
The Glory of Kings: A Festschrift for James B. Jordan

Fyodor Dostoevsky
(Christian Encounters Series)

Athanasius
(Foundations of Theological Exegesis and Christian Spirituality)

The Four: A Survey of the Gospels

Defending Constantine: The Twilight of an Empire and the Dawn of Christendom

From Behind the Veil: The Epistles of John

Deep Exegesis