Search

"Cyprian was bishop of Carthage for ten turbulent years in the mid-third century. Not long after the beginning of his episcopate, the church was faced with the Decian persecution, and from then until his own death by martyrdom in 258 CE, the African church also experienced schism, plague, and barbarian raids. Unity and perseverance in the faith were therefore central to his exhortation, and for this he relied heavily on Scripture. Yet despite Cyprian’s importance in the Latin tradition, and despite his being a man of one book, eschewing the classical allusions on which he was bred, little attention has been paid to his exegesis. Accordingly, Charles Kannengiesser has called for more work to be done on the use of Scripture in Cyprian’s letters. If anything, Kannengiesser understates the case: more work needs to be done on Cyprian’s use of Scripture as a whole, as the only comprehensive volume is Michael Fahey’s Cyprian and the Bible. Nevertheless, in what follows the focus will be on the letters and, specifically, on the reading strategies and rhetorical techniques Cyprian applies in his appropriation of Scripture in that corpus. First, however, I will consider how Cyprian thinks about Scripture, and then I will assess the nature of his letters."

Instructing his flock from the Scriptures is central to Cyprian’s role as bishop of Carthage. Amongst these pastoral directions are exhortations to almsgiving and martyrdom. But might not parenthood be an impediment to fulfilling these obligations? Cyprian responds by drawing on Hebrew Bible narratives in which parents provide for their children by putting God first. In De opere et eleemosynis, the widow of Zarephath, Job, and Tobit are presented as models of giving. In Ad Fortunatum, the mother of the Maccabean martyrs encourages her children to undergo martyrdom. The responsibilities of parenthood therefore do not prevent one from serving God; rather, honouring God is how parents may best care for their children. This study demonstrates Cyprian’s positive attitude towards family, his use of rewards—both temporal and eternal—as motivation for right living, and the importance of models in his biblical exegesis.

ot in Kansas Anymore explores the church’s place in the strange, new post-Christian world of the twenty-first-century West. The twelve contributors approach the topic from a variety of angles, as historians, theologians, biblical scholars, missiologists, political activists, social theorists, pastors, and educators, and offer perspectives that at times complement and at times collide with one another. Whilst their analyses and proposals vary, they share a common conviction about the importance of the issues under discussion and a common desire for the conversations of the academy to connect with the mission of the church and the changing world in which that mission takes place. The end result is a chance to listen in on a conversation that is provocative, timely, and engaging, full of insights and implications for students and practitioners alike.

A martyr's suffering and death is glorious, says Cyprian of Carthage. No surprises there. But what about the ageing, suffering and death common to humanity? Old age is naturally associated with physical decline in people, just as the ageing world is diminishing in vigour. Elders must be respected, however, and signs of age should be valued, not erased. Furthermore, just as the end of the world is a matter of hope for the Christian, so is the end of one's life - the gateway to everlasting joy. As Cyprian emphasises in De mortalitate, even the suffering caused by the plague is to be embraced rather than spurned; afflictions are cause for rejoicing as by them Christians are proved, strengthened and ultimately crowned. Cyprian's characteristic distinction between the physical and the spiritual, the temporal and the eternal, is prominent as he encourages his flock to persevere in the midst of turbulent times.

This study examines how Cyprian of Carthage, the most significant bishop in the early Latin tradition, appropriates the canonical Paul. Cyprian, like Paul, is a pastoral theologian, so his pastoral concerns provide a helpful lens through which to study his use of the apostle. These include divine truth and eternal glory; the church’s unity, ministry and sacraments; discipline and repentance; and wealth and welfare. Examining Cyprian’s use of Paul in these areas allows us to move beyond a simple literal/allegorical paradigm to appreciate the wide range of reading strategies used by Cyprian: model, image, maxim, title, contextual exegesis, direct application, prophetic fulfilment and qualification. It also provides a different perspective on Paul than the one arrived at by privileging a handful of texts. This study of Cyprian’s appropriation of Pauline texts therefore illuminates the interplay between text, context and theology in his exegesis. It also deepens our understanding of the early North African hermeneutical tradition and the early reception of Paul.

"See, you have been made whole; sin no more lest anything worse befall you." (John 5, 14b) Cyprian quotes or alludes to these words of Jesus six times, focusing not so much on the healing itself (mentioned only once, separately from the maxim), but rather on the need to preserve such healing. Examining Cyprian's references to this passage highlights the relationship between his exegesis and his pastoral concerns, the connection between wholeness and salvation in his thought, and the healing role of the bishop. Finally, it raises a textual question: Jesus also says, "Sin no more," to the woman caught in adultery (John 7, 53 - 8, 11), but this pericope is never mentioned by Cyprian. I will consider the significance of this omission.

In German-speaking countries, the role of the diaconate has been strongly influenced by nineteenth-century ideas of diakonia as service towards the poor. As important as the social initiatives stemming from this perspective have been, in order to correctly understand deacons and diakonia in the early church, we must go back to the sources. For this volume, focused on the first two centuries of Christianity, scholars from a range of backgrounds consider the use of diakonos and related words in the New Testament and extra-biblical sources, both Christian and otherwise. These texts reveal what deacons actually did, helping us to understand the past and giving guidance for the present, particularly in ecumenical discussions concerning the ministry.

If imitating Christ in his humility leads to peace and unity, imitating the devil in his jealousy leads to conflict and self-destruction. So warns Cyprian of Carthage in De zelo et livore, where he identifies the devil as the originator of envy, precipitating humanity’s downfall as well as his own. Cyprian further illustrates these fatal effects by pairing exemplars of jealousy with their innocent victims. Cyprian’s use of these models demonstrates the importance of this reading strategy for his exegesis and the value he ascribes to imitation in Christian formation. Furthermore, whilst Cyprian’s emphasis on unity is well known, this study highlights that it is not achieved simply by avoiding schism. Rather, structural concerns are just one expression of Cyprian’s conviction that conflict and division are vices rooted in the flesh. Those who claim to be Christians must, like Christ, live according to the Spirit in love and peace.

Care for the poor was a major concern of Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, in the mid-third century. Luke's gospel, with its emphasis on wealth and possessions, was an important source of his pastoral exhortations on the topic. This article considers the reading strategies Cyprian employs to appropriate Luke--model, image and direct application--and the themes which emerge in his exegesis--renunciation, reward, reversal, and redemption. It also considers the parable of the Good Samaritan, a key text on love for neighbour which is used by Cyprian, not with regard to those in physical need, but rather the wounded lapsed who required spiritual healing. Cyprian's use of Luke in formulating his wealth ethics contributes to our understanding of the patristic reception of the Third Gospel, as well as early North African exegesis.

Cyprian’s appropriation of Scripture and his theological emphases are closely connected with the circumstances of his congregation. As a case study in Cyprian’s biblical interpretation, this article considers all his quotations of and allusions to Philippians through the lens of his pastoral concerns: the unity of the Church; care for the poor and captive; discipline and repentance; and divine truth and eternal glory. The reading strategies Cyprian uses can be categorized as contextual exegesis, model, image, direct application, and prophetic fulfilment. The study provides a fresh perspective on patronage and almsgiving in Cyprian, deepens our understanding of the reception of Paul, and elucidates the interplay of text, context and theology in an important exponent of early Latin exegesis.

Among the many books on gender that have been published within evangelical circles in recent years, the vast majority presuppose and perpetuate a state of affairs in which the complementarian/egalitarian schema functions not only as a distinction but also as a divide: the published books, in almost all cases, either advocate for one view against the other, or bring together proponents of the two main alternative views to debate the issue, trading arguments back and forth. Occasionally we hear calls for a better conversation between evangelical egalitarians and complementarians, but the increasingly tribal nature of contemporary evangelicalism’s institutions means that conferences and publications reflecting this sort of conversation are still few and far between. Nevertheless, the discussions and debates continue with some vigour, online and in the flesh, and books on the subject continue to engage the interest of readers. The Gender Conversation aims to offer something that is (sadly!) rare in all this flurry of publishing, debate, and discussion: a book that arises out of a genuine, affectionate, and mutually respectful face-to-face conversation between contributors who know one another and work together in the service of the gospel. The book had its genesis in conversations among the faculty of Morling College and reflects the ethos of an institution whose faculty and student body are composed of men and women who share an evangelical understanding of the gospel but differ on its implications for how we view issues of gender. Its chapters began as papers delivered at a day conference held at Morling in September 2015, which brought together Morling faculty members and other fellow-evangelicals within our circles of contact, to discuss issues of gender, theology, and Christian living. We encouraged the contributors to engage critically with each other’s ideas, but to interact with each other in a genuine conversation—aimed at deepening mutual understanding and respect, hi

The question of who compiled Ad Quirinum remains unresolved. The previous consensus that it was indeed Cyprian, based largely on Koch’s work, was challenged by Bobertz over twenty years ago. Since then, the issue has received little attention. Here I refute Bobertz’s main arguments for believing that the collection existed prior to Cyprian’s conversion. I argue that textual variations between Ad Quirinum and Cyprian’s letters and treatises do not rule out Cyprian being the compiler, as similar variations also occur in Cyprian’s uncontested works. I examine the role of tradition and memory in scriptural citation and show how Cyprian’s own catechumenate assisted in his preparation of Ad Quirinum. I also demonstrate that there is no conflict between Test. 3.28 and Cyprian’s practice in the wake of the Decian persecution and consider why Pontius did not include the work in his list of treatises.