Minority Report?: Religious Minorities and Majorities in Late Antique Argumentation
In the course of the fourth century, Christianity gradually shifted from a minority position to the majority one or at least to the strong minority in the Roman Empire. Graeco-Roman religions (called "paganism" by Christian writers) moved to the minority position or the weakened majority....
| Published in: | Studi e materiali di storia delle religioni |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | Italian |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Morcelliana
2017
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| In: |
Studi e materiali di storia delle religioni
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| Further subjects: | B
Augustine
B Neopagans B Agostino B Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo, 354-430 B Constantine B relazioni pagano-cristiano B Late Roman Empire B Roman Religion B Christian triumphalism B Christians B trionfalismo cristiano B pagan-Christian relations B Religious Minorities B Costantino B Tardo Impero Romano |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
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| Summary: | In the course of the fourth century, Christianity gradually shifted from a minority position to the majority one or at least to the strong minority in the Roman Empire. Graeco-Roman religions (called "paganism" by Christian writers) moved to the minority position or the weakened majority. It is impossible to define the proportions of religious groups in the Roman Empire; at best we can speak of "guesstimates". The same applies to the proportions and power relations between the Nicene and other Christian groups. In this article, I discuss how the majority-minority positions were used in the argumentation in the religious disputes in the fourth and fifth centuries. Jerome of Stridon, for instance, rejoices over the expansion of Christianity in the city of Rome. Augustine of Hippo derides "pagans" whom he depicts as a small minority living in fear and shame. Isidore of Pelusium and Theodoret of Cyrrhus declared that "paganism" no longer existed. Furthermore, the triumph of Christianity over paganism was exulted in the imperial legislation. I do not take any stand on which religious group or sect was in the majority or minority in the Empire at a particular moment. Instead, I discuss for what purposes the majority or minority position was argued and what kind of rhetorical persuasion was used. (English) |
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| ISSN: | 2611-8742 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Studi e materiali di storia delle religioni
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