Corpus-Paul

[Craig de Vos <csdevos AT trinity.unimelb.edu.au>]

Title: [corpus-paul] Re: size of Pauline congregations

At 9:35 AM +1000 on 14/8/02, John Dickson wrote:

> At
> Jeffrey Gibson's request, here are de Vos' estimates for the three
> Pauline congregations he studies:
> Thessalonica: against  J. L. Hill's estimate (75
> persons), de Vos proposes just 20-25 persons meeting in an insula
> workshop.
> Corinth: de Vos rejects the usual estimates of about 50 and
> proposes about 100 persons meeting in several house
> churches.
> Philippi: rejecting Portefaix's and Oakes' approx. 100
> persons, de Vos estimates just 30 persons meeting in a small house or
> insula workshop.
> The
> arguments leading to these estimates are worth considering even
> if, at times, one wonders if the whole discussion requires a great
> deal of speculation.
> Kind
> regards,
> John
> Dickson
> Department of Ancient History
> Macquarie University
> Sydney, Australia
>

Thanks, John for drawing the list's attention to my work.

Of course, any attempt to estimate sizes must involve speculative reconstruction -- whether it be Murphy-O'Connor's estimate based on his assumption that the church simply met in a villa dining-room (and hence could not exceed 50, and would more likely be 30-40 -- St.Paul's Corinth, p156) or my estimate based on a different configuration.

I had been meaning to respond myself later this morning. In regards to Corinth, I would like to correct your summary of my work slightly. I argue that there were several smaller groups meeting on a regular (maybe weekly) basis in homes (giving rise to the different factions behind the Corinthian problems). But that the community as a whole met together less frequently -- perhaps monthly -- following the 'common' pattern of collegia. I also suggested that they may have met in this larger group in a purpose-built clubroom again, as did some collegia and Diaspora synagogues (Church and Community Conflicts, pp203-205).

Craig

-- 

Rev. Dr. Craig S. de Vos                              
Bromby Lecturer in New Testament         
Trinity College Theological School              
Royal Parade                            
Parkville VIC 3052                              
Australia                                       

(O) +61 3 9348-7129  (F) +61 3 9348-7460  
csdevos AT trinity.unimelb.edu.au

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