Professor Larry Welborn has over several decades acquired a well-deserved reputation as a meticulous and imaginative historian of early Christianity. In this monograph, a first-fruit of a forthcoming Hermeneia commentary on First Clement, Professor Welborn amply demonstrates his extensive knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of early Christian communities. The monograph focuses on one of the most vexing issues regarding First Clement, namely the cause of the conflict in Corinth which provided the impetus for the author''s composing the letter. Because there is little or no external evidence regarding this conflict, a careful analysis of the letter itself is required. In the history of interpretation, however, scholars have interpreted the textual evidence in many different ways. One of the strengths of this monograph is therefore the lucid and instructive overview of the history of research on this topic. In view of the divergent conclusions reached by earlier scholars, Welborn first establishes important hermeneutical principles that will guide his own investigation into the problem, before turning to a detailed substantiation of the hypothesis that intergenerational conflict in the church at Corinth provided the occasion for the letter. This hypothesis, first mooted by Harnack and Lietzmann, has come under attack under influence of the greater appreciation of the rhetorical character of the letter, which lead scholars to assume that the references to opposing groups are mere rhetorical clichés.

Welborn shows, to the contrary, that the rhetorical devices in the letter are not merely conventional and ornamental, but are indeed used to allude to, and admonish, the conflict between the younger and the older generations in Corinth. He further undergirds this hypothesis by a careful analysis of the scriptural allusions throughout the letter as well as by a detailed examination of the role the topos and reality of intergenerational conflict played within the broader cultural context of the letter. Welborn''s extensive description of the theme of conflict between generations in the history and literature of the Greco-Roman world is a significant contribution by itself, while his application of the insight gained by this survey to a reading of First Clement provides an exemplary illustration of how knowledge gained from a close consideration of the literary and historical context could be used to advance our understanding of early Christian texts. This monograph, with its wealth of literary references and historical comparisons, offers stimulating and fresh perspectives on the social dynamics at work in early Christian communities. It is essential reading not only for the study of First Clement, but for the social history of the formative period of early Christianity in general. important hermeneutical principles that will guide his own investigation into the problem, before turning to a detailed substantiation of the hypothesis that intergenerational conflict in the church at Corinth provided the occasion for the letter. This hypothesis, first mooted by Harnack and Lietzmann, has come under attack under influence of the greater appreciation of the rhetorical character of the letter, which lead scholars to assume that the references to opposing groups are mere rhetorical clichés. Welborn shows, to the contrary, that the rhetorical devices in the letter are not merely conventional and ornamental, but are indeed used to allude to, and admonish, the conflict between the younger and the older generations in Corinth.

He further undergirds this hypothesis by a careful analysis of the scriptural allusions throughout the letter as well as by a detailed examination of the role the topos and reality of intergenerational conflict played within the broader cultural context of the letter. Welborn''s extensive description of the theme of conflict between generations in the history and literature of the Greco-Roman world is a significant contribution by itself, while his application of the insight gained by this survey to a reading of First Clement provides an exemplary illustration of how knowledge gained from a close consideration of the literary and historical context could be used to advance our understanding of early Christian texts. This monograph, with its wealth of literary references and historical comparisons, offers stimulating and fresh perspectives on the social dynamics at work in early Christian communities. It is essential reading not only for the study of First Clement, but for the social history of the formative period of early Christianity in general.rn''s extensive description of the theme of conflict between generations in the history and literature of the Greco-Roman world is a significant contribution by itself, while his application of the insight gained by this survey to a reading of First Clement provides an exemplary illustration of how knowledge gained from a close consideration of the literary and historical context could be used to advance our understanding of early Christian texts. This monograph, with its wealth of literary references and historical comparisons, offers stimulating and fresh perspectives on the social dynamics at work in early Christian communities. It is essential reading not only for the study of First Clement, but for the social history of the formative period of early Christianity in general. important hermeneutical principles that will guide his own investigation into the problem, before turning to a detailed substantiation of the hypothesis that intergenerational conflict in the church at Corinth provided the occasion for the letter.

This hypothesis, first mooted by Harnack and Lietzmann, has come under attack under influence of the greater appreciation of the rhetorical character of the letter, which lead scholars to assume that the references to opposing groups are mere rhetorical clichés. Welborn shows, to the contrary, that the rhetorical devices in the letter are not merely conventional and ornamental, but are indeed used to allude to, and admonish, the conflict between the younger and the older generations in Corinth. He further undergirds this hypothesis by a careful analysis of the scriptural allusions throughout the letter as well as by a detailed examination of the role the topos and reality of intergenerational conflict played within the broader cultural context of the letter. Welborn''s extensive description of the theme of conflict between generations in the history and literature of the Greco-Roman world is a significant contribution by itself, while his application of the insight gained by this survey to a reading of First Clement provides an exemplary illustration of how knowledge gained from a close consideration of the literary and historical context could be used to advance our understanding of early Christian texts. This monograph, with its wealth of literary references and historical comparisons, offers stimulating and fresh perspectives on the social dynamics at work in early Christian communities. It is essential reading not only for the study of First Clement, but for the social history of the formative period of early Christianity in general. important hermeneutical principles that will guide his own investigation into the problem, before turning to a detailed substantiation of the hypothesis that intergenerational conflict in the church at Corinth provided the occasion for the letter. This hypothesis, first mooted by Harnack and Lietzmann, has come under attack under influence of the greater appreciation of the rhetorical character of the letter, which lead scholars to assume that the references to opposing groups are mere rhetorical clichés.

Welborn shows, to the contrary, that the rhetorical devices in the letter are not merely conventional and ornamental, but are indeed used to allude to, and admonish, the conflict between the younger and the older generations in Corinth. He further undergirds this hypothesis by a careful analysis of the scriptural allusions throughout the letter as well as by a detailed examination of the role the topos and reality of intergenerational conflict played within the broader cultural context of the letter. Welborn''s extensive description of the theme of conflict between generations in the history and literature of the Greco-Roman world is a significant contribution by itself, while his application of the insight gained by this survey to a reading of First Clement provides an exemplary illustration of how knowledge gained from a close consideration of the literary and historical context could be used to advance our understanding of early Christian texts. This monograph, with its wealth of literary references and historical comparisons, offers stimulating and fresh perspectives on the social dynamics at work in early Christian communities. It is essential reading not only for the study of First Clement, but for the social history of the formative period of early Christianity in general.rn''s extensive description of the theme of conflict between generations in the history and literature of the Greco-Roman world is a significant contribution by itself, while his application of the insight gained by this survey to a reading of First Clement provides an exemplary illustration of how knowledge gained from a close consideration of the literary and historical context could be used to advance our understanding of early Christian texts. This monograph, with its wealth of literary references and historical comparisons, offers stimulating and fresh perspectives on the social dynamics at work in early Christian communities. It is essential reading not only for the study of First Clement, but for the social history of the formative period of early Chris.