Ignatius of Antioch and the Parting of the Ways: Early Jewish-Christian Relations

How did the early Christian movement, which began among Jewish people and in close association with the Jewish temple and synagogues of the first century, develop into a predominantly Gentile movement by the end of the first century? Was this "parting of the ways" spurred by internal tensions within the Christian church, socio-political factors in the Roman city of Antioch, or growing hostility from the larger Jewish community? In Ignatius of Antioch and the Parting of the Ways, Thomas A. Robinson addresses this intriguing historical question by taking a careful look at the writings of one of the few Christian writers who wrote about this parting firsthand--Ignatius, the Bishop of Antioch, who was martyred in the early years of the second century. Through a careful examination of the historical and sociological setting of first-century Antioch, Robinson sifts the testimony of this church father on issues such as the nature of Christian conversion at Antioch, the sources of Jewish-Christian tensions in that city and in the broader Roman world, and the development of the terms "Christian" and "Christianity." Assessing a number of current theories about the nature of the Jewish-Christian parting, Robinson stresses the importance of hearing the voice of Ignatius himself on these questions. This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in the early days of Christianity and in Jewish-Christian relations.

Author: Thomas a. Robinson
Publisher: Baker Academic & Brazos Press
Published: 04/05/2012
Pages: 285
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9780801047572

About the Author
Thomas A. Robinson (PhD, McMaster University) is professor of religious studies at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. He specializes in the relationship between Christianity and Judaism and the development of Christianity's distinctive identity in the Roman Empire. His books include Early Christian Reader, World Religions, and Mastering New Testament Greek.

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