Lacey Baldwin Smith’s 1997 Fools, Martyrs, Traitors: The Story of Martyrdom in the Western World (CUSA) is a maddening book. On the one hand, it is peppered with insights into the dynamics and history of martyrdom. Like: “martyrdom for all of its religious and teleological overtones is at heart a public and political spectacle. It is the most dramatic symbol of defiance and condemnation that a man or woman can achieve” (p. 10). And: “The twentieth century is profoundly skeptical... Read more
WHC Frend ( Martyrdom and Persecution in the Early Church (Stories of Faith & Fame) , 18-19) explains some of the remarkable resemblances between the account of the martyrs of Lyons (177) and the accounts of Maccabean martyrs: “The most obvious point of contact between the two is the identification of the heroic mother of the Maccabean youths and the slave Blandina. She also is ‘a noble mother’ who ‘encouraged her children’ and ‘sent them forth triumphant to their living.’... Read more
Celsus, the opponent of Origen, believed in martyrdom: “If you happen to be a worshipper of God and someone commands you either to act blasphemously or to say some other disgraceful thing, you ought not to put any trust in him at all. Rather than this you must remain firm in the face of all tortures and endure death rather than say or even think anything profane about God.” Read more
Philo waxes Virgillian in his celebration of Augustus’ victory at Actium (31 B.C.): “European and Asian nations from the ends of the earth had risen up and were engaged in grim warfare, fighting with armies and fleets on every land and sea, so that almost the whole human race would have been destroyed in internecine conflicts and disappeared completely, had it not been for one man, one Princeps , Augustus, who deserves the title of ‘Averter of Evil.’” Read more
Reflecting on the Haustafeln in Ephesians 4-5, John Paul observes ( Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology Of The Body , 474-5) that Paul’s instructions overlap with customary family advice in the Greco-Roman world. More important than detailed differences is the fact that Paul places marriage and family within the sphere of Christ’s redemptive work: Paul “began his letter with a magnificent vision of the eternal plan of God for humanity [and] does not limit himself to highlighting... Read more
It is difficult to overestimate the impact that Peter Leithart had on my formation as a student and a fledgling scholar. When I first arrived in Dr. Leithart’s classroom, I was largely unprepared to approach theological and biblical texts with the sort of patience and precision that they deserved. Throughout my time with Dr. Leithart, I gradually – and all too imperfectly – learned how to direct my attention to narrative and poetic forms, to inter-textual allusions, to the warp... Read more
A student, Leta Sundet, gave a presentation today about gratitude in Isak Dinesen’s story, Babette’s Feast . One of the things that hit home was the fact that the disaffected members of the little religious community are reconciled when by a bodily act – by beginning to use their taste buds and by the physical act of eating together. I was also moved, all over again, by General Lowenheilm’s wonderful (if not entirely correct) toast: “Man, my friends . .... Read more
Uncritical advocates of gift societies should ponder Stefan Joubert’s summary of the benefactions of Augustus ( Paul As Benefactor: Reciprocity Strategy and Theological Reflection in Paul’s Collection (Wissunt Zum Neuen Testament, 2) , p. 26): “After inheriting the military Heeresclientel from his (step)father, Julius Caesar, he moved swiftly to enlarge his clientele in order to include, not only the army (as military clientele), but also all inhabitants of the Empire (as political clientele). In this regard Augustus’ acceptance of the... Read more
It has been common, especially among some varieties of Protestantism, to take Paul’s statements about circumcision as pieces of a theology of ritual. Paul’s statement about inward and heart circumcision in Romans 2 is transferred to rites of entry in general, especially to baptism: ” Baptism is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.” It’s fairly obvious, though, that this cannot be done without qualification. Paul says, “neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision,” and... Read more
INTRODUCTION Yahweh declares that He is the only God, Israel’s only Rock (Isaiah 44:8; cf. Exodus 17; Deuteronomy 32). He proves Himself by exposing the folly of idolatry. THE TEXT “Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen. Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: ‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen . . . .’” (Isaiah 44:6-28). (more…) Read more
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