One of the most widely read and studied texts composed in Late Antiquity is the prison diary of Vibia Perpetua, a young woman of the elite classes who was martyred in March of the year 202 or 203 C.E. in Carthage, as part of a civic celebration honoring Caesar Geta. She was well-married and had recently become the mother of a baby son, but despite her advantages, she refused to recant her faith when she was arrested with other recent converts to Christianity. Imprisoned with her was her pregnant slave Felicity. Perpetua's steadfastness in her belief led to her martyrdom in the amphitheater. A description of the heroic deaths of both women, and the autobiography of one of the leaders of the Christian community, Saturus, is woven into Perpetua's diary by an anonymous editor, who tells us that, as they died, Perpetua, Felicity, and the other condemned Christians bid farewell with a kiss of peace.This unique and precious text survives in one Greek and in nine Latin manuscript versions. Thomas Heffernan's new study contains much that has never been done before, including a prosopography of all the individuals mentioned in the Passion, a new English translation and the first detailed historical commentary in English on the entire narrative of the Passion. It also includes a newly edited version of the Latin text based on all the extant manuscripts and - rarer still - the Greek text. He concludes the book with a complete codicological description of all of the known manuscripts and thorough scholarly indices of the text itself. Perpetua's prison diary is a revered text of early Christianity, and Heffernan's new translation and commentary brings unprecedented scholarly resources to the much-loved Passion.

The doctrine of purgatory - the state after death in which Christians undergo punishment by God for unforgiven sins - raises many questions. What is purgatory like? Who experiences it? Does purgatory purify souls, or punish them, or both? How painful is it? Heaven's Purge explores the first posing of these questions in Christianity's early history, from the first century to the eighth: an era in which the notion that sinful Christians might improve their lot after death was contentious, or even heretical. Isabel Moreira discusses a wide range of influences at play in purgatory's early formation, including ideas about punishment and correction in the Roman world, slavery, the value of medical purges at the shrines of saints, and the authority of visions of the afterlife for informing Christians of the hereafter. She also challenges the deeply ingrained supposition that belief in purgatory was a symptom of barbarized Christianity, and assesses the extent to which Irish and Germanic views of society, and the sources associated with them - penitentials and legal tariffs - played a role in purgatory's formation. Special attention is given to the writings of the last patristic author of antiquity, the Northumbrian monk Bede. Heaven's Purge is the first study to focus on purgatory's history in late antiquity, challenging the conclusions of recent scholarship through an examination of the texts, communities and cultural ideas that informed purgatory's early history.

Ancient Christians are closely connected to today's world through a living memory and a common textual heritage - the Bible - even for non-Christians. However, as this engrossing new account shows, much about the early Christians is foreign to us and far removed from what passes for Christianity today.

Examines a range of texts commemorating European holy women from the ninth through fifteenth centuries. Explores the relationship between memorial practices and identity formation. Draws upon much of the recent scholarly interest in the nature and uses of memory.

Refilling the Church’s Fountain of Youth is a must read for any individual who has a need for grasping a further understanding of why the decline is occurring within churches amongst the young adult population. Therefore, pastors, church leaders and the emerging population are encouraged to add this work to their repertoire to further enhance their knowledge and wisdom of the challenges that exist within retention and attraction of young adults. Additionally, the work provides the example of a strong church community that understands the benefits of providing the young adults with support, love and the freedom to develop into disciples without fear of judgment or contradiction. Finally, the work is designed to provide assistance to any denomination or church that has recognized the decline of membership as it relates to emerging adults. It is indeed a necessary tool that can provide assistance and guidance for anyone working in the trenches of ministry. -from the foreword by Lori D. Spears, D.Min. This book offers a portable and repeatable model of ministry that crosses denominations and ethnic boundaries within the church. Are you a pastor looking to improve your young adult ministry? Are you a leader of a teaching ministry looking for ways to be more effective? Are you a parent seeking to understand your young adult child's faith journey so that you can minister effectively? Are you a seasoned Christian who wants to be equipped to engage with young adults inside and outside your congregation? Then this book is for you!

This is a paperback edition of a collection of ten papers by different authors on the cult of saints, first published in hard covers in 1983. Six have been translated from French including a pioneering study by Robert Hertz, one of Durkheim's most eminent pupils. The editor provides a wide-ranging general and historical introduction, and a 100- page annotated bibliography covering material on the subject in all disciplines and in four main languages.