Asceticism and Otherworlds in the Acts of Paul and Thecla

ASCETICISM AND OTHERWORLDS IN THE ACTS OF PAUL AND THECLA

Korinna Zamfir

Although at a first glance the Acts of Paul and Thecla may seem noth- ing more than naive hagiography, written to provide edification and encouragement, the work actually promotes distinctive theological views. Scholarly debate has generally focused on the historical data that can be retrieved with respect to the life of the early church, especially regarding women’s social status, their reasons for embracing asceticism, as well as their involvement in ministry.1 This research is highly important, even when some authors have rejected the historical reliability of the APTh for the reconstruc tion of ecclesial life in the apostolic times.2 Again other scholars have focused on the literary

1 D.R. MacDonald, The Legend and the Apostle. The Battle for Paul in Story and Canon (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1983); M.Y. MacDonald, The Pauline Churches. A Socio-historical Study of Institutionalization in the Pauline and Deutero-Pauline Writings (Cambridge/New York: Cambridge University Press, 1988), 181–4; V. Bur- rus, Chastity as Autonomy. Women in the Stories of Apocryphal Acts (Studies in Women and Religion 23; Lewiston/Queenston: Edwin Mellen, 1987), 81–109 (the social world of chastity stories). See also E. Schüssler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins (New York: Crossroad, 1995), 173–5, 297; L. Schottroff, Lydia’s Impatient Sisters. A Feminist Social History of Early Christianity (orig. Lydias ungeduldige Schwestern. Feministische Sozialgeschichte des frühen Christentums, [Gütersloh: Chr. Kaiser/Gütersloher, 1994]) (Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox, 1995), 104–9, 129–31; R.S. Kraemer, “The Conversion of Women to Ascetic Forms of Christianity,” Journal of Women in Culture and Society 6.21 (1980): 298–307; D. Marguerat & W. Rebell, “Les Actes de Paul. Un portrait inhabituel de l’Apôtre,” in Le mystère apocryphe. Introduction à une littérature mécon- nue (ed. J.-D. Kaestli & D. Marguerat; Essais bibliques 26; Genève: Labor et Fides, 1995), 107–24, here 118–24; J.N. Bremmer, “Magic, Martyrdom and Women’s Libera- tion in the Acts of Paul and Thecla,” in The Apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla(ed. J.N. Bremmer; Studies on the Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles 2; Kampen: Kok, 1996), 36–59; B. Wehn, “‘Blessed are the Bodies of Those Who are Virgins.’ Reflections on the Image of Paul in the Acts of Thecla,” JSNT 79 (2000): 149−64 (a social historical approach, rightly criticising the tendency to discount the relevance of the apocryphal writings). 2 L.C. Boughton, “From Pious Legend to Feminist Fantasy: Distinguishing Hagio- graphical License form Apostolic Practice in the Acts of Paul / Acts of Thecla,” JR 71 282 korinna zamfir genre and the similarities with the Hellenistic (love) novel.3 Both the historical and the literary approaches are essential. Yet, interestingly, scholars seldom reflect on the story as dramatisation of a theological view.4 The premise of this essay is that both the discourse material and the narrative are meant to express a system of beliefs. I do not propose an extensive discussion of the whole doctrine of the APTh, even less of the entire Acts of Paul, but I will focus on the eschatological view of the APTh, in relation to their ascetic teaching. ᾿Εγκρατεία is a central motive of the APTh, which in this writing means first and foremost sexual continence and chastity. This revered virtue is put forward not only in the speeches, but the characters of the narrative themselves are the dramatic and paradigmatic embodiment of adherence to or rejection of this teaching. I will argue that the APTh regard continence as a prerequisite of the eschatological fulfilment. Additionally I will reflect on the implicit perception of the otherworld. Heaven is prefigured in the qualities of the two main characters. There is no focus on hell as such, as “place” of damnation and punishment, but only a reference to those who will not enjoy resurrection. The APTh is one of the earliest Christian witnesses attesting to the emer- gence of what is to become the purgatory.

(1991): 362−83. She claims that the popularity of the APTh “reflected the story’s appeal among uninstructed Christians who had difficulty understanding the ideas and values of apostolic writings” (363–364). Y.L. Ng tends to give a similar assessment: “Acts of Paul and Thecla. Women’s Stories and Precedent?” JTS 55 (2004): 1–29, here 18. 3 Burrus, Chastity, 7–66, K. Cooper, The Virgin and the Bride. Idealized Woman- hood in Late Antiquity (Cambridge, Mass./London: Harvard University Press, 1996), esp. 45–56; A. Graham Brock, “Genre of the Acts of Paul. One Tradition Enhancing Another,” Apocrypha 5 (1994): 119–36; on the original independence of the Iconium and the Antioch-episode: M.P. Aymer, “Hailstorms and Fireballs. Redaction, World Creation, and Resistance in the Acts of Paul and Thecla,” Sem. 79 (1997): 45–61; as well as E. Esch in E. Esch & A. Leinhäupl-Wilke, “Auf die Spur gekommen. Plädoyer für eine leserorientierte Literarkritik in den ActThecl,” in Aus Liebe zu Paulus? Die Akte Thekla neu aufgerollt (ed. M. Ebner; SBS 206; Stuttgart: Katheolisches Bibelwerk, 2005), 30–51. More recently and in a very detailed manner E. Esch-Wermeling, The- kla-Paulusschülerin wider Willen ? Strategien der Leserlenkung in den Theklaakten (NTA 53), Münster : Asihendorf, 2008, esp. 71–186. 4 In this essay I have opted for a synchronic reading, not only because the differ- ences between the Iconium- and the Antioch-episode are sometimes magnified and the continuity dismissed, but especially because the story as it stands now has a spe- cific message, in which I am interested. Nonetheless, the redactional analysis of Aymer and Esch (cf. n. 3) is an important contribution to the understanding of the APTh.