Christ-Bearers and Fellow-Initiates: Local Cultural Life and Christian Identity in Ignatius' Letters

In writing to Christian congregations in the cities of Roman Asia, Ignatius draws on imagery from Greco-Roman cultural life to speak about the identity of the Christians. Scholars have given some attention to the cultural images which Ignatius evokes, but often in a cursory way and rarely, if ever, with reference to local religious life. Concentrating on Ignatius' characterization of Christian groups as "Christ-bearers" and "fellow-initiates" (Eph. 9.2; 12.2), the paper explores neglected archeological and epigraphical evidence from Asia Minor (and Syria) regarding processions, mysteries, and associations. This sheds important light on what Ignatius may have had in mind and, perhaps more importantly, what the listeners or readers of Ignatius' letters in these cities would think of when he spoke of their identity in this way.