Vigiliae Christianae · 1993 · 85 citations · 0 references
HumanitiesHistoryReligious StudiesAncient HistoryChristian StudiesHistoriographyAncient JudaismBiblical HistoryClassical AntiquityEarly Christian CommunitiesJudaismRoman EmpireApologetic WritingClassical HistoriographyEarly Christian ContextEarly Church HistoryHistoriography Of AntiquityHistoriography Of ChristianityHistoriography Of JudaismJudean History
Eusebius of Caesarea, a prolific fourth‑century historian, lived at a pivotal moment in early Christianity and documented its polemical and apologetic attitudes while attempting to explain history from its origins to his era. The book aims to contextualize Eusebius' writings and examine gaps in his narrative regarding the early Church, its ties to Judaism, and its encounters with Rome. The volume assembles essays by early‑Christianity specialists who apply contemporary scholarly methods to illuminate Eusebius' life, his narrative of the early Church, its relationship to Judaism, and its conflicts with Rome.
Eusebius of Caesarea lived at a crucial turning point in the history of the Christian Church. He was an important witness to the polemical and apologetic attitudes that characterized much early Christian literature. The most voluminous writer of the early fourth century, he was also the first comprehensive historian of his community seeking a philosophy to explain the whole course of history from the beginning to his own time. This volume places Eusebius' work in perspective. The contributors, all specialists in early Christianity, shed light on the person and circumstances of Eusebius himself. This collection of essays focuses on elements of the story that Eusebius tells - the story of the early Church, its relationship to Judaism, or its confrontation with the Roman Empire - and explores gaps left by Eusebius. The writers offer a cross-section of current scholarly methods in the study of early Christianity and Judaism.