Coming out Christian in the Roman world : how the followers of Jesus made a place in Caesar's empire

Title:

Author:

Boin, Douglas.

ISBN:

9781620403174

Personal Author:

Boin, Douglas.

Publication Information:

New York : Bloomsbury Press, 2015.

Physical Description:

206 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Contents:

A Bewitching Sibyl -- The Quieter Ones -- The New Neighbors Who Moved In Next Door -- A Space Space-for Being Jewish -- What Goes On Behind Closed Doors -- At the Threshold of the Palace -- "Soldiers" in God's Heavenly Army -- The Moment of the Eruption.

Abstract:

Presents a history of the late Roman empire and the early church, discussing how Christianity only gradually became an important religion after the political, economic, and cultural crises that overtook Rome in the fourth and fifth centuries.

Language:

English

Subject Term:

Christianity and culture -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600.

Identification (Religion).

Christians -- Rome.

RELIGION / Christianity / History.

Geographic Term:

Rome -- Civilization -- Christian influences.

Electronic Access:

Cover image http://www.netread.com/jcusers2/bk1388/174/9781620403174/image/lgcover.9781620403174.jpg

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Summary

The supposed collapse of Roman civilization is still lamented more than 1,500 years later--and intertwined with this idea is the notion that a fledgling religion, Christianity, went from a persecuted fringe movement to an irresistible force that toppled the empire. The "intolerant zeal" of Christians, wrote Edward Gibbon, swept Rome's old gods away, and with them the structures that sustained Roman society.

Not so, argues Douglas Boin. Such tales are simply untrue to history, and ignore the most important fact of all: life in Rome never came to a dramatic stop. Instead, as Boin shows, a small minority movement rose to transform society--politically, religiously, and culturally--but it was a gradual process, one that happened in fits and starts over centuries. Drawing upon a decade of recent studies in history and archaeology, and on his own research, Boin opens up a wholly new window onto a period we thought we knew. His work is the first to describe how Christians navigated the complex world of social identity in terms of "passing" and "coming out." Many Christians lived in a dynamic middle ground. Their quiet success, as much as the clamor of martyrdom, was a powerful agent for change. With this insightful approach to the story of Christians in the Roman world, Douglas Boin rewrites, and rediscovers, the fascinating early history of a world faith.

Reviews (1)

Choice Review

Historians of early Christian history often concentrate on persecutions and martyrdom, but Boin (Saint Louis Univ.) tries to give voice to the great bulk of early Christians who quietly maintained their religious commitment while taking part in the life of the Roman Empire. Playing on the modern meaning of "coming out," he describes such Christians as closeted individuals who preserved a private identity alongside a conventional public lifestyle. Some Christian leaders denounced such behavior fiercely and without letup; once the Christian religion became legal, this struggle intensified and finally exploded into violence, as Christian emperors set out to obliterate all remnants of traditional Roman "paganism." This is a refreshing argument with much to support it. However, the book's colloquial style undermines the seriousness of its purpose and the depth of the author's learning. In addition, Boin's own clear sympathy with the quiet Christians and his strong dislike of the more exclusionary tendencies that finally won the day lead one to wonder whether he has written a polemic not against certain historical views but against a still-powerful stream of Christian thought. The book therefore requires skilled teachers who can help students listen to the argument critically and with care. Libraries that serve such an environment should obtain this volume. Summing Up: Recommended. Most levels/libraries. --Robert Goldenberg, emeritus, SUNY at Stony Brook