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  • From: RSBrenchley AT aol.com
  • To: corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Insidious Pragmatism (Michael Conley)
  • Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2001 18:04:52 EDT


To Michael Conley:

I've read your paper on the Episkopoi with interest; there's a formatting
problem with the other which I believe to be due to my using Word 97; I've
come across it before, and it will take a bit of work to make it readable.

I've previously regarded the early 'orthodox' episcopoi as a power-hungry
bunch who were out to turn the church into an alternative version of imperial
society in which they ruled OK; much of what you write goes to confirm that.
I think more is needed on the reasons why the church grew and eventually took
over; I'm sure that the martyrs provided needed publicity, but there must
surely have been something else as well to make it endure. Perhaps the new
organisation was better suited to the needs of late Roman urban society than
the Roman colonial system? The eventual takeover may well have been as much a
case of opportunistic bishops taking advantage of the chance of increased
power as of Constantine using them for his political purposes, but you need a
lot more detail here. How far was there a conscious plot to take power, and
how far was the pre-Constantine clash a matter of two alternative versions of
society, each insecure, threatened by the other, reacting to the situation
they found themselves in? Was Origenes Adamantius setting out a serious
ecclesiastical agenda, or was he a fanatic going over the top? I think you've
got the foundations of an extremely interesting book here, if you've got the
time to write it.

Regards,

Robert Brenchley

RSBrenchley AT aol.com



  • Re: Insidious Pragmatism (Michael Conley), RSBrenchley, 08/08/2001

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