Reconceptualising Conversion

Combining classical, epigraphical, and biblical sources with social-scientific methodology, this monograph questions the way in which modern scholarship has tended to discuss ancient conversion. The author challenges long-held assumptions of psychological continuity between ancient and modern people, and offers in place of these assumptions a model founded on the categories the ancients used themselves. Graeco-Roman and Mediterranean religions and philosophies, including Hellenistic Judaism and Christianity, framed their religion in the language of patronage / benefaction and loyalty, and thus an understanding of ancient conversion must start there.

Acknowledgements

vii

Abbreviations and Editions

xiii

Introduction

1

(12)

Chapter One: The Influence of Psychology on Contemporary Society and Scholarship

13

(40)

1.0 Introduction

13

(2)

1.1 The Early Influence of Psychology

15

(7)

1.1.1 The Influence of Psychology on New Testament Studies

17

(5)

1.2 Psychology and the Study of Conversion

22

(9)

1.2.1 Movements Away from Psychological Approaches to Conversion

28

(3)

1.3 A Critique of the Cross-Cultural Psychological Model

31

(18)

1.3.1 The Self as Culturally Constructed

34

(5)

1.3.2 Emotion and Culture

39

(8)

1.3.3 New Testament Social Scientific Criticism

47

(2)

1.4 Conclusion

49

(4)

Chapter Two: General Reciprocity Among Humans and their Gods

53

(38)

2.0 Introduction

53

(1)

2.1 A Taxonomy of Reciprocal Exchange

54

(5)

2.1.1 Marshall Sahlins

54

(2)

2.1.2 Stegemann and Stegemann

56

(3)

2.2 Defining our Terms: Patronage vs. Benefaction

59

(8)

2.2.1 Stephan Joubert

60

(7)

2.3 Human Patronage and Benefaction

67

(9)

2.3.1 Social Patronage

67

(7)

2.3.2 Literary Patronage

74

(2)

2.4 Divine Patronage and Benefaction

76

(3)

2.5 Divine Patronage and Benefaction in Hellenistic Judaism

79

(9)

2.5.1 Septuagint

80

(2)

2.5.2 Flavius Josephus

82

(3)

2.5.3 Philo of Alexandria

85

(3)

2.6 Conclusion

88

(3)

Chapter Three: The Rhetoric of Patronage and Benefaction

91

(60)

3.0 Introduction

91

(2)

3.1 The Call of the Patron/Benefactor

93

(7)

3.1.1 Human Patronage and Benefaction

93

(4)

3.1.2 Divine Patronage and Benefaction

97

(3)

3.2 Persuasion and Philosophical Conversion

100

(8)

3.2.1 Philosophy and Religion

101

(3)

3.2.2 Philosophy and Persuasive Rhetoric

104

(3)

3.2.3 The Call of the Philosopher-Patron

107

(1)

3.3 Prayer, Praise, and Proselytism

108

(9)

3.3.1 Prayer and Praise

108

(4)

3.3.2 Patronal Proselytism

112

(5)

3.4 Patronal Synkrisis

117

(15)

3.4.1 Human Patronage and Benefaction

119

(3)

3.4.2 Divine Patronage and Benefaction

122

(2)

3.4.3 Philosophical Patronage and Benefaction

124

(4)

3.4.4 Patronal Synkrisis in the Septuagint, Philo, and Titus

128

(4)

3.5 The Χαριç of the Patron/Benefactor

132

(16)

3.5.1 Meanings of χαριç

132

(4)

3.5.2 Moffatt, Manson, and Conzelmann on χαριç

136

(3)

3.5.3 Χαριç and Patronage and Benefaction

139

(9)

3.6 Conclusion

148

(3)

Chapter Four: The Rhetoric of Patronage and Benefaction in Paul's Conversion Passages

151

(48)

4.0 Introduction

151

(4)

4.1 First Corinthians 9:1, 16-17; 15:8-10

155

(15)

4.1.1 Patronage and Apostleship

164

(6)

4.2 Galatians 1:11-17

170

(9)

4.3 Philippians 3:4b-11

179

(7)

4.4 Paul and the Patronage of Philosophy

186

(6)

4.5 Conclusion

192

(7)

Chapter Five: Patronage and Benefaction, Loyalty, and Conversion

199

(52)

5.0 Introduction

199

(2)

5.1 The Nature of Loyalty

201

(14)

5.2 Loyalty and Patronage and Benefaction

215

(28)

5.2.1 Imperial Loyalty

217

(9)

5.2.2 Manumission Loyalty

226

(8)

5.2.3 Philosophical Loyalty

234

(9)

5.3 Loyalty, Conversion, and Paul

243

(7)

5.4 Conclusion

250

(1)

Conclusion

251

(6)

Bibliography

257

(30)

Index of Primary Sources

287

(16)

Index of Names and Subjects

303

(4)

Index of Modern Authors

307

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Reconceptualising Conversion

Summary

Table of Contents

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