Christianity in the Greco-Roman World: A Narrative Introduction (review)

Introductions to early Christianity typically adhere to one format: obligatory attention to Christianity’s Jewish milieu and perhaps its Greco-Roman context followed by a strong focus on New Testament documents. Breaking this mould is difficult, especially if one wants to discuss as many texts as possible while still providing enough relevant contextual data. Moyer V. Hubbard’s Christianity in the Greco-Roman World: A Narrative Introduction does not purport to introduce all varieties of early Christianity, but when it comes to those evinced in Paul’s letters and Acts of the Apostles, at least, his introduction is a welcome departure from this standard format. His method elaborates first on broad conceptual domains in the Greco-Roman world, such as society or philosophy, and then situates the Pauline communities within them, thus ensuring that the final product is “a book where background becomes foreground” (1).

The first conceptual domain that Hubbard examines is that of religion and superstition. He surveys a number of important cultural phenomena that one might label “religious,” including cults, omens, magic, divination, and oracles. The Pauline communities both reflected and confronted a number of these phenomena. For instance, the Corinthian Christians struggled with how to disentangle themselves from idol worship, for they were apparently unaccustomed to the demands of exclusivity that Christianity required. Moreover, in Acts, Hubbard finds numerous instances of what he deems “magical,” such as demons and sorcerers. As for Paul himself, Hubbard argues that he was a “visionary,” not only in the sense of having lofty goals for his movement but also in the sense of being literally a seer of visions.

Greco-Roman education and philosophy are at the fore next. Although material on ancient philosophy could (and does) fill tomes, Hubbard successfully surveys many of the most prominent varieties of contemporary philosophy—their common themes as well as their points of disagreement. Interestingly, this section also contains brief remarks about conversions to philosophy, Judaism, and mystery religions. Hubbard finds these experiences of conversion revealing, because only in these social forms can he find useful parallels for understanding the “reorientation of beliefs and behavior” (92) that would be entailed in conversion to Christianity.

Hubbard then turns to the domain of city and society, for “it was here that Christianity took root, grew, and became clearly distinguished from Judaism” (118). The topics in this section include major structures of the urban landscape (e.g., temples, synagogues, and baths), methods of travel, social stratification, and patronage/benefaction relationships. These are crucial matters for comprehending the issues faced by urban Christians in antiquity, and indeed Hubbard shows how Paul’s letters dealt with concerns such as participation in Greco-Roman cultic activities and socio-economic inequality.

The book ends by focusing on the household/family, in other words, one of the central loci of burgeoning Christianity in the Greco-Roman world. His presentation of the dynamics of ancient households, including relationships of gendered power and sexual ethics, illuminates how norms and values from the wider society translated to even the most seemingly “private” sphere.

The most innovative and interesting aspect of this book is its collection of four fictional narratives, one of which is located at the beginning of each chapter. They set the stage for the material to come by following four characters drawn from the urban landscape of Corinth. While the individual stories are self-contained essays, the characters are not wholly disconnected from one another. Through these narratives, the reader is able to experience a walk through bustling downtown Corinth, take part in the household meeting of Corinthian Christians, and navigate the complexities of patron/client relationships. This is surely one of the book’s most novel features.

If one is looking for a book that systematically works through Paul’s letters, Christianity in the Greco-Roman World is not it. As Hubbard claimed, the background of the Pauline communities indeed becomes the foreground. The book is...