Paul, Founder of Churches: A Study in Light of the Evidence for the Role of "Founder-Figures" in the Hellinistic-Roman Period

The apostle Paul's understanding of his role and responsibilities in transferring the cult of Jesus Christ to new lands to found new groups devoted to this immigrant son of God is not unique. His modus operandi cannot be adequately explained in terms of Jewish precedents. Rather, Paul's pattern is a creative appropriation of the enduring Greek model of the founder, the key figure in Greek imaginings of the formation of social space, whether colony or cult. Cult foundation inscriptions as well as literary descriptions show that such foundations were laid according to persistent elements of a pattern originating in Greek foundation narratives focused on the oracular selection of the founder-figure and his obedience to a divine impetus for cult innovation. With the help of modern culture studies, especially postcolonial critique, Paul's letters show that he not only appropriated this traditional Greek model and applied it to the foundation of his churches, but creatively adapted it for purposes of group self-definition and his own sensibilities. While Paul uses few technical foundation terms, his reliance on divine visionary endorsement of his transfer of the Christ cult to new places, the way the apostle exercises authority over the communities he has founded, his attempt to integrate his Greek communities into the sacred history of Israel, and the strategies used against him by his opponents reveal his use of the Greek foundational model. Paul shares the discourse and action of contemporary cult founders who, like him, were obeying their deity's call for transferal to a new location. Cover Prologue Table of Contents Abbreviations Chapter 1: Introduction 1. On the Meaning of the Term “Founder” 2. The Problem of Comparing Paul with Hellenistic Founder-Figures 2.1. The Nature of the Traditional Consensus about Paul’s Apostolic Role 2.2. Rudolf Sohm and the Roots of the Traditional Consensus Chapter 2: The Founder as Paradigm 1. The Beginnings of the Greek Understanding of the Founder 1.1. The Founder-figure in the Hellenistic-Roman Period 1.2. The Cultic Aspects of the Paradigm of the Founder-Figure 1.3. The Cult Founder 2. The Language of Foundation 2.1. The Founder as the Personal Selection of the Deity 2.2. The Founder’s Role in Establishing the Cult 2.3. The Founder and Tradition 3. The Narrative Form of the Greek Foundation-Legend 3.1. The Composition of the Legend of Battos, Founder of Cyrene 3.2. A Comparison with Non-Greek Foundation-Legends: Roman 3.3. A Comparison with Jewish Sources 3.4. The Greek Foundation-Legend and the Question of History 4. Summation Chapter 3: The Role of the Founder According to Selected Texts: the Transferrals of the Cult of Sarapis to Delos and Opous 1. The Transfer of Native Cult and the Sequence from Private to “Public” Cult: the Case of the Delian Cult of Sarapis 1.1. The Text and Translation 1.2. The Form of the Text 1.3. The Structure of the Text 1.4. Commentary on the Text: The Cult and Tradition 1.4.1. The Cult of Sarapis and the Story of its Beginnings 1.4.2. The Complex Character of Sarapis 1.4.3. The Establishment of the Cult and the Theme of Validation 1.4.4. On the Original Transfer of the Cult to Delos 1.4.5. The Personal Selection of the Founder by the Deity 1.5. The Theme of Opposition to New Cults 1.5.1. The Bakchai and the Social Articulation of Difference 1.5.2. Local Opposition and the Victory of the Immigrant God 2. The Foundation-Legend of the Transfer of the Cult of Sarapis from Thessalonika to Opous 2.1. The Text and Translation 2.2. The Form and Occasion of the Text 2.3. Commentary on the Text 2.3.1. The Theme of the God’s Initiative in Cult Foundation 2.3.2. The Theme of the Continuity of Tradition 2.3.3. The Importance of the Divine Selection of the Founder 3. Summation Chapter 4: The Role of the Founder-Figure as Cult Authority and Organizer 1. The Reformation of the House-Cult of Dionysios of Philadelphia 1.1. The Text and Translation 1.2. The Structure of the Text 1.3. Commentary on the Text 1.3.1. The Divine Selection of the Founder 1.3.2. The Circle of the Gods 1.3.3. Dionysios and the Influence of Hellenistic Philosophical Religion 1.4. The Founder’s Role in Organizing the Cult 1.5. Summation 2. The Attic Cult of Mēn Founded by Xanthos the Lykian Slave 2.1. The Text and Translation 2.2. The Structure of the Text 2.3. Commentary on the Text 2.4. Summation Chapter 5: The Mysteries of Andania and the Enduring Legacy of the Founder 1. The Occasion of the Cult Bylaws of the Andanian Mysteries 1.1. The History of the Cult 1.2. The Text, Translation, and Structural Arrangement of the Bylaws 1.2.1. The Oath of the Sacred Men and Sacred Women 1.2.2. The Sacred Tradition of the Cult 1.2.3. The Regulations for Apparel and the Procession 1.2.4. Accommodations During the Mysteries 1.2.5. Disorderly Persons and Disciplinary Officers 1.2.6. Managing the Cult’s Money 1.2.7. Procurement and Preparation of Sacrificial Animals 1.2.8. Various Regulations 1.2.9. The Sacred Meal 1.2.10. The Management of the Facilities of the Mysteries 1.2.11. Administrative Matters 1.3. The Language of the Inscription 1.4. The Genre of the Text 2. Commentary on the Text 2.1. The Importance of Maintaining Tradition 2.2. Innovation within Tradition 2.3. The Relationship Between the Reformation of the Cult and the State 2.4. Mnasistratos as Founder-Figure 2.5. Summation Chapter 6: Paul, Founder of Churches: A Comparison with Hellenistic-Roman Cult Practices 1. Paul as a Founder-Figure in Paul’s Own Letters 1.1. Paul and the Personal Call of the Deity 1.1.1. Paul’s Use of His Founder’s Status in Managing His Churches 1.1.2. The Significance of Paul’s Boasting about His Foundations 1.2. Paul as a Transferer of Cult 1.2.1. Paul and the Establishment of His Foundation’s Place in the History of Tradition 1.2.2. Paul and the Ordering of the Internal Life of His Communities 1.2.3. The Importance of Written Instructions as an Exercise of the Founder’s Authority 2. Paul’s Legacy as a Founder of Churches in Post-Pauline Sources 2.1. The Image of Paul in the Deutero-Pauline Material 2.2. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles, the Pastoral Epistles, and the Early Church Fathers 3. Returning to the Problem of Comparing Paul with Hellenistic Founder-Figures Chapter 7: Epilogue Bibliography Ancient Authors Index Modern Authors Index Subject Index