Descriptions of Christian Distinctiveness in Early Apostle Narratives

• Applicant: Julia Snyder, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Roman Catholic Theology
• Term: from 2015 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 285653310

The project examines how early 'Christians' depicted 'Christian' distinctiveness, based on a detailed literary analysis of the Acts of the Apostles, Acts of John, Acts of Paul, Acts of Peter, and Acts of Andrew. In each text, the unique set of traits and practices represented as distinguishing 'Christians' from others will be explored, and the relative degree of emphasis on intellectual commitments ('beliefs') and tangible practices will be assessed. While the primarily focus is on appreciating the narrative-rhetorical act of depicting social distinctiveness in literary texts, analysis will also facilitate reflection on the theological-historical question of whether most early 'Christians' considered correct 'beliefs' to be more important than correct practices, a common assumption about early 'Christianity.' A comparison between texts will highlight similarities and differences in how early writers chose to portray 'Christian' distinctiveness, while indirectly informing questions of early 'Christian' diversity. Overall, the project will further understanding of several under-researched texts and contribute to current scholarly debates about 'early Christian identity.'

• DFG Programme: Research Grants