Early Christian Families in Context An Interdisciplinary Dialogue [Paperback]

Much has been written about the Roman family unit, but relatively little about the early Christian period, comparing Roman, Jewish and Christian concepts of the family. These seventeen essays derive from a conference held in Texas in 2000, presenting a range of perspectives and approaches from ancient historians, scholars of Judaism and Christianity and a single archaeologist. The essays are divided into broad subject areas: Archaeology of the Domus and Insulae ; Domestic values; Women; Slaves; Children; Implications for theological education. More specifically, they include Andrew Wallace-Hadrill's discusssion re-interpreting the Roman family and household, Monika Truemper's examination of the houses of Delos, David Balch's discussion of Pompeiian wall paintings, Ross Kraemer's examination of the lives of two Jewish women in Roman Palestine, and Beryl Rawson's study of commemorations of Roman children.Much has been written about the Roman family unit, but relatively little about the early Christian period, comparing Roman, Jewish and Christian concepts of the family.