Ethical Issues in Early Christianity

Catalog description

Investigation of two major transitions in the early Christian movement and their impact on the formulation of Christian ethics: Christianity's transition from a sect within Judaism to a Greco-Roman religious movement whose constituency came largely from the 'pagan' world, and its transition from a sect in danger of persecution to a religion favored and supported by Roman imperial authorities. How these transitions are reflected in early Christian attitudes toward, and practices concerning, poverty and wealth, war and military service, marriage and sexuality, capital punishment, slavery, and other issues.