Early Christianity, Method, and the Body

The academic study of the ancient world remains a field full of exciting realms of consideration. This remains especially true for historians of the early Jesus Movement and Christian Church, where numerous fields of study are in need of critical exploration, including conceptions of the human body and sexuality within early Christianity. As a meansContinue reading “Early Christianity, Method, and the Body”

Book Review: The Corinthian Body (Martin)

First Century Corinth was arguably one of the most important locales for Paul of Tarsus as he propagated his message about Jesus of Nazareth in the first century, as literary evidence suggests that he wrote at least three letters to this Roman city and stayed there for some time when he wrote his letter toContinue reading “Book Review: The Corinthian Body (Martin)”

Head Coverings in Corinth: Conclusions

This is the final post in our series on Head Coverings in Corinth. In this series we have examined interpretations of First Corinthians 11.2-16 by three notable New Testament scholars, Richard B. Hays, Richard A. Horsley, and Dale B. Martin. To briefly summarize their respective interpretations and understandings of Paul’s views of the human body,Continue reading “Head Coverings in Corinth: Conclusions”

Head Coverings in Corinth: Comparing Interpretations

This post is part of our ongoing series on Head Coverings in Corinth. Having examined the respective perspectives of Hays, Horsley, and Martin, we now place their understandings of Pauline conceptions of the body in conversation with each other. First, we note the importance of the reconstructed socio-historical context for each of the scholar’s respectiveContinue reading “Head Coverings in Corinth: Comparing Interpretations”

The Polluted Body: Dale B. Martin

This post is part of our ongoing series on Head Coverings in Corinth. Our third perspective on Head Coverings in Corinth comes from Dale B. Martin in his work The Corinthian Body, which examines the constructions of body and sexuality within Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth. Here we will examine the contextualContinue reading “The Polluted Body: Dale B. Martin”

The Ordered Body: Richard A. Horsley

This post is part of our ongoing series on Head Coverings in Corinth. Today we turn to Richard A. Horsley’s perspective as found in I Corinthians (Abingdon New Testament Commentaries). Upon examining Horsley’s contextual concerns, his interpretation of First Corinthians 11.2-16, and the conceptions of the human body within that passage, we will note thatContinue reading “The Ordered Body: Richard A. Horsley”

The Socially Gendered Body: Richard B. Hays

This post is part of our ongoing series on Head Coverings in Corinth. We begin with Richard B. Hays’ perspective found in First Corinthians: An Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. As we examine the context, his interpretation of First Corinthians 11.2-16, and the conceptions of body that come from this passage, weContinue reading “The Socially Gendered Body: Richard B. Hays”

Head Coverings in Corinth

The next two weeks Pursuing Veritas is running a series on contemporary scholar’s perspectives on Head Coverings in Corinth. This series is based on a paper written for a graduate seminar at Wake Forest University that focused on topics surrounding the human body and sexuality in Early Christianity. The topic of head coverings is oftenContinue reading “Head Coverings in Corinth”