Seek the Welfare of the City: Christians as Benefactors and Citizens / Edition 1

by Bruce W. Winter

Overview

In this book, Bruce W. Winter maps out the role and obligations of Christians as benefactors and citizens in their society. Winter's scholarly insight is enhanced through the selective use of important ancient literary and nonliterary sources. Contrary to the popular perception that early Christians withdrew from society and sought to maintain a low profile, this outstanding study explores the complexities of the positive commitments made by Christians in Gentile regions of the Roman empire.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802840912
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	01/23/2003
Series:	First-Century Christians in the Graeco-Roman World Series
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.58(d)

Editorial Reviews

"A thorough, professional, stimulating compendium of the social history of the "apostolic" period of the church."

Stimulus (New Zealand)

The sheet wealth of information and its synthesis places this firmly as a valuable work of (fascinating) social history and minimises the risk of imposing an arbitrary sociological model on the early church.

Reformed Theological Review

A stimulating study, raising interesting issues.

Journal of Theological Studies

"Careful and well-documented discussion of public life in the first century.... This is a useful book, since the author has absorbed a good deal of literature on euergetism in the Greco-Roman world and has used it to illuminate the Christian conception of altruism in the civic sphere."

Journal of Religion

This notable work represents a great deal of research into the manner Christians behaved in their civil relationships and public life.... An excellent work, well deserving a place in the church library.

Librarian's World

This important book breaks new ground and repeatedly drives the reader back to the NT text.

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

"Winter's knowledge of the classical world and his expertise in handling Graeco-Roman literature, papyri and inscriptions are highly impressive.... A significant contribution to the ongoing discussion of the place of first-century Christians in their social environment.... A helpful corrective to the view that early Christian communities maintained a low profile and withdrew from wider social involvement. There is a great deal to be learnt from this book. I warmly recommend it not merely to those interested in the social world of the NT, but to anyone concerned with NT social ethics in general."

Themelios

A very interesting study of the public life of early Christians.

Catholic Biblical Quarterly

This excellent work studies pertinent texts from Paul's writings and 1 Peter in the light of Greco-Roman traditions about good citizenship.

The Bible Today

Winter has provided a notable service to historians of earliest Christianity by collecting a wide variety of Greco-Roman evidence relating to civic activity.... The straightforward manner in which Winter makes his case should stimulate fruitful debate on this important topic.

Journal of Biblical Literature

A major sociological-theological study of early Christian activism.

Choice