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Journal of Early Christian Studies 10.4 (2002) 540-541



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AntonĂ­a Tripolitis Religions of the Hellenistic-Roman Age Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2002 Pp. x + 165. $16.

This compelling volume by Professor Tripolitis of Rutgers University offers a survey of major religions that thrived among the countries of the Mediterranean basin during the first and second centuries C.E. Included within five divisions are succinct and informative discussions on (1) the Hellenistic-Roman World, including a general historical survey and reviews of several contemporary philosophies and cults, (2) Mithraism, (3) Hellenistic Judaism, including sections on Philo and the rise of the synagogue, (4) Christianity, and (5) Gnosticism, both as a concept and as exemplified by specific schools of teaching. General presentations of each religious perspective are provided, often with summaries of information about related historical figures and texts. The table of contents includes a brief paragraph within each section about the materials to be addressed. In this way the reader is quickly oriented toward the basic concerns of the volume. The discussion is suitably general for students who wish to learn about the religious and philosophical movements of the period, yet is sufficiently academic as to be informative for scholars who desire to refresh themselves in areas in which they have not been engaged of late.

The broad bibliographies that appear for each chapter at the conclusion of the work suggest that the approach of the volume is both balanced and fair. This typically is true though the reader will also find that Tripolitis sometimes relies heavily upon a particular source or study. This is perhaps to be expected since certain scholars often dominate a school of thought in particular fields of research. At the same time, less informed students might not recognize the extent to which this tendency shapes the presentation. I do not suggest that our author has chosen poor sources. Indeed, they are typically solid. The reader will also find that the review of Origen is drawn from the author's previous work in Origen: A Critical Reading (Peter Lang, 1985).

Perhaps one of the more frustrating elements of this otherwise fine work ultimately stems from its nature as a general survey. Observations that reflect common assumptions sometimes beg further explanation or at least the sensitivity of nuance. I note, by way of illustration, that Tripolitis readily accepts the view of Robin Scroggs (published in 1975) that Christianity was a movement of "the disinherited, the poor, and the uneducated" (4, 91). More recent studies have, of course, challenged this traditional assumption. To state that Origen was the "forerunner of monasticism" (115) perhaps demands some further explanation. So, too, does the observation that "Jewish Christianity was diminished and marginalized" after the year 70 C.E. (94), a claim which gives little credit to the influence of Palestinian Christianity upon later ecumenical councils and the work of theologians like Jerome. To say that "Marcion was a formidable foe of Christianity" (132) begs the case that we should equate Christianity with developing orthodoxy, as does the comment that there was no "gnostic church" (121). Within the same context, to argue that we cannot know the roots of [End Page 540] Gnosticism while stating that Christian Gnosticism seems to have come from everywhere (120-21) is confusing without explanation. Finally, the comment that "Christianity arose after the resurrection of Jesus. . ." (91) reveals a distinctly Christian bias.

Such generalized observations notwithstanding, the overall presentation of the volume is clear and lucid. The format is easily followed, and the reader should have no difficulty in returning to those sections that hold some special interest. There are few textual problems. Typographical errors seem to be restricted to only a few early pages (see, e.g., the statement that "they assembles them and performs the embalming rites" [26-27], a clear editing problem). There seems to be some confusion between the uses of the word "protectress" and "protectoress" (a word unknown to my dictionary) among these same pages (27-33). Elsewhere, one discovers an inconsistent usage of inclusive gender language, a variance...

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