Theology in the Raw

S2 Ep1160: Early Christians Were More Messed up Than You Think: Dr. Nadya Williams

Mar 11, 2024

Delving into the Greco-Roman world, this podcast discusses Rome's transition to an empire, classism challenges faced by early Christians, Paul's teaching on the Eucharist, Constantine's conversion, Christians and military service, and the upcoming book 'Mothers, Children, and the Body Politic' by Dr. Nadya Williams.

01:01:08

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Episode guests

Nadya Williams

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The rise of Christianity was fueled by early Christians' compassion and care during crises, attracting many followers.

Christians in the early church grappled with the compatibility of military service due to allegiance to Emperor as a god.

Constantine's conversion to Christianity had significant implications, ushering in a new era of imperial support for the faith.

Deep dives

Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire

The growth of Christianity in the Roman Empire from a persecuted minority to a dominant faith was fueled by the compassion and care shown by early Christians, especially during times of crisis like the third century plague. Christians stood out for their altruism, caring for the sick and vulnerable in a way that was rare in Roman society. This selfless service and genuine care attracted many to the faith, leading to significant growth despite facing persecution.

Introduction

2min

Navigating Classics and Societal Power: Insights from the Guest

13min

Navigating Cultural Influences in Early Christianity

11min

Perpetua and Felicity: Noble Woman and Slave Martyrs

5min

Exploring Historical Biases in Ancient Greco-Roman Society and the Significance of the New Testament

5min

Paul's Insights into Roman Society

16min

Christianity and the Roman Military: From Persecution to Conversion

7min

Engaging Discussion on Early Christianity and Mother's Children

2min

In this podcast conversation, we take a deep dive into the Greco-Roman world and look at things like Rome's transition from a republic to an empire, the marriage laws of Caesar Augustus, the rise of Christianity and some of the struggles they had with the broader Roman environment, classism in the ancient world and how Christianity when against it, the background of 1 Cor 11 and what Paul was dealing with in his teaching on the Eucharist, the turbulent 3rd century AD, the conversation of Constantine, the sack of Rome in 410, Christians and military service, and many other things.

Dr. Nadya Williams has a PhD in Classics from Princeton University and is the author of Cultural Christians in the Early Church (Zondervan Academic, 2023) and the forthcoming Mothers, Children, and the Body Politic: Ancient Christianity and the Recovery of Human Dignity (IVP Academic, 2024). She is Book Review Editor for Current, where she also edits The Arena blog.

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Theology in the Raw

S2 Ep1160: Early Christians Were More Messed up Than You Think: Dr. Nadya Williams

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire

Christianity and the Military in the Early Church

Conversion of Constantine

The Role of Women in the Early Church

Augustine's Response to the Sack of Rome

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts