Overview

One of the major puzzles of Western civilization is how early 2nd century Christianity was transformed into a non-Jewish, Gentile religion, when Christianity began as one of many Jewish factions in the diverse Judaism of the period. Zetterholm uses theoretical insights from the social sciences to deal with the complex issues raised by the parting of Judaism and Christianity, and the accompanying rise of Christian anti-Semitism in ancient Antioch. While previous attempts to solve this problem have focused mainly on ideology, his study emphasizes the interplay between sociological and ideological elements.

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9780415298964

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This book provides another excellent contribution to what is becoming one of the most significant questions in the study of early Christianity....It is a detailed and valuable study and will go a long way to increase our overall understanding of early Christianity. <br>- Reviews in Religion and Theology <br> Between its high sophistication, its relentless attention to social realities, and the seemingly apologetic-free challenge it presents to traditional readings of Christian origins, this book deserves a wide hearing among historians of early Christianity. <br>- Journal of Biblical Literature <br> Zetterholm offers a stimulating study which is most convincing. His careful methodology on the sociology of social movements, on the use of ideology in conflict and the combination of this with historical reconstruction linking Pauline and Christianity and Matthew's Gospel with a later community dispute makes this study of such significance that future research will be unable to avoid interaction with his findings. <br>- Journal of Beliefs and Values <br> There is nonetheless much to be learned from this volume...this book deserves a wide hearing among historians of early Christianity. I highly recommend it. <br>-Matt Jackson, Niagra University, Journal of Biblical Literature, 12/2004 <br>

<p>'Between its high sophistication, its relentless attention to social realities, and the seemingly apologetic-free challenge it presents to traditional readings of Christian origins, this book deserves a wide hearing among historians of early Christianity.' - Journal of Biblical Literature<p>'Zetterholm offers a stimulating study which is most convincing. His careful methodology on the sociology of social movements, on the use of ideology in conflict and the combination of this with historical reconstruction linking Pauline and Christianity and Matthew's Gospel with a later community dispute makes this study of such significance that future research will be unable to avoid interaction with his findings.' - Journal of Beliefs and Values

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Magnus Zetterholm

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