The Church of Smyrna: History and Theology of a Primitive Christian Community (Patrologia – Beiträge zum Studium der Kirchenväter) 9783631662359, 9783653052602, 3631662351
This book deals with the theology of the Church of Smyrna from its foundation up to the Council of Nicaea in 325. The au
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English Pages 402 [420]
Table of contents :
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
