The World of the Early Christians

by Joseph F. Kelly

Overview

Like every lost world, the world of the early Christians was a combination of the foreign and the familiar, the unique and the commonplace. In The World of the Early Christians, Joseph Kelly introduces and explains the world of the early Christians, and while he examines the differences between our two societies, he also stresses our similarities. The early Christians were people, like us, trying to make their way in life.

There are many introductions to the world of the early Christians, but few if any deal with its historical background and the basic questions non-specialists ask: Why did the Christians use philosophy at al? Didn't it make everything confusing? Why didn't they just stay with the Bible? In The World of the Early Christians Kelly answers such preliminary questions and concentrates on the fundamental issue of why Christians used philosophy, rather than simply listing the philosophies they used.

Not only do most people know little about the early Christians, they often have erroneous views about them. For example, many modern Christians think their ancient spiritual ancestors were impoverished, uneducated people from the lowest strata of Roman society. The World of the Early Christians addresses some of these misconceptions by considering the historical evidence available about these people. Similarly, Kelly also explains some ancient topics - such as magic and astrology - and considers how they can be misleading to modern students. He then describes the early Christians' relationships with other groups, such as Jews, pagans, and members of popular and official cults, and then explores the intellectual and cultural lives of the early Christians.

Students and anyone interested in understanding the now lost world of early Christianity will appreciate this volume's straightforward treatment of this essential background material.

Kelly touches upon topics treated by the other volumes in the Message of the Fathers of the Church series. He refers to original sources in translation unless no translation is available, and he includes bibliographic references for further research. In a direct and easy manner, Kelly brings to life for us today the rich world of the early Christians.

Chapters are: "Who Were the Early Christians?" "How Do We Know About the Early Christians?" "The Physical World," "Others," "Intellectual and Cultural Life," "Living in the World," and "A Brief History of Early Christianity."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814683798
Publisher:	Liturgical Press
Publication date:	03/15/2017
Series:	Fathers of the Church , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Joseph F. Kelly, PhD, (1945-2023), was the chair of the department of theology and religious studies at John Carroll University and was active in adult religious education in the Greater Cleveland area. The World of the Early Christians (1997), The Problem of Evil in the Western Tradition (2002), and History and Heresy (2012) are among his nine previous books published by Liturgical Press.

Table of Contents

Contents
Editor’s Introduction   xi
Preface   xiii
Abbreviations   xviii
Chapter One: Who Were the Early Christians?   1
     1.  What Does the Term “Early Christians” Mean?   1
     2.  Where Did They Live?   3
     3.  What Do We Know About Their Daily Lives?    7
     4.  Entertainment   12
Chapter Two: How Do We Know About the Early Christians?   19
     1.   The Problem of the Data    19
     2.   The Nature of the Written Data   20
     3.   The Nature of the Physical Data   29
     4.   Iconography   33
     5.  Using the Evidence   34
          A.  Technology   35
          B.  How Do We Understand the Evidence?   39
Chapter Three: The Physical World   47
     1.  The Cosmos   47
     2.  The Earth   51
     3.  The Other Worlds   55
          A.  Heaven   55 
          B.  Hell   57
          C.  Another World?   59
     4 . Time   59
Chapter Four: Others   71
     1.  The Jews   71
     2.  The Pagans   79
          A.  The Popular Cults   83
          B.  Oracles   86
          C.  Magic   88
          D.  Astrology   90
          E.  Philosophy   91
          F.  The Official Cults   94
     3.  Heretics and Schismatics   96
Chapter Five: Intellectual and Cultural Life   101
     1.  Books and The Book   102
          A.  Producing Bibles   102
          B.  Translations   108
     2.  The Bible and Its Interpretation   111
          A.  The Canon   111
          B.  Interpretation   115
     3.  Theology   121
          A.  Theology and Philosophy   123
          B.  Theology and Tradition in the Church   126
     4.  Music   129
     5.  The Visual Arts   133
Chapter Six: Living in the World   139
     1.  Slavery   141
     2.  Women   146
     3.  Church and State   155
     4.  War and Peace   160
     5.  Wealth and Poverty   166
Chapter Seven: A Brief History of Early Christianity   173
     1.  The First Century   173
     2.  The Second Century   181
     3.  The Third Century   187 
     4.  The Fourth Century   193
     5.  The Fifth Century   201
     6.  The Sixth Century   207
Bibliography   215
Index   223

Editorial Reviews

At last - at long last - someone has written a book that introduces the general reader to early Christians and their world. . . . Professor Kelly shows himself a master of both classroom and research carrel, and one thing more: He writes in graceful, crystal clear, and lively prose, unburdened with even the slightest hint of jargon.
Journal of Early Christian Studies

EBOOK COMMENTARY

At last - at long last - someone has written a book that introduces the general reader to early Christians and their world. . . . Professor Kelly shows himself a master of both classroom and research carrel, and one thing more: He writes in graceful, crystal clear, and lively prose, unburdened with even the slightest hint of jargon.
Journal of Early Christian Studies


A well-written introduction to a vast topic. . . . I have been strongly recommending it to both graduates and undergraduates around the Southeast.
William Harmless, S.J., Spring Hill College


. . . belongs in any parish library or in any university library where introductory courses on Christianity are taught. It will serve well as a supplemental volume for college courses or parish classes on early Church history, theology, or spirituality.
Anglican Theological Review

From the Publisher