From its very beginning, Christianity was an innovative movement, in particular concerning its relationship to »outsiders.« It faced the challenge of maintaining its identity and social or theological boundaries. The authors of this volume reflect on the dynamic relationship between mission and ethos in the New Testament and Early Christianity, focusing particularly on the sensitivity to outsiders, and thereby offering new insights into old questions.
From its very beginning, Christianity was an innovative movement which had to construct and maintain its identity, morality, and social as well as theological boundary markers as it developed from a religion of conversion into a religion of tradition. Early Christianity's sensitivity to »outsiders« evolved in various ways as circumstances and socio-cultural contexts changed. In this volume scholars from around the world reflect on the dynamic relationship between mission and ethos in the New Testament and Early Christianity, focusing particularly on the sensitivity, or lack thereof, to outsiders, and thereby offering new insights into old questions. Most of the New Testament and several second century books are individually studied by specialists in the field making this book a valuable reference volume on the topic.
Contributors:
Andries G. van Aarde, Jonathan Draper, John Dunne, Ernest van Eck, Paul Foster, Erhard Gerstenberger, Christopher M. Hays, Dirk J. Human, Stephan Joubert, Jacobus (Kobus) Kok, Andreas Köstenberger, Abraham Malherbe, Johann Meylahn, David Moffitt, Candida Moss, Tobias Nicklas, Nelus Niemandt, Heike Omerzu, Bert-Jan Lietaert Peerbolte, Jeremy Punt, Volker Rabens, Dieter Roth, Christopher Rowland, Herbert Schlögel, Gert Steyn, Andrie du Toit, Chris L. De Wet, Ruben ZimmermannTable of contents:
Table of Contents: Jacobus Kok/Dieter T. Roth: Sensitivity towards Outsiders and the Dynamic Relationship between Mission and Ethics/Ethos
I. Sensitivity towards Outsiders in Philo and the Old Testament
Erhard S. Gerstenberger: Sensitivity towards Outsiders in Old Testament Theologies -
Dirk J. Human: Sensitivity towards Outsiders in Late Second Temple Judaism and its Relation to the New Testament -
Gert J. Steyn: Some Observations on Philo of Alexandria's Sensitivity to Strangers
II: Sensitivity towards Outsiders, Mission, and Ethics in the New TestamentDieter T. Roth: Missionary Ethics in Q 10:2-12 -
Ernest van Eck: Mission, Identity, and Ethics in Mark: Jesus, the Patron for the Outsiders -
Andries G. van Aarde: Righteousness: Paul and Matthew -
Heike Omerzu: Exploring the Dynamic Relationship between Mission and Ethics in Luke-Acts -
Andreas J. Köstenberger: Sensitivity to Outsiders in John's Gospel and Letters and its Implication for the Understanding of Early Christian -
Abraham J. Malherbe: Ethics in Context: The Thessalonians and Their Neighbors -
Bert-Jan Lietaert Peerbolte: Morality and Boundaries in Paul - Jeremy Punt: Mission, Ethics, and Outsiders/Insiders in Galatians -
John Anthony Dunne: Cast Out the Aggressive Agitators (Gl 4:29-30): Suffering, Identity, and the Ethics of Expulsion in Paul's Mission to the Galatians -
Ruben Zimmermann: Mission versus Ethics in 1 Corinthians 9? 'Implicit Ethics' as an Aid in Analysing New Testament Texts -
Volker Rabens: Inclusion of and Demarcation from 'Outsiders': Mission and Ethics in Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians -
Tobias Nicklas/Herbert Schlögel: Mission to the Gentiles, Construction of Christian Identity, and its Relation to Ethics according to Paul -
Andrie du Toit: Sensitivity towards the Reaction of Outsiders as Ethical Motivation in Early Christian Paraenesis -
David Moffitt: Perseverance, Purity, and Identity: Exploring Hebrews' Eschatological Worldview, Ethics, and In-Group Bias -
Stephan Joubert: Homo reciprocus No More: The 'Missional' Nature of Faith in James -
Christopher Rowland: The Apocalypse: Sensitivity and Outsiders
III. Sensitivity towards Outsiders, Mission, and Ethics in the Early ChurchChris L. De Wet: Missionality, Religious Identity, and Power in 1 Clement -
Chris L. De Wet: 'No Small Counsel about Self-Control': Enkrateia and the Virtuous Body as Missional Performance in 2 Clement -
Jonathan A. Draper: Mission, Ethics, and Identity in the Didache -
Tobias Nicklas: Epistula ad Diognetum (Diognetus): The Christian 'New Genos' and its Construction of the Others -
Paul Foster: Mission and Ethics in the Writings of Ignatius of Antioch -
Candida R. Moss: Sensitivity to Insiders and Outsiders in the Acts of the Martyrs -
Chris L. De Wet: John Chrysostom and the Mission to the Goths: Rhetorical and Ethical Perspectives
IV. Contemporary ImplicationsChristopher M. Hays: Provision for the Poor and the Mission of the Church: Ancient Appeals and Contemporary Viability -
Nelus Niemandt: Trends in Missional Ecclesiology -
Johann-AlbrechtMeylahn: Responsibility, God, and Society: The Cry of the Other in the Sacred Texts as a Challenge towards Responsible Global Citizenship
