Paul and empire : religion and power in Roman imperial society

Over the centuries, Paul has been understood as the prototypical convert from Judaism to Christianity. At the time of Paul s conversion, however, Christianity did not yet exist. Moreover, Paul says nothing to indicate that he was abandoning Judaism or Israel. He, in fact, understood his mission as the fulfillment of the promises to Israel and of Israel s own destiny. In brief, Paul s gospel and mission were set over against the Roman Empire, not Judaism. This anthology brings together incisive and groundbreaking essays 1) "The Gospel of Imperial Salvation," revealing how the imperial cult, by its dominance in urban public space, created a pervasive presence of imperial beneficence and salvation integrated into traditional Greek religion; (2) "Patronage and Power," disclosing the networks of patronage relations that held the empire together, so as to render occupying troops and imperial bureaucracy unnecessary in urbanized areas such as Corinth and Ephesus, key centers of Paul's mission, (3) "Paul's Articulation of an Alternative Gospel," discerning how Paul borrows much of the key language of the imperial religion in preaching his own gospel of a Lord who had been crucified by imperial rulers but vindicated by God as the true universal Lord, (4) "The Assemblies of an Alternative International Society," exploring ways in which the assemblies Paul founded in Asia Minor and Greece were to embody patterns alternative to the hierarchical human relations that dominated Roman imperial society. Richard A. Horsley is Professor of Classics and Religion at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He is author of History, Politics, People and Archaeology, History, and Society in Social Context of Jesus and the Rabbis, both published by Trinity Press International. Title Page......Page 5 Contents......Page 7 Acknowledgments......Page 9 Abbreviations......Page 11 General Introduction......Page 15 PART I: THE GOSPEL OF IMPERIAL SALVATION......Page 23 Introduction......Page 24 1. Laus Imperii / P. A. Brunt......Page 39 2. Who Is the True Prophet? / Dieter Georgi......Page 50 3. Rituals and Power / S.R.E. Price......Page 61 4. The Power of Images / Paul Zanker......Page 86 PART II: PATRONAGE, PRIESTHOODS, AND POWER......Page 101 Introduction......Page 102 5. Patronal Power Relations / Peter Garnsey & Richard Saller......Page 110 6. Patronage in Roman Corinth / John K. Chow......Page 118 7. The Veil of Power / Richard Gordon......Page 140 PART III: PAUL'S COUNTER-IMPERIAL GOSPEL......Page 153 Introduction......Page 154 8. God Turned Upside Down / Dieter Georgi......Page 162 9. Imperial Ideology and Paul's Eschatology in 1 Thessalonians / Helmut Koester......Page 172 10. The Anti-Imperial Message of the Cross / Neil Elliott......Page 181 11. Romans 13:1-7 in the Context of Imperial Propaganda / Neil Elliott......Page 198 PART IV: BUILDING AN ALTERNATIVE SOCIETY......Page 219 Introduction......Page 220 12. The Imperial Cults of Thessalonica and Political Conflict in 1 Thessalonians / Karl P. Donfried......Page 229 13. The Praxis of Coequal Discipleship / Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza......Page 238 14. 1 Corinthians: A Case Study of Paul's Assembly as an Alternative Society / Richard A. Horsely......Page 256 Index......Page 267 This Anthology Brings Together Incisive And Groundbreaking Essays That Support How Paul's Gospel And Mission Were Set Over Against The Roman Empire Rather Than Judaism.--book Jacket. Who Is The True Prophet? / Dieter Georgi -- God Turned Upside Down / Dieter Georgi -- Imperial Ideology And Paul's Eschatology In 1 Thessalonians / Helmut Koester -- The Praxis Of Coequal Discipleship / Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza. Edited By Richard A. Horsley. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.