The Church of Smyrna: History and Theology of a Primitive Christian Community (Patrologia – Beiträge zum Studium der Kirchenväter)

Description

This book deals with the theology of the Church of Smyrna from its foundation up to the Council of Nicaea in 325. The author provides a critical historical evaluation of the documentary sources and certain aspects particularly deserving of discussion. He makes a meticulous study of the history of the city, its gods and institutions, the set-up of the Jewish and Christian communities and the response of the latter to the imperial cult. Finally, he undertakes a detailed analysis both of the reception of the Hebrew Scriptures and the apostolic traditions, as well as examining the gradual historical process of the shaping of orthodoxy and the identity of the community in the light of the organisation of its ecclesial ministries, its sacramental life and the cult of its martyrs. Cover Preface Acknowledgments General Index Abbreviations Introduction Part One Presentation of the Sources Introduction Chapter I: Analysis of the direct sources 1. Epistula ad ecclesiam Smyrnaeam (Rv 2, 8–11) 2. Ignatius Antiochenus, Epistula ad Smyrnaeos 3. Ignatius Antiochenus, Epistula ad Polycarpum 4. Polycarpus Smyrnensis, Epistula ad Philippenses 5. Ecclesia Smyrnensis, Epistula de martyrio s. Polycarpi 6. Irenaeus Lugdunensis, Ad Florinum de monarchia 7. Irenaeus Lugdunensis, Epistula ad Victorem papam Romanum de festo paschali 8. Polycrates Ephesinus, Epistula ad Victorem papam Romanum 9. Hippolytus, Adversus Noetum 10. Fragments on Polycarp 11. Martyrium Pionii 12. Vita Polycarpi 13. Index Patrum Nicaenorum Chapter II: Brief study of the indirect sources 1. Ignatius Antiochenus, Epistulae genuinae ad Ephesinos, ad Magnesios, ad Trallianos, ad Romanos 2. Acta Ioannis 3. Acta Pauli 4. Irenaeus Lugdunensis, Adversus Haereses 3, 3, 4 5. Tertullianus, De praescriptione haereticorum 32, 2 6. Eusebius Caesariensis, Historia Ecclesiastica 7. Hieronymus presbyter, De Viris Illustribus 17 8. Aelius Aristides, Sacrorum Sermonum: Ἱεϱῶν λόγων 9. Aelius Aristides, Oratio de concordia ad civitates Asiaticas: IIεϱὶ ὁμονοίας ταῖς πόλεσιν 10. Aelius Aristides, In smyrnam oratio: Σμυρναϊκὸς πολιτικὸς 11. Aelius Aristides, Monodia de Smyrna: Ἐπὶ Σμύρνῃ μονῳδία 12. Aelius Aristides, Oratio de Smyrna ad Reges Romanorum: Ἐπιστολὴ περὶ Σμύρνης πρὸς τοὺς βασιλέας 13. Aelius Aristides, Palinodia de Smyrna instaurata: Παλινῳδία ἐπὶ Σμύρνῃ καὶ τῷ ταύτης ἀνοικισμῷ 14. Aelius Aristides, Gratulatio Smyrnaea (ad Commodum): Σμυρναϊκὸς προσϕωνητικός 15. Constitutiones apostolorum 7, 46, 8 16. Pseudo-Dionysius, Epistula ad Polycarpum 17. Gregorius episcopus Turonensis, Historiarum libri decem 18. Chronicon Paschale 19. Metrophanes, Panegyricum Polycarpi Smyrnensis Chapter III: Historical and literary appraisal of certain sources and particular problems 1. The teaching of the presbyter 2. The ancestors of the Valentinians 3. Epistula ad Diognetum 4. Epistulae ad Timotheum I et II, Epistula ad Titum 5. Corpus Polycarpianum a. The beginning of a hypothesis b. Criticism during the twentieth century c. The thesis of A. Stewart-Sykes d. Conclusion Conclusion Part Two Historical and Social Situation of the Community of Smyrna Introduction Chapter IV: Pagan Smyrna, city of Asia Minor 1. Geographical location 2. Legendary origin of the city 3. Smyrna in the pre-Hellenic age 4. Hellenic Smyrna 5. Hellenistic Smyrna 6. Roman Smyrna 7. Life and institutions in the city of Smyrna 8. Divinities in Asia and in particular in Smyrna 