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Representations of the Care of the Soul in Early Christian Texts

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Representations of the Care of the Soul in Early Christian Texts University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2013 Representations of the Care of the Soul in Early Christian Texts Deborah Ann Niederer Saxon University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the History of Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Niederer Saxon, Deborah Ann, "Representations of the Care of the Soul in Early Christian Texts" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1390. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1390 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE CARE OF THE SOUL IN EARLY CHRISTIAN TEXTS __________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology Joint PhD Program University of Denver __________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy __________ by Deborah Ann Niederer Saxon June 2013 Advisor: Dr. Albert Hernández ©Copyright by Deborah Niederer Saxon 2013 All Rights Reserved Author: Deborah Niederer Saxon Title: REPRESENTATIONS OF THE CARE OF THE SOUL IN EARLY CHRISTIAN TEXTS Advisor: Dr. Albert Hernández Degree Date: June 2013 Abstract Michel Foucault argues that modern scholars have inaccurately conceptualized ancient Greco-Roman philosophies as the pursuit of abstract knowledge. He proposes instead conceiving of these philosophies more broadly as sets of practices that focused on “the care of the self/soul.” Such care involved exercises (“technologies of the self”) effecting both identity formation and spiritual transformation. It is possible to re- conceptualize the history of the early Christianities in these terms as well, particularly in examining the discourses circulating in the second and third centuries of the Common Era. Juxtaposition and close reading of texts from this period reveal that competing visions of the care of the soul informed by Stoic ideals were circulating among Christians. Specifically, these conflicting perspectives revolved around, on one hand, a dominant, “proto-orthodox” discourse glorifying martyrdom and, on the other, disruptions to this discourse by those misleadingly subsumed under the umbrella term, “Gnostic.” Chapter one explores the value of applying Foucault’s framework to the history of the early Christianities. Chapter two explains the way in which martyrdom functions as care of the soul, or therapy of the emotions, in texts ascribed to Clement, Ignatius, and Polycarp. Chapter three demonstrates the way other early Christian texts disrupt this discourse of a “suffering self” while simultaneously laying out other views of self-care. Specific texts for examination include two texts from Nag Hammadi—Apocalypse of Peter and Testimony of Truth, two fragments preserved by Clement of Alexandria—one attributed ii to Basilides and one to Valentinus, and the Gospel of Judas. Chapter four discusses how Mary Magdalene and Perpetua are represented in terms of the care of the soul in, respectively, the Gospel of Mary and the Passion of Perpetua and Felicity and what is at stake for women’s leadership roles in each of these portrayals. Viewing the early debates in this way—as conflicts regarding issues of self-identity and spiritual development— rather than as debates about knowledge per se (doctrines defined in essentialist terms) provides a means of moving beyond the simplistic characterization of the richly diverse groups in this period as either merely “proto-orthodox” or “heretical.” iii Acknowledgements I thank the Rev. Dr. Albert Ray Niederer and Anna Niederer for their unwavering support. It was my dad’s own love of Christian history and my parents’ openness to others that inspired this project. Thanks also to Dr. Albert Hernández, who saw the value of my project and supported me throughout; Dr. Frank Seeburger, who promptly and thoughtfully critiqued each draft; Dr. Ann Graham Brock, who went the extra mile at each stage and painstakingly guided me throughout; Dr. Katherine Turpin, outside chair; Ally Kateuz, who read each chapter; Dr. Lucy McGuffey, who helped me discover Foucault’s later works; Dr. Paul Middleton, who sent copies of SBL papers; Karen Smith, who translated material in French; Brian Hartman and the Rev. Dr. James White, who read and edited; coordinators Meghan Laurvick and Arianna Nowalkowski; librarians Katie Cook, Laura Harris, Alice Runis, Douglas Brown, Donna Groben, and Michelle Kyner; former professors, the Rev. Dr. Glen Hilburn, Dr. Julio Jiménez, Dr. Alan Robb, and Dr. Anabel Newman; fellow students Dr. J. Duce, N. Hamid, S. Humble, S. Littrell, L. Schrader, S. Paulson, and Dr. S. Yuhas; conversation partners E. Brown, M. Carlson, the Hall’s, the Howard’s, I. Jezierska, A. Medina, the Rev. Dr. R. Meyers, K. Mordeaux, P. Strovink, the Vandenheuvel’s, the Vincent-Morrison’s, the Watt’s, S. Walker, and family: Dr. George and Dottie Saxon; David, Misty, Megan, and Peyton Niederer; the Rev. Dr. Darryl and Dorothy DeBorde, Shannon Black, Frances Bray, Rob and Seana Saxon; First Congregational UCC-Colo. Springs (and missions committee); Christ’s Episcopal Church-Castle Rock; Prof. Y. Ishio, who secured research privileges, and the Hay family. Above all, I thank my husband, John, for steadfast support in every respect. iv Table of Contents Chapter One: The Importance of the Care of the Soul in the History of the Early Christianities ............................................................................................................................. 1 The Care of the Self as the Main Focus of Greco-Roman Philosophies .................. 1 Why Historians Have Not Recognized the Importance of Care of the Soul............ 6 Usefulness of the Care of the Self in Re-conceptualizing Christian History ........... 8 Martyrdom as a Discursive Formation ..................................................................... 12 Disruptions to the Discourse of Martyrdom ............................................................ 18 Chapter Two: Martyrdom Represented as Care of the Self/Soul in “Proto-Orthodox” Texts ........................................................................................................................................ 21 Martyrdom as Care of the Soul/Self ......................................................................... 21 1 Clement.................................................................................................................... 28 Letters of Ignatius ...................................................................................................... 33 Polycarp ...................................................................................................................... 40 Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians ........................................................... 41 Martyrdom of Polycarp ................................................................................ 43 Further Support for Martyrdom as Care of the Soul in Secondary Sources .......... 46 Development of a Collective Identity through the Discourse of Martyrdom ........ 50 Resurrection of the Flesh........................................................................................... 54 Chapter Three: Competing Visions of the Care of the Soul in the Apocalypse of Peter, the Testimony of Truth, Fragments of Basilides and Valentinus, and the Gospel of Judas..... 58 Heresiological Framing ............................................................................................. 61 Alternative Perspectives ............................................................................................ 64 Apocalypse of Peter ................................................................................................... 67 Testimony of Truth ..................................................................................................... 79 Fragment of Basilides ................................................................................................ 87 Fourth Fragment of Valentinus ................................................................................. 93 Gospel of Judas .......................................................................................................... 99 Background .................................................................................................. 101 Judas’ Moral Character ............................................................................... 103 Judas’ Ambiguous Representation ............................................................. 106 Critique of Apostolic Succession in Terms of the Care of the Soul ........ 115 Further Critique of Sacrifice and Martyrdom ............................................ 122 Preparation for Martyrdom ......................................................................... 133 Further Discussion Regarding the Resurrection of the Flesh ............................... 137 Chapter Four: Complementary Representations of the Care of the Soul in the Gospel of Mary and the Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity ........................................................... 144 The Representation of Mary Magdalene in the Gospel of Mary .........................
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