The beginnings of Hierarchisation in Primitive Christianity in Clement’s First Letter to the Corinthians (1st century AD)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/rt.v8i1.67925

Keywords:

Early Christianity, christian communities, I Clement, hierarchisation.

Abstract

The present article aims to discuss the beginnings of hierarchisation in early Christianity through the specific case of the Corinthian community, as presented in Clement’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Written in Rome, Clement's Letter to the Corinthians is dated by most scholars to the mid-90s, CE. Therein, the author tries, besides giving advice, to maintain unity among the members of the ekklesia. He also points out that there is an insurgence inside the community. The purpose of the text is to maintain fraternal union among Corinthian disciples, because according to Clement, the instituted religious authorities had been deposed by younger members. As a result, we will see that submission to hierarchy was something that Clement wanted the members of the community to reproduce. His understanding of ekklesia from the standpoint of submission, obedience and humility thus contrasts with the situation experienced by the Corinthian community at the time, which, according to the author himself, was divided by personal interests.

Author Biographies

Amanda Cristina Martins do Nascimento, State University of Londrina

She has a degree in History from the State University of Londrina (2011), specialization in Religion and Religiosity from the same institution (2013) and a master's degree in Social History from also from UEL (2019). Fr. Carlos Weiss was a fellow at the Historical Museum of Londrina, through the extension project "The Museum Goes to School: memory and heritage education"; in which he developed activities in the areas of heritage, regional history, memory and education. He worked as a teacher in the areas of History and Religious Education at the State Secretariat of Education of Paraná - SEED, through the Simplified Selection Process (PSS) system, participated in the Municipal Youth Council of Londrina as representative of APP - Union. (Source: http://lattes.cnpq.br/3842182802536617. Accessed on 01/22/2021)

Monica Selvatici, State University of Londrina

Graduated in History from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (1998), Master in Social History from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (2002), doctoral internship in Religious Studies - Yale University (2003-2004) and doctorate in History from the State University of Campinas (2006). She is currently an Associate Professor of Ancient and Medieval History and advisor to the Master's Program in Social History at the State University of Londrina. She was Adjunct Professor in the same areas of study at the Federal University of Pelotas. She is a researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies at the State University of Campinas and a member of the research group on the Historical Jesus at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. She has experience in the area of History, with an emphasis on Ancient and Medieval History, working mainly on the following themes: Judaism and Christianity within the Roman Empire and the performance of Judaizing Christians in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD (Source: http: //lattes.cnpq .br / 5967812292633221. Accessed on 2/23/2021)

References

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Published

2019-08-30

How to Cite

Nascimento, A. C. M. do, & Selvatici, M. (2019). The beginnings of Hierarchisation in Primitive Christianity in Clement’s First Letter to the Corinthians (1st century AD). Revista Relegens Thréskeia, 8(1), 132–152. https://doi.org/10.5380/rt.v8i1.67925

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Section

Artigos