9. Conclusion Chapter V: Jews and Christians in Smyrna 1. Characteristics of Judaism of the diaspora 2. Judaism in Asia Minor 3. The Christian faith face to face with Judaism in the New Testament 4. The Christians of Asia faced with Judaism 5. Judaism in the letters of Ignatius of Antioch 6. The role of the Jews in the Martyrdom of Polycarp 7. Jewish proselytism and the Christian response in the Martyrdom of Pionius 8. Jews and Christians before the civil authority in the Life of Polycarp 9. Conclusion Chapter VI: The community of Christians in Smyrna 1. The foundation of the community 2. Development of the community and configuration of its first leaders 3. The author of the Revelation and the “angel” of the Church of Smyrna 4. The bishop Polycarp 5. The successsors of Polycarp 6. Missionary Smyrna in the middle of the second century 7. Crisis in the Church of Smyrna at the end of the second century 8. Leaders of the community in the third century 9. Smyrna towards the Council of Nicaea of 325 10. Conclusion Chapter VII: The Christians of Smyrna in the face of the imperial cult 1. The Revelation and the persecution of Domitian 2. The persecutions under Trajan and Hadrian 3. The persecutions under Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius and Commodus 4. The persecutions under Septimius Severus and Maximinus 5. The persecution of Decius 6. The persecutions under Valerian, Diocletian and Maximinus Daia 7. Conclusion Conclusion Part Three Theological and Ecclesial Aspects of the Community of Smyrna Introduction Chapter VIII: The Old Testament in the Church of Smyrna 1. The Old Testament in the early Christian community 2. The Old Testament in the letters of Ignatius 3. The Old Testament in Polycarp’s letter To the Philippians 4. The Old Testament in the Martyrdom of Polycarp 5. Conclusion Chapter IX: The Pauline tradition in the Church of Smyrna 1. Formation of the Pauline tradition in Asia 2. The Pauline tradition in the letters of Ignatius 3. The Pauline tradition in Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians 4. The Pauline tradition in the Martyrdom of Polycarp 5. The silences of the Pauline tradition in Asia 6. Conclusion Chapter X: The Synoptic Gospels in the Church of Smyrna 1. The Synoptic Gospels in Asia 2. The Synoptic Gospels in the letters of Ignatius 3. The Synoptic Gospels in Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians 4. The Synoptic Gospels in the Martyrdom of Polycarp 5. Conclusion Chapter XI: The Johannine tradition in the Church of Smyrna 1. Formation of the Johannine tradition in Asia 2. Letter to the Church of Smyrna, Rv 2, 8–11 3. The Johannine tradition in the letters of Ignatius 4. The Johannine tradition in Polycarp’s letter to the Philippians 5. The Johannine tradition in the Martyrdom of Polycarp 6. Conclusion Chapter XII: The deposit of faith in the Church of Smyrna 1. Confessions of faith in the New Testament 2. The lex orandi in the Church of Smyrna of the second century 3. The profession of faith of the presbyters of Smyrna 4. The lex credendi in the Church of Smyrna 5. Conclusion Chapter XIII: Sacramental and spiritual life of the Church of Smryna 1. The conception of Church and the ministries in the community 2. Baptism and penance in the community 3. Easter, Eucharist and cult of the martyrs in the community 4. Conclusion Conclusion General Conclusions Bibliography Editions and translations from the ancient sources. Studies Index of References Old Testament New Testament Christian Writers Other ancient literature Other Terms and Names