Early Christianity in Alexandria - From Its Beginnings to the Late Second Century

"Alexandria was the epicenter of Hellenic learning in the ancient Mediterranean world, yet little is known about how Christianity emerged in the city. M. David Litwa employs the Nag Hammadi codices and early Christian writings to demonstrate how the earliest followers of Jesus navigated Jewish traditions and developed distinctive identities"--

List of contents

Acknowledgments; Note on the text; Abbreviations; Introduction: rethinking earliest Christianity in Alexandria; Part I. Beginnings: 1. Foreshadowings: Philo of Alexandria; 2. The Jesus movement enters Alexandria; 3. Apollos: the earliest known Alexandrian follower of Jesus; 4. Factors motivating gentile recruitment; 5. Crafting a Christian identity: Barnabas and the two Peters; Part II. Early Christian Teachers and Movements in Alexandria: 6. The earliest Alexandrian theologians: Basilides, Carpocrates, and Prodicus; 7. Eugnostus and the wisdom of Jesus Christ; 8. Julius Cassianus and Alexandrian ascetic culture; 9. Valentinian and Marcionite currents; 10. The Naassene preacher; Conclusion: The 'great church' and the many schools of Alexandria; Bibliography; Index.

About the author

M. David Litwa cowrites and coedits the journal New Testament Abstracts at Boston College. He is the author of many books, including The Evil Creator (2021) and Found Christianities (2022).

Product details

• Authors: M David Litwa, M. David Litwa, M. David (Boston College Litwa, Litwa M. David
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.12.2023
• EAN: 9781009449557
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0944955-7
• No. of pages: 350
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Christianity; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works; Alexandria, Sociology, Egypt, Philosophy, Theology, Christianity, Christian theology, History of Religion, BCE to c 500 CE, RELIGION / Biblical Studies / New Testament / General, c 1 to c 500 CE