Elizabeth A. Clark

History & Biography

“After introducing readers to modern scholarship on women’s roles in early Christianity, Schenk turns to her main theme: that a statistical study of catacomb commemorations of Christian women and of female portraits on Christian sarcophagi suggests that they and their relatives chose representations that conveyed the notion of women as authoritative figures. She then seeks to integrate this evidence with that of literary texts about notable Christian women of late antiquity. Schenk concludes with a series of charts and tables that sum up her findings. A helpful addition to the now large body of work on women in early Christianity.”

Rereading Historical Theology

Theology

“In these sixteen essays, Miles claims--against an 'escapist transcendence'--that bodies are central to theological knowledge. She explores themes of desire, beauty, and happiness in their relation to the body in the writings of Augustine's philosophical predecessors, of Augustine (our 'fellow pilgrim') himself, and of some of his medieval and early modern successors. Miles enlists art and material remains, in addition to texts, to elaborate her thesis that the 'core of any religion is its teaching on human being.' Whether discussing women (from Augustine's unnamed partner to the 'heretic' Marguerite Porete to the Virgin Mary), sexuality, resurrection, or relics, she keeps her focus on the body. These lively essays, accessible to non-specialist readers, sum up in engaging fashion Miles's interests and contributions over nearly three decades.”

The Bible in Christian North Africa

History & Biography

“Rejecting older, static models of Donatism, Tilley illustrates how Donatists responded to changing historical circumstances while retaining their self-image as the reincarnated assembly of Israel. She presents a sympathetic picture of a vibrant religious group that is usually viewed through the lens of Augustine's polemic. An important study for all those interested in late ancient Christianity, in the dynamics of group formation and maintenance, and in the use of biblical texts in later Christian eras.”

The Early Church at Work and Worship - Volume 1

History & Biography

“These essays, spanning four decades of Ferguson's scholarship, sum up major discussions of ministry and canon in early Christianity. Especially useful for exploring the terminology surrounding ordination, these essays are vintage Ferguson.”

The Early Church at Work and Worship - Volume 2

History & Biography

The Making of Modern English Theology

History & Biography

“In this engaging study, Inman shows how in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, theology emerged from its status as an ‘architectonic science’ framing the whole of Oxford University education to become a specialized subject. Distinct for historical reasons from arrangements for theological study in Germany, Scotland, and the United States, theologians at Oxford strove to be part of the university yet root the discipline in worshipping communities. The combination of biblical criticism and the influence of ‘Nonconformist’ faculty and students, Inman argues, pushed Oxford toward a new environment for theological education that was variously furthered or impeded by strong-minded professors and graduates. The Making of Modern English Theology is a welcome addition to the growing body of scholarship on how ‘religion’ became an academic discipline.”