Sunday, March 10, 2019

T&T Clark Handbook to Early Christian Meals in the Greco-Roman World (ed. Al-Suadi and Smit)

NEW BOOK FROM BLOOMSBURY/T&T CLARK:
T&T Clark Handbook to Early Christian Meals in the Greco-Roman World

Editor(s): Soham Al-Suadi, Peter-Ben Smit

Published: 21-02-2019
Format: Hardback
Edition: 1st
Extent: 416
ISBN: 9780567666406
Imprint: T&T Clark
Series: T&T Clark Handbooks
Dimensions: 234 x 156 mm
RRP: £130.00
Online price: £117.00
Save £13.00 (10%)

About T&T Clark Handbook to Early Christian Meals in the Greco-Roman World
This handbook situates early Christian meals in their broader context, with a focus on the core topics that aid understanding of Greco-Roman meal practice, and how this relates to Christian origins. In addition to looking at the broader Hellenistic context, the contributors explain the unique nature of Christian meals, and what they reveal about early Christian communities and the development of Christian identity.

Beginning with Hellenistic documents and authors before moving on to the New Testament material itself, according to genre - Gospels, Acts, Letters, Apocalyptic Literature - the handbook culminates with a section on the wider resources that describe daily life in the period, such as medical documents and inscriptions. The literary, historical, theological and philosophical aspects of these resources are also considered, including such aspects as the role of gender during meals; issues of monotheism and polytheism that arise from the structure of the meal; how sacrifice is understood in different meal practices; power dynamics during the meal and issues of inclusion and exclusion at meals.
There is also a lot of discussion of meals in ancient Jewish contexts.

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