«My Share of God’s Reward»
Exploring the Roles and Formulations of the Afterlife in Early Christian Martyrdom
©2009
Monographs
XIV,
236 Pages
Series:
Studies in Biblical Literature, Volume 121
Summary
«My Share of God’s Reward» refers to a quote from Ignatius of Antioch, speaking of the desired compensation for his impending martyrdom. The author investigates the roles and widely varying conceptions of the afterlife presented in early Christian martyrdom accounts and concludes that personal immortality is integral to the functioning of these texts, as the anticipated reward for a martyr’s death. Accordingly, the very diverse conceptions of the afterlife presented in them are indicative of the frequently ignored theological diversity and experimental spirit prevalent in both early Christianity and late Second Temple Judaism. The discussion also incorporates a unique definition of martyrdom that recognizes the genealogical and developmental connections between Christian martyrdom and its antecedents.
Details
- Pages
- XIV, 236
- Publication Year
- 2009
- ISBN (PDF)
- 9781453904114
- ISBN (Hardcover)
- 9781433104879
- DOI
- 10.3726/978-1-4539-0411-4
- Language
- English
- Publication date
- 2009 (April)
- Keywords
- Late Second Temple Judaism Martyrium Ewiges Leben Frühchristentum Literatur Religion Theology New Testament Christian Origins Afterlife Noble Death Martyrdom Personal Immortality
- Published
- New York, Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt am Main, Oxford, Wien, 2009. XIV, 236 pp.
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