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«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.
About the author
The Author: L. Arik Greenberg received his Ph.D. in religious studies from Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California. He specializes in New Testament and the religions of the Greco-Roman world with a particular focus on the diversity of belief within early Christianity. An aspiring polymath, Dr. Greenberg has also studied a number of world religions and his academic work bears the footprint of his interfaith background and reflects his desire to foster a model for modern religious tolerance. He currently serves on the faculty of Loyola Marymount University.
Report
«L. Arik Greenberg connects early Jewish and Christian martyrdoms closely with Graeco-Roman noble death traditions and offers a fresh analysis of the nexus of martyrdom and personal immortality.» (Jan Willem van Henten, University of Amsterdam)
«L. Arik Greenberg has probed all the sources of Early Judaism and Early Christianity, as well as the necessary classical and hellenistic sources to offer a comprehensive view of ancient attitudes toward the noble death and martyrdom. It will serve students well for decades to come as a resource to understand ancient attitudes about martyrdom.» (James A. Sanders, Professor Emeritus, Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate University, California)
