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Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years 2024
Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years is a 2024 publication by Paula Fredriksen that explores the early history of Christianity from its origins in Second Temple Judaism to its rise as the leading faith in the Roman Mediterranean region.
The work is divided into seven thematic sections, each addressing the entire first five centuries of the Common Era. It investigates various subjects such as how the idea of Israel evolved, the birth and suppression of theological differences, Christian beliefs about the end times, suffering and martyrdom, the connection between religious doctrine and imperial authority, attitudes toward the physical body in ascetic practices, and how Christianity formed its own identity in contrast to what was seen as pagan culture. A key focus is Fredriksen’s view that terms like 'Jewish,' 'Christian,' and 'pagan' should not be seen as unchanging identities but rather as flexible rhetorical tools. The book also introduces the idea of a 'second Church' made up of common religious practices, including amulets, festive gatherings, and rituals involving the deceased, which coexisted with the formal church structure led by clergy and doctrine.
Fredriksen argues that Christianity’s later dominance did not come from any natural religious advantage but instead resulted from the combination of Roman civic religion's emphasis on shared worship and Jewish apocalyptic beliefs in one universal deity.
The book received positive reviews for being approachable and useful for teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels. It has been noted as a revision of Henry Chadwick’s The Early Church, which Fredriksen regarded as outdated.
Details
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press
- ISBN
- 9780691157696
- Pages
- 288
