Early Christian Historiography: Narratives of Retribution

by G. W. Trompf

Overview

This book describes the developing application of retributive principles in historical narratives before Christ. It assesses degrees of concern in the first history-writers of the world's most widespread monotheistic tradition to discern divine justice in human affairs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781845531881
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	11/01/2005
Edition description:	New
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

G.W. Trompf is Professor of the History of Ideas, University of Sydney. He was formerly Professor of History at the University of Papua New Guinea. He is founding editor of the monograph series Studies in World Religions; Gnostica; and Sydney Studies in Religion; and he is Chairman of the Association of The Journal of Religious History. His other books include The Idea of Historical Recurrence in Western Thought and Melanesian Religion.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Bases and beginnings 1. Backdrop: Retributive principles in traditional societies and ancient historiography 2. The first Christian historian: Luke and his two books Part 2: Centrepiece: The Eusebian achievement 3. Towards historical triumphalism: Eusebius, Lactantius and their predecessors 4. The man in the middle: Rufinus of Aquileia between East and West Part 3: The Byzantine East 5. Church history as nonconformism: Retributive and eschatological elements in Athanasius and Philostorgius 6. The golden chain of Byzantinism: The Tripartite ecclesiastical histories of Socrates, Sozomen and Theodoret Part 4: The Latin West 7. History as theodicy: Augustine's De civitate Dei 8. Consolations of history under the declining Western empire: Sulpicius and Orosius 9. Aftermath

Editorial Reviews

Delving into the interpretive tool-kit of the earliest Christian historians, Trompf (history of ideas, University of Sydney) identifies and explores the logic of retribution that pervades their records of the past. He shows how modes of interpreting the outcomes of events were inherited from the biblical and Greco-Roman historiographical traditions which affirm the presence of a moral order in human affairs. He analyzes the related development of Christian and pagan history-writing, and explores the conflict between the retributive logic of the early Christian historians and the emergence of forgiveness and redemption as central features of the Christian faith. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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