Read Anywhere and on Any Device!

Special Offer | $0.00

Join Today And Start a 30-Day Free Trial and Get Exclusive Member Benefits to Access Millions Books for Free!

Create Free Account

Quick and Easy Sign Up!

It takes less then 1 minute to sign up, then you can enjoy Unlimited eBooks.

Sign Up Browse

Read Anywhere and on Any Device!

  • Download on iOS
  • Download on Android
  • Download on iOS

Perfect Martyr: The Stoning of Stephen and the Construction of Christian Identity

Shelly Matthews
4.9/5 (16789 ratings)
Read Now Download Now ⏭ listen AudioBook
Description:Recent studies have examined martyrdom as a means of constructing Christian identity, but until now none has focused on Stephen, the first Christian martyr. For the author of Luke-Acts, the stoning of Stephen-- even more than the death of Jesus-- underscores the perfidy of non-believing Jews, the extravagant mercy of Christians, and the inevitable rift that will develop between these two social groups. Stephen's dying prayer that his persecutors be forgiven-the prayer for which he is hailed in Christian tradition as the "perfect martyr" plays a crucial role in drawing an unprecedented distinction between Jewish and early Christian identities.Shelly Matthews deftly situates Stephen's story within the emerging discourse of early Christian martyrdom. Though Stephen is widely acknowledged to be an actual historical figure, Matthews points to his name, his manner of death, and to other signs that his martyrdom was ideally suited to the rhetorical purposes of Acts and its author, Luke: to uphold Roman views of security and respectability, to show non-believing Jews to disadvantage, and to convey that Christianity was an exceptionally merciful religion. By drawing parallels between Acts and stories of the martyrdom of James, the brother of Jesus, Matthews challenges the coherent canonical narrative of Acts and questions common assumptions about the historicity of Stephen's martyrdom. She also offers a radical new reading of Stephen's last prayer, showing the complex and sometimes violent effects of its modern interpretations.Perfect Martyr illuminates the Stephen story as never before, offering a deeply nuanced picture of violence, solidarity, and resistance among Jews and early Christians, a key to understanding the early development of a non-Jewish Christian identity, and an innovative reframing of one of the most significant stories in the Bible.We have made it easy for you to find a PDF Ebooks without any digging. And by having access to our ebooks online or by storing it on your computer, you have convenient answers with Perfect Martyr: The Stoning of Stephen and the Construction of Christian Identity. To get started finding Perfect Martyr: The Stoning of Stephen and the Construction of Christian Identity, you are right to find our website which has a comprehensive collection of manuals listed.
Our library is the biggest of these that have literally hundreds of thousands of different products represented.
Pages
—
Format
PDF, EPUB & Kindle Edition
Publisher
—
Release
—
ISBN
0199889422

Perfect Martyr: The Stoning of Stephen and the Construction of Christian Identity

Shelly Matthews
4.4/5 (1290744 ratings)
Read Now Download now ⏭ listen AudioBook
Description: Recent studies have examined martyrdom as a means of constructing Christian identity, but until now none has focused on Stephen, the first Christian martyr. For the author of Luke-Acts, the stoning of Stephen-- even more than the death of Jesus-- underscores the perfidy of non-believing Jews, the extravagant mercy of Christians, and the inevitable rift that will develop between these two social groups. Stephen's dying prayer that his persecutors be forgiven-the prayer for which he is hailed in Christian tradition as the "perfect martyr" plays a crucial role in drawing an unprecedented distinction between Jewish and early Christian identities.Shelly Matthews deftly situates Stephen's story within the emerging discourse of early Christian martyrdom. Though Stephen is widely acknowledged to be an actual historical figure, Matthews points to his name, his manner of death, and to other signs that his martyrdom was ideally suited to the rhetorical purposes of Acts and its author, Luke: to uphold Roman views of security and respectability, to show non-believing Jews to disadvantage, and to convey that Christianity was an exceptionally merciful religion. By drawing parallels between Acts and stories of the martyrdom of James, the brother of Jesus, Matthews challenges the coherent canonical narrative of Acts and questions common assumptions about the historicity of Stephen's martyrdom. She also offers a radical new reading of Stephen's last prayer, showing the complex and sometimes violent effects of its modern interpretations.Perfect Martyr illuminates the Stephen story as never before, offering a deeply nuanced picture of violence, solidarity, and resistance among Jews and early Christians, a key to understanding the early development of a non-Jewish Christian identity, and an innovative reframing of one of the most significant stories in the Bible.We have made it easy for you to find a PDF Ebooks without any digging. And by having access to our ebooks online or by storing it on your computer, you have convenient answers with Perfect Martyr: The Stoning of Stephen and the Construction of Christian Identity. To get started finding Perfect Martyr: The Stoning of Stephen and the Construction of Christian Identity, you are right to find our website which has a comprehensive collection of manuals listed.
Our library is the biggest of these that have literally hundreds of thousands of different products represented.
Pages
—
Format
PDF, EPUB & Kindle Edition
Publisher
—
Release
—
ISBN
0199889422

More Books

Perfect Martyr: The Stoning of Stephen and the Construction of Christian Identity by Shelly Matthews (2012-05-29)

Perfect Martyr: The Stoning of Stephen and the Construction of Christian Identity by Shelly Matthews (2012-05-29)

4.4/5 (1,282,506 ratings)

First Converts: Rich Pagan Women and the Rhetoric of Mission in Early Judaism and Christianity

First Converts: Rich Pagan Women and the Rhetoric of Mission in Early Judaism and Christianity

4.2/5 (4,466 ratings)

Violence In The New Testament

Violence In The New Testament

4.1/5 (1,751 ratings)

The Acts of the Apostles: Taming the Tongues of Fire

The Acts of the Apostles: Taming the Tongues of Fire

4.5/5 (743 ratings)

First Converts: Rich Pagan Women and the Rhetoric of Mission in Early Judaism and Christianity by Shelly Matthews (2002-10-01)

First Converts: Rich Pagan Women and the Rhetoric of Mission in Early Judaism and Christianity by Shelly Matthews (2002-10-01)

4/5 (647 ratings)

Perfect Martyr: The Stoning of Stephen and the Construction of Christian Identity [Paperback] [2012] Reprint Ed. Shelly Matthews

Perfect Martyr: The Stoning of Stephen and the Construction of Christian Identity [Paperback] [2012] Reprint Ed. Shelly Matthews

4/5 (647 ratings)

The Love Archives: Bonus Scenes & Excerpts for Palestine

The Love Archives: Bonus Scenes & Excerpts for Palestine

4.7/5 (647 ratings)

Walk in the Ways of Wisdom: Essay in Honor of Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza

Walk in the Ways of Wisdom: Essay in Honor of Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza

4.6/5 (647 ratings)

4.9/5 (647 ratings)
loader