The Ancient Martyrdom Accounts Of Peter And Paul

New English translations based upon the most up-to-date critical editions This book for the first time collects the various ancient accounts of the martydoms of Peter and Paul, which number more than a dozen, along with more than forty references to the martyrdoms from early Christian literature. At last a more complete picture of the traditions about the deaths of Peter and Paul is able to emerge. Features: Greek, Latin, and Syriac accounts from antiquity translated into English Introductions and notes for each text Original texts are produced on facing pages for specialists

The early accounts of one of the most famous scenes in Christian history, the death of Peter, do not present a single narrative of the events, for they do not agree on why Peter requested to die in the precise way that he allegedly did. Over time, historians and theologians have tended tosmooth over these rough edges, creating the impression that the ancient sources all line up in a certain direction. This impression, however, misrepresents the evidence. The reason for Peter's inverted crucifixion is not the only detail on which the sources diverge. In fact, such disagreement can beseen concerning nearly every major narrative point in the martyrdom accounts of Peter and Paul.The Many Deaths of Peter and Paul shows that the process of smoothing over differences in order to create a master narrative about the deaths of Peter and Paul has distorted the evidence. This process of distortion not only blinds us to differences in perspective among the various authors, but alsodiscourages us from digging deeper into the contexts of those authors to explore why they told the stories of the apostolic deaths differently in their contexts. David L. Eastman demonstrates that there was never a single, unopposed narrative about the deaths of Peter and Paul. Instead, stories wereproducts of social memory, told and re-told in order to serve the purposes of their authors and their communities. The history of the writing of the many deaths of Peter and Paul is one of contextualized variety.

The apostle Peter gradually became one of the most famous figures of the ancient world. His almost undisputed reputation made the disciple an exquisite anchor by which new practices within and outside the Church could be established, including innovations in fields as diverse as architecture, art, cult, epigraphy, liturgy, poetry and politics. This interdisciplinary volume inquires the way in which the figure of Peter functioned as an anchor for various people from different periods and geographical areas. The concept of Anchoring Innovation is used to investigate the history of the reception of the apostle Peter from the first century up to Charlemagne, revealing as much about Peter as about the context in which this reception took place.

This study traces the development of the story of Paul's martyrdom from the New Testament period until approximately the reign of Pope Gregory the Great. H. W. Tajra reviews the historical and juridical context of the Apostle's martyrdom and analyzes the literary traditions and legends which came to envelop the historical core of the martyrdom tale.

The Book of Martyrs by John Foxe written in the 16th century has long been the go-to source for studying the lives and martyrdom of the apostles. Whilst other scholars have written individual treatments on the more prominent apostles such as Peter, Paul, John, and James, there is little published information on the other apostles. In The Fate of the Apostles, Sean McDowell offers a comprehensive, reasoned, historical analysis of the fate of the twelve disciples of Jesus along with the apostles Paul, and James. McDowell assesses the evidence for each apostle’s martyrdom as well as determining its significance to the reliability of their testimony. The question of the fate of the apostles also gets to the heart of the reliability of the kerygma: did the apostles really believe Jesus appeared to them after his death, or did they fabricate the entire story? How reliable are the resurrection accounts? The willingness of the apostles to die for their faith is a popular argument in resurrection studies and McDowell offers insightful scholarly analysis of this argument to break new ground within the spheres of New Testament studies, Church History, and apologetics.

This handbook is a short guide for those who are interested in Roman sites that have something to do with the New Testament, and in particular with Peter and Paul. For more than ten years, Dr. Schmisek has led graduate ministry programs in the Eternal City. This book is informed by the questions, insights, and comments from students over those years. While not addressing each and every claimed New Testament artifact in the city of Rome, the handbook focuses on the more significant churches and locales that have a connection to Petrine and Pauline legends: places such as St. Peter's at the Vatican and St. Paul's outside the Walls are included, but also St. Peter's at Montorio and Tre Fontane. There are two primary parts to this book: the first is a brief survey of what is known (and not known) regarding Peter and Paul's time in Rome. The various sources of Pauline and Petrine legends are included in this survey as those legends are key to interpreting many sites and their significance. The second part of the book is more akin to a tour book laid out in four subsections, generally corresponding to geographical areas of the city. This brief handbook will be a valuable guide to those who seek a greater understanding of the historical and legendary background to Petrine and Pauline sites in Rome.

Personal narratives are powerful instruments for teaching, both for conveying information and for forming character. The martyrdom accounts preserved in the literature of early Christianity are especially intense and dramatic. However, these narratives are not readily available and are often written in intimidating prose, making them largely inaccessible for the average reader. This introductory text brings together key early Christian martyrdom stories in a single volume, offering new, easy-to-read translations and expert commentary. An introduction and explanatory notes accompany each translation. The book not only provides a vivid window into the world of early Christianity but also offers spiritual encouragement and inspiration for Christian life today.