A New Way of Life: The Challenge of Cultural Witness in the Early Jesus Movement
This article portrays innovative and distinct features of the Christ groups of the first decades with the underlying premise that the lived reality of the early Christian communities has the potential to inspire present-day churches in Europe when they face the challenge of cultural witness. People...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/419 |
| _version_ | 1797609246068572160 |
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| author | Benjamin Schliesser |
| author_facet | Benjamin Schliesser |
| author_sort | Benjamin Schliesser |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article portrays innovative and distinct features of the Christ groups of the first decades with the underlying premise that the lived reality of the early Christian communities has the potential to inspire present-day churches in Europe when they face the challenge of cultural witness. People were drawn to Christ groups because they were different from the surrounding culture. Christianity would not have survived if it did not offer a counter-cultural ethical stance; a new social imaginary; alternative membership options; a flexible organizational structure; a holistic worldview; and a creative, innovative communication style—in one phrase: a new way of life. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:58:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fc1fec935f9743e48aaaabf994ed946f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:58:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-fc1fec935f9743e48aaaabf994ed946f2023-11-17T13:37:24ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442023-03-0114341910.3390/rel14030419A New Way of Life: The Challenge of Cultural Witness in the Early Jesus MovementBenjamin Schliesser0Faculty of Theology, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 51, CH-3012 Bern, SwitzerlandThis article portrays innovative and distinct features of the Christ groups of the first decades with the underlying premise that the lived reality of the early Christian communities has the potential to inspire present-day churches in Europe when they face the challenge of cultural witness. People were drawn to Christ groups because they were different from the surrounding culture. Christianity would not have survived if it did not offer a counter-cultural ethical stance; a new social imaginary; alternative membership options; a flexible organizational structure; a holistic worldview; and a creative, innovative communication style—in one phrase: a new way of life.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/419early Christianityurban religionsocial ethicsspiritgroup formationinnovation |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin Schliesser A New Way of Life: The Challenge of Cultural Witness in the Early Jesus Movement Religions early Christianity urban religion social ethics spirit group formation innovation |
| title | A New Way of Life: The Challenge of Cultural Witness in the Early Jesus Movement |
| title_full | A New Way of Life: The Challenge of Cultural Witness in the Early Jesus Movement |
| title_fullStr | A New Way of Life: The Challenge of Cultural Witness in the Early Jesus Movement |
| title_full_unstemmed | A New Way of Life: The Challenge of Cultural Witness in the Early Jesus Movement |
| title_short | A New Way of Life: The Challenge of Cultural Witness in the Early Jesus Movement |
| title_sort | new way of life the challenge of cultural witness in the early jesus movement |
| topic | early Christianity urban religion social ethics spirit group formation innovation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/3/419 |
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