The Transformation of Early Christianity from an Eschatological to a Socialized Movement: A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Arts and Literature in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of PhilosophyEdwards, Lyford P. (Lyford Paterson)
Religion
The Transformation of Early Christianity from an Eschatological to a Socialized Movement: A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Arts and Literature in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Edwards, Lyford P. (Lyford Paterson)
Christian sociology -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600; Eschatology -- History of doctrines; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
Christianity in Roman Africa reflects this threefold division of the
population, as is to be expected. Cyprian, in spite of the sincere
religious faith and high moral character which elevates him so high
above the social class to which he belonged, is still the most typical
hierarch of his age. In his writings we find the whole philosophy of the
governing class translated into ecclesiastical language. It is highly
significant that in all the numerous and voluminous writings of this
Father there is not a line about Chiliasm. Ideas of such a nature found
little reception in the minds of men daily engaged in the practical
duties of making as much as possible out of the management and control
of a vast population economically and politically subordinated to them.
It would seem that Chiliasm was in fact very largely confined to the
Punic commonality. Tertullian is the great representative of this class.
The very considerable success of his views can only be ascribed to their
being acceptable to the general body of his local, Christian
contemporaries. It is at least imaginable this success was due to the
fact that the personal characteristics of this great African; his
impetuosity, his boldness, his sternness, his pride, his vengeful spirit
were truly representative of the psychology of the people whose
spokesman he was. It is notable that he was perhaps the greatest of the
Chiliasts.
The reader who has followed the argument thus far may be saying to
himself at this point: "If it be granted that the national characters of
the peoples of Phrygia, Egypt, North Africa or elsewhere, conditioned
their acceptance of Chiliastic beliefs and the ways in which these
beliefs found expression, what has that to do with the subject of this
chapter which is Chiliasm and Patriotism?" It is to that point we shall
now direct our attention, but what has been said above is necessary to
the proper consideration of the matter. We have endeavored to show that
in Phrygia, Egypt, and North Africa there existed nationalistic
psychologies in the commonality. It will be recalled that we have shown
in an earlier chapter the curious fact that Chiliasm, though originally
a perfectly orthodox doctrine--indeed one of the most important portions
of the true faith, nevertheless in the course of its historical
development, became mixed up with heresies to a degree beyond any
rational explanation by the law of chance or the rule of average. It
would seem almost as though there was some natural affinity between this
particular orthodox doctrine and almost any heresy; which finally
resulted in its being itself condemned as heretical.
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