The Gospel and the Church: The Words of Jesus in the Process of Ecclesiastical Institutionalization in Rome (First to Fifth Centuries)

Description

Christian churches all refer to the figure of the Jewish Jesus of Nazareth, considered Christ and the Son of God. The Christian Bible includes four Gospels that contain many teachings of Jesus. One might expect Jesus' words to be important for the churches and their leaders. But, has this been the case historically? The author seeks to address the question, particularly focusing on the early centuries and using the Church of Rome as a case study. Christianity places at its center faith in Jesus of Nazareth, recognized as the Christ, sent by God and the Son of God. Early writings preserve the memory of his actions and teachings, some of which became part of the New Testament canon and are therefore normative for Christians. But which of Jesus' words were remembered by the early Church as a public institution? For what purpose? And in what contexts? This study seeks to address these questions. The analysis focuses on the Church of Rome, which played a crucial role among various Christian groups from the first century onward and continued to do so over the centuries, particularly in Western Christianity. The timeframe considered extends up to the pontificate of Boniface I (418–422), a convenient, though provisional, endpoint. However, the study also ventures into the subsequent period to examine the first preserved homiletic corpus of the Church of Rome, that of Pope Leo the Great (440–461). This approach enables a comparison with earlier sources, illustrating any differences between the homiletic mode of expression concerning the memory of Jesus and what is conveyed in official letters. In this way, the study offers both specialists and a broader audience of interested readers a fresh perspective on the history of Christianity and its churches.