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Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity

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Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity ORTHODOXY AND HERESY IN EARLIEST CHRISTIANITY by Walter Bauer 1934 [Second German Edition by Georg Strecker] OPINIONS Walter Bauer’s Orthodoxy and Heresy has established itself as a classic refutation of the "myth" that "in the beginning" orthodoxy was there first and heresy was a deviation from the norm. Whatever one thinks of the thesis, one cannot bypass Bauer on early heresy any more that one can bypass Bultmann on Form Criticism or Harnack on the development of dogma. Today, it remains a good introduction to Christianity at the end of the first century and the beginning of the second century. Gerald Christianson Professor of Church History Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary This brilliant and pioneering monograph inaugurated a new era of scholarship in the study of the New Testament and Christian origins, especially in America. It argued that early Christianity did not begin with a unified orthodox belief, from which heresies broke off at a later time. Rather, Bauer demonstrated that diversity stood at the beginning, while an orthodox church emerged only after long controversies during the early centuries. During recent decades, the investigation of newly discovered texts, such as the Gnostic Library of Nag Hammadi in Egypt, have fully confirmed Bauer’s insights. There may be numerous details, which scholars today would see differently than Walter Bauer, whose word was first published in Germany sixty years ago. Nevertheless, Bauer’s book has remained the foundation for all modern scholarship in this field, and it is must- reading for all who want to explore early Christian Communities. It is still challenging, fresh, fascinating, and thought-provoking -- without any question of the truly great masterpieces of New Testament scholarship. Helmut Koester Professor of New Testament Studies and Ancient Church History at Harvard Divinity School CONTENTS FOREWORD to the Second German Edition, by Georg Strecker xi INTRODUCTION to the English Edition, by Robert A. Kraft xiii ORTHODOXY AND HERESY IN EARLIEST CHRISTIANITY by Walter Bauer Introduction, ET by Robert A. Kraft xxi 1. EDESSA, ET by John E. Steely (text) and Robert A. Kraft (notes) 1 General History since Alexander the Great 1-2 Earliest Christianity There: Sources and Their Value Eusebius and the Abgar Legend 2-12 Edessene Chronicle to the Fourth Century 12-17 Reconstruction of Earliest Christian History "Orthodoxy" before K&ucircnê in the Fourth Century (Pal&ucirct) 17-22 Predecessors and Competitors of Paluchristian Christianity: Marcion, Bardesanes, Mani, and Their Literature (Diatessaron, Pauline Epistles) 22-32 The Emergence of a Powerful "Orthodoxy": Dissemination of the Abgar Legend, Attacks on Rival Groups, Vindication of Paul through Acts of Paul/"3 Corinthians" 32-43 2. EGYPT, ET by David Hay 44 Silence of Sources concerning "Orthodoxy" in the Earliest Period of Egyptian Christianity 44-49 Earliest Known Representatives and Literature: Syncretistic Gnostic Writings, Gospel of the Egyptians and Gospel of the Hebrews 49-53 Establishment of Ecclesiastical Christianity under Demetrius and His Successors 53-56 The Half-century before the Victory of Demetrius: Origen and Clement of Alexandria 56-60 3. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH AND POLYCARP OF SMYRNA; MACEDONIA AND CRETE, ET by Gerhard Krodel 61 Ignatius and the Monepiscopate: 61-63 The Situation in Christian Antioch 63-66 and among His Addressees in Asia Minor 66-69 Polycarp, Smyrna, and Philippi 69-74 Thessalonica 74-76 Crete (based on Dionysius of Corinth) 76 4. ASIA MINOR PRIOR TO IGNATIUS ET by Gerhard Krodel 77 The Addressees in Rev. I-3, Ignatius, and I Peter 77-83 Ephesus and Westem Asia Minor, and Jewish Christian Influence There 83-89 Other Anti-Heretical New Testament Writings: Jude, 2 Peter, Pastorals (and Pliny), 1-3 John 89-94 5. ROME AND CHRISTIANITY OUTSIDE OF ROME ET by Stephen Benko 95 Rome and Achaia: Corinth and 1 Clement 95-106 Rome and the Opponents of Heresy in the Period between 1 Clement and Dionysius of Corinth 106-108 Rome and Christianity in Alexandria and Antioch 108-110 6. ROME'S PERSUASIVE AND POLEMICAL TACTICS ET by Robert F. Evans 111 Rome's Appeal to Apostles, Especially Peter, 111-118 and to Apostolic Succession 118-121 Roman Influence through Teaching and Material Assistance 121-124 Roman-Corinthian Opportunism and Adaptability 124-129 7. THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN ORTHODOXY AND HERESY: GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS AND OPERATING PROCEDURES ET by David Steinmetz 130 Types of Confrontation: Oral and Written Polemics 130-132 The Montanist Controversy as an Example 132-146 8. THE USE OF LITERATURE IN THE CONFLICT ET by Howard Bream and Robert L. Wilken 147 Preservation of the Literature Problem of Identifying Polemical Literature 147-148 The Evidence from Eusebius and His Special Pleading for "Orthodox" Literature 149-158 The Problem of Forgery, Fals~cation, and Public Exposure 158-168 Significance and Influence of Literature 168-169 Concentration of Anti-heretical Literature in the Western Areas, and Paucity of Non-orthodox Polemical Literature 170-173 Types of Literature (etc.) Used 173-190 Relative Numerical Strength of Orthodoxy and Heresy 190-194 9. THE OLD TESTAMENT, THE LORD, AND THE APOSTLES ET by Paul J. Achtemeier 195 Old Testament: Its Role as a Formative Influence 195-202 Lord: Traditions about Jesus in General, 202-206 and the Fourth Gospel in Particular 206-212 Apostles: In General, 212-213 and Paul in Particular 213-228 10. THE BEGINNINGS, ET by John E. Steely and John J. O'Rourke 229 Centrality of Rome for Christian "Orthodoxy" and Its Victorious Expansion Eastward 229-232 Early Resistance to Christianity in the East and the Course of the Pauline Mission 232-235 Flexibility, Recalcitrance, and Syncretism: The Situation that Paved the Way for Roman Orthodoxy 235-240 APPENDICES by Georg Strecker 1. ON THE PROBLEM OF JEWISH CHRISTIANITY ET by Gerhard Krodel 241 Jewish Christianity in General: Problems and Perspectives 241-244 Legalistic, Greek-Speaking Jewish Christianity The Didascalia, an Indirect Witness 244-257 The Kerygmata Petrou Source of the ps.-Clementines 257-271 The Ecclesiastical Attitude and "Ebionism" 272-284 Conclusions 284-285 2. THE RECEPTION OF THE BOOK revised and augmented by Robert A. Kraft 286 Reviews and Notices of the Original Edition: Continental Protestant, English Language, Roman Catholic, Synthetic Summary of the Reviewers' Comments 286-297 Turner's Reply to Bauer 297-302 General Influence of the Book 302-303 Ehrhardt's Positive Appraisal 303-306 Contemporary German Scholarship 306-308 Summary and Prospectus 308-316 Comprehensive Index 317 [v] Foreword to the Second German Edition In earliest Christianity, orthodoxy and heresy do not stand in relation to one another as primary to secondary, but in many regions heresy is the original manifestation of Christianity. In the present work, Walter Bauer[1] has developed this thesis in a consistent fashion, and not only has called into question in a fundamental way the traditional understanding of the development of church history and the historical foundation of ecclesiastical-orthodox self-understanding, but at the same time has indicated new directions for ecumenical discussion. The unfavorable political situation was, above all, responsible for denying the book a wider influence. Thus in the field of international scholarship, W. Bauer is known far less for being the pioneer of the approach to church history presented herein than as the author of the W&oumlrterbuch zum Neuen Testament.[2] Therefore, thanks are all the more due to the publisher for the decision to make the work available once again, and thereby to create the possibility of a new and more thorough appreciation. Just a few weeks before his unexpected death on 17 November, 1960 Walter Bauer had learned of the proposed new edition and, with kind words, expressed agreement with the plan and with the person of the reviser. The task that faced the undersigned [vi] was first of all to correct typographical errors and other minor oversights, and to introduce such improvements as were envisioned by the author, according to his annotated copy.[3] Apart from these additions, the text of the work has remained unchanged -- it was even possible to Retain the same pagination. Secondly, it was necessary to deal with the current state of the discussion. This task is undertaken in a double appendix, so as not to infringe upon the character of the original work. Following the original plan, this supplementary material includes a more detailed consideration of Jewish Christianity, and, in addition, an account of the reception of the book. In both parts an effort has been made to indicate possibilities and directions for elaborating Bauer's position and to provide a critical evaluation of more recent investigations of similar orientation.[4] Thanks are expressed to all who have contributed to the production of this edition; in particular to Prof. D. Philip Vielhauer, from whose suggestion the form of the supplementary material essentially derives, and to Frau L. Bauer, who with constant, kindly assistance made accessible her husband's literary remains, and placed at my disposal the manuscript of the book, notes from three lectures that were delivered in September and October of 1933 on the same subject in Uppsala and Sondershausen, the author's annotated personal copy, and also his collection of reviews. My wife has assisted me in the expansion of the index and in reading proofs, and thus, with the others named, also deserves the thanks of the reader. GEORG STRECKER Bonn, September 1963 [ET xiii] Introduction to the English Edition It is not surprising that Bauer's investigation of "orthodoxy" and "heresy" in early Christianity has had relatively little direct influence on the English-speaking world (see appendix 2) and, despite its obvious significance and its presence on reading lists for advanced study in Christian origins, never has been translated into English.
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