Magic and Paganism in Early Christianity: The World of the Acts of the Apostles

(Paperback)

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Many forms of magic and paganism were practiced at the time of Jesus. What were these practices, and how did the first Christians react to themHans-Josef Klauck, an expert in the cultic practices of the region, describes this world into which Christianity was born and relates to it the many experiences of the first Christians recorded in Acts. Peter, for example, encounters the Samaritan magician Simon; Paul meets the Jewish magician Bar-Jesus; the people in Lystra want to offer a sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas; a soothsaying slave girl is the occasion of conflict in Philippi; in Athens, Paul finds the city full of idols but also discovers an altar 'to an unknown god'; in Ephesus, some burn their books of magic formulae, while other provoke a riot in the name of Artemis.Professor Klauck provides a fascinating account of these phenomena and their significance for Christianity historically and today.Available November 2000.

Reviews

"This book is a brilliant showcase of contemporary exegetical scholarship... This scholar has the rare ability of bringing past events to life and demonstrating their relevancy to modern readers. This is thought-provoking and exciting reading. Professor Jurgen Roloff, University of Erlangen-Numberg, Germany a lucid and informed account of the universal expansion of the Christian Churches, written in a way that it accessible without compromising intellectual integrity. The second volume is awaited in confident expectation of a comparable achievement. Church Times, 5/04/2002

Author Bio

Dr. Hans-Josef Klauck is Professor of New Testament Exegesis, University of Munich, Germany.