Associations, Synagogues, and Congregations

This social historical study of religious groups in Roman Asia Minor brings the world of early Christians and Jews to life. Despite their distinct devotion to one God within a polytheistic context, synagogues and congregations could claim a place for themselves within ancient Mediterranean society. A fresh look at inscriptions and archeological evidence reveals new insights about the formation, operation, and function of congregations and synagogues within the larger framework of guilds and associations in the Greco-Roman world. To what extent did synagogues and congregations, like other associations, participate in city life under Roman rule? What place did emperors and imperialism hold in these groups? Harland's findings broaden our understanding of 1 Peter, Revelation, the Pastoral epistles, Ignatius' epistles, and other early Christian and Jewish literature from Asia Minor. The book fundamentally reassesses the relation of Christianity and Judaism to the ancient city and the Roman imperial order.