Early Christian mission: v.1: Jesus and the Twelve; v.2: Paul & the early church

2005 ◽  
Vol 43 (02) ◽  
pp. 43-0891-43-0891
2012 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacobus Kok

The Christian concept ‘mission’ is experienced by some as a negative term in the post- modern age of relativism and sensitivity with regard to the perspective and the rights of others. In this article it is postulated that the term ‘mission’ is only negative when mission is understood as an aggressive propagandistic persuasion of others from a position of power (moral high ground). This definition however, is a result of a male-dominated, Kyriarchal (male dominated) perspective, and by implication is ethnocentric and reductionistic in nature. Feminist and postcolonial perspectives open the way for an alternative definition of ‘mission’, which can open up fresh perspectives about mission and ethics in the early Church and these could be considered and in turn could have far-reaching implications for the manner in which the Christian mission is understood in a post-modern context. In this article it is investigated in which way the early Christian ethics of mission created the space within which traditional imperial dominance, gender, race and ethnicity was transformed with an alternative symbolic universe resulting from a reconceptualisation of power or empowerment and loving service from a Christological perspective.


2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 61-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magnus Kirby ◽  
Derek Alexander

An archaeological excavation was carried out at Crarae Gardens on an area of land adjacent to the site of Killevin Church. The name Killevin indicates an early church foundation, and an early Christian cross had previously been discovered on the site. The excavation identified two large ditches, which are thought to represent two phases of a vallum surrounding an early Christian monastic settlement. Associated post-holes comprising a possible structure were also identified. Radiocarbon dates obtained from the inner ditch and associated features produced 7th- to 9th-century AD dates, providing further evidence that the documented medieval church of Killevin may have been founded on an early Christian monastic settlement.


Author(s):  
Алексей Волчков

Книга Валерия Александровича Аликина «История и практика собраний в Ранней Церкви» посвящена комплексному исследованию практики раннехристианских собраний в контексте общинных трапез античных добровольных сообществ (collegia), распространённых в греко-римском обществе первых веков нашей эры. Данное направление в исследовании раннехристианских экклесий не является чем-то новым в науке. Многие учёные XIX в. обращали внимание на сильное сходство между экклесиями и античными добровольными сообществами в устроении и внутренней жизни1. Возрождение этой парадигмы в раннехристианских штудиях произошло в последнем десятилетии XX в. Valeri Aleksandrovich Alikin's book, History and Practice of Assemblies in the Early Church, is devoted to a comprehensive study of early Christian assembly practices in the context of the communal meals of the ancient voluntary communities (collegia) common in Greco-Roman society in the first centuries AD. This direction in the study of early Christian ecclesiae is not new in scholarship. Many scholars of the nineteenth century drew attention to the strong similarities between ekklesias and ancient voluntary communities in their organisation and inner life1. The revival of this paradigm in early Christian studies took place in the last decade of the twentieth century.


2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benno A. Zuiddam

Die eerste brief van Clemens Romanus aan die Korintiërs vertoon ‘n afhankelikheid van heilige Skrif en gebed. In die konteks van hierdie vroegchristelike brief is dit die Skrif wat gebed bevorder en vorm gee. Clemens het vir sy kennis van God staatgemaak op God se skriftelike openbaring, aangesien hy die Skrif beskou as Godsspraak in terme van inhoud en gesag. Die kerkvader nader God daarvolgens in sy gebedsantwoord op die Skrif. Die doel van gebed by die kerkvader is onder meer gerig daarop dat menslike gedrag gehoorsaamheid moet vertoon aan God se geopenbaarde Woord. Die vorm van gebed in Clemens se eerste brief aan die Korintiërs is dan ook grootliks aan die Skrif ontleen, beid ein die woorde en uitdrukkings wat hy hanteer. Die agenda en die inhoudspunte van gebede in hierdie vroegchristelike brief word ook deur die heilige Skrifte bepaal. Op hierdie wyse is Godsspraak dryfveer, standaard en model vir gebed by dié kerkvader.Clement of Rome’s letter to the Corinthians shows an interdependence of holy Scripture and prayer. In the context of this early Christian epistle, Divine revelation, primarily through Scripture, takes on an initiatory role for prayer. Clement considers the Scriptures as oracles of God in terms of their contents and authority. In his prayer-response to Scripture, both for contents and words, Clement shows himself inspired by holy Scripture. Consequently, Clement’s prayer is aimed at conformity of human behaviour to what he considers God’s revealed standards. As to the format of prayer in Clement to the Corinthians, words and expressions are largely borrowed from the sacred Scriptures. The agenda and themes of prayer in this letter are set by holy Writ as well, reinforcing the role of Scripture as initiator, standard and prototype for prayer, as the early church father reaches out to God.


2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederick Kakwata

This article seeks to investigate the root causes of poverty in the early Christian community.The view that is put forward and argued in this article is that poverty was widespread in early Christianity with particular reference to the converted Jews in Palestine. This was the result of socio-historical factors, namely the Israelites’ contact with Canaanites during the conquest,and the implementation of the secular leadership paradigm derived from those paga n nations around Israel, which led to their subjugation under the oppressive and exploitative and economic structures of the Roman Empire. For that reason many believers, newly converted Jews, at that time were destitute and impoverished as they belonged to the lower classes in society. In spite of this state of affairs, the early Christians in Jerusalem seemed to have faced the challenges of poverty with a measure of success as can be attested by the statement ‘for there was no needy person amongst them …’ (Ac 4:34).’n Ondersoek na sosio-historiese faktore wat tot armoede binne die vroeë Christelikekerk in Palestina bygedra het. Die doel van hierdie artikel is om die grondoorsake van armoede in die vroeë Christelike gemeenskap te ondersoek met spesifieke verwysing na die bekeerde Jode in Palestina. Die standpunt wat in hierdie artikel gestel en beredeneer word, is dat armoede algemeen in die vroeë Christendom voorgekom het. Dit was as gevolg van verskeie sosio-historiese faktore, waaronder die Israeliete se kontak met die Kanaäniete ná die inname, asook die instelling van die sekulêre paradigma oor leierskap wat Israel aan die naburige heidennasies ontleen het en wat op hulle verknegting onder die Romeinse Ryk se onderdrukkende en uitbuitende strukture uitgeloop het. ’n Groot aantal gelowiges, bekeerde Jode, was in daardie tyd behoeftig en armoedig omdat hulle deel van die laer klasse in die samelewing was. Tog, ten spyte van hierdie omstandighede, het die vroeë Christene in Jerusalem klaarblyklik die uitdaging van armoede met ’n mate van sukses gehanteer, soos die stelling getuig: ‘Nie een van hulle het gebrek gely nie …’ (Hand 4:34).


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