Discipleship Ideals in the Acts of Philip

• How we categorize early Christian literature has an immense impact on what we expect to find in these ancient writings, and how we are prepared to interpret them. Grouped with apocryphal gospels and apocalypses, the Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles have been viewed primarily as heretical writings, representing alternative Christianities that were effectually silenced by the processes of canonization. While they certainly contain evidence of such silenced theologies, the Acts themselves are more likely to be complementary writings, aiming to edify, educate and entertain early Christian readers without intention to replace or correct any canonical material. This chapter offers another angle on two early Christian stories, Acts of Philip 1 and Acts of Philip 8–Martyrdom of Philip. Regarded as parts of the reception history of the Synoptic Gospels, these stories will be found to interact with theological ideas expressed in the Gospels without necessarily setting out to either defend or correct them. More specifically, I study how ideals for early Christian discipleship – traits expected from an ideal Christian disciple – are transformed from the earlier Gospels to the later narratives about the apostle Philip. 

Subject headings

HUMANIORA  -- Filosofi, etik och religion -- Religionsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Philosophy, Ethics and Religion -- Religious Studies (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Bibelvetenskap, Nt

Biblical Studies, New testament

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kap (subject category)