NT reception history, Oxford University Press, Second century on October 7, 2010 at 11:00 pm

2010.10.02 | Andrew F. Gregory and Christopher M. Tuckett, eds. The New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers, Volume 2: Trajectories through the New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers. Oxford: OUP, 2007 (hardcover 2005). Pp. xvii + 506.ISBN: 978-0-19-923005-1. Paperback.

Reviewed by Dan Batovici, University of St Andrews.

This is the pre-print version of the review published in Biblical Interpretation 18.2 (2009), pp. 161-3.

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The Reception of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers

In Andrew GREGORY, Apostolic Fathers, Christopher TUCKETT, Dan Batovici, NT reception history, Oxford University Press, Second century on October 7, 2010 at 4:47 pm

2010.10.01 | Andrew F. Gregory and Christopher M. Tuckett, eds. The New Testament and the Apostolic Fathers, Volume 1: The Reception of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers. Oxford: OUP, 2005. Pp. xiii + 375. ISBN 978-0-19-926782-8. Hardback.

Reviewed by Dan Batovici, University of St Andrews.

This is the pre-print version of the review published in TC: A Journal of Biblical Textual Criticism 14 (2009).

Read the rest of this entry »