Homer was the gateway to education, to the skills of reading and writing. These skills were necessary for the nascent Church. Knowledge of Homer's writings was a sign of Greekness, of at-home-ness in the society. Education was embedded in the mythology, immorality and idolatry of these writings. This challenged the Christians. This study presents how Christians responded to this. The opinions varied from rejection of Homer and all pagan literature, considering them works of the Devil, to critical involvement with this literature. This study attempts to trace the discourse on Homer and education among the Christians back to the New Testament. The topic does not come to the surface, but it is argued that in Paul's letters contrasting attitudes towards the propaideutic logic and the philosophical principle of usus (making right use of) are present. He opposed a logic wherein Christian faith represented the peak of education, the culmination of liberal studies. In his instruction on how to relate to the pagan world, Paul argues in accordance with the principle of usus. The New Testament is not so dependent upon the Homeric poems, as assumed by some scholars. The first Christians faced two hermeneutical challenges of fundamental importnce: that of interpreting the Old Testament and how to cope with the Greek legacy embedded in Homer. The latter is not explicitly raised in the New Testament. But since the art of interpreting any text, presupposes reading skills, conveyed through liberal studies, the Homeric challenge must have been of outmost importance.
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Homer was the gateway to education, to the skills of reading and writing. These skills were necessary for the nascent Church. Knowledge of Homer's writings was a sign of Greekness, of at-homeness in the society. This title offers a presentation of education in the ancient world, and the role of Homer's poetic works in this culture.
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Part One: School, Homer and Encyclical Education in Antiquity; 1. Introduction and Method; 2. School in the Greco-Roman World; 3. The Pivotal Role of Homer; 4. Knowledge and Formation: The Insuffiency of Encyclical Education; 5. Philo of Alexandria: A Hellenistic Jew on Greek Education; Part Two: The Christian Agon over Encyclical Studies in the first Centuries C.E.; 7. Justin Martyr, his student Tatian and Two Ps.Justins; 8. The Apostolic Tradition: Prohibited Occupations; 9. The Teaching of the Apostles (Didaskalia Apostolorum) and Syriac tradition: "Avoid all the Books of the Gentiles"; 10. Tertullian: Learning but not Teaching Encyclical Studies; 11. Clement and Origen: Christian Teachers in Alexandria; 12. Flavius Claudius Julianus - Emperor and Apostate: Christian Teachers are Immoral; 13. The Cappadocian Fathers; 14. Jerome: An Ascetic Addicted to Greek Learning; 15. Augustine: Liberal Studies - A Window on the Relationship between Greek Culture and Christian Faith; 16. Summing up part two; Part Three: Looking Back to the New Testament; 17. The New Testament and Encyclical Studies; 18. Drawing the Findings Together; Bibliography and indices.
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A fascinating study...very stimulating treatment of Christian attitudes to education which reveals the cultural impact of the new religion on the wider ancient society.
Offers a presentation of education in the ancient world, and the role of Homer's poetic works in this culture.
Explains why this ancient paideia was a problem to many Christians, and presents how they tried to cope with this challenge in various ways.
Formerly the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement, a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches. The Early Christianity in Context series, a part of JSNTS, examines the birth and development of early Christianity up to the end of the third century CE. The series places Christianity in its social, cultural, political and economic context. The European Seminar on Christian Origins and Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus Supplement are also part of JSNTS.
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780567426642
Publisert
2009-03-12
Utgiver
Vendor
T.& T.Clark Ltd
Høyde
234 mm
Bredde
156 mm
Aldersnivå
U, 05
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
336

Forfatter

Biographical note

Karl Olav Sandnes is Professor in New Testament studies at MF Norwegian School of Theology (Det teologiske Menighetsfakultet), Oslo. The author of Paul - One of the Prophets? A New Family. Conversion and Ecclesiology in the Early Church with Cross-Cultural Comparisons and Belly and Body in the Pauline Epistles.