The borderlines of ancient Christianity: organization and diffusion of the first Christian communities, 100-325 c.E

• Grant number: 18/25570-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2019
• End date: October 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - History - Ancient and Medieval History
• Principal Investigator: Norberto Luiz Guarinello
• Grantee: Pedro Luís de Toledo Piza
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/06621-6 - The boundaries of Early Christianity: organization and diffusion of the first Christian communities, 100-300 CE, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

An historiographic survey on the organizational dynamics of the first Christian communities leads the researcher to face two very strong but often silent tendencies, present between the lines: the first is to analyze the construction of Early Christian hierarchy as a process which is circumscribed to the social group researched and which is successful at the end (that is, the clergy); the second is to analyze this same process and the diffusion of the first Christian communities as distinct (and sometimes contrary) historical phenomena. This research, however, seeks to question such trends from the point of view of the analysis of formation, consolidation and frequent redefinition of internal and external social frontiers to Christian communities, with a view to a plausible and scientifically satisfactory answer to the following problem and question which, in our view, is little or not at all addressed by the historiography raised: why the periods of greater definition and reinforcement of internal borders to Christian communities (especially the one that divides clergy and laity) are also those in which these communities spread the more, reaching new regions, cities and social extracts? (AU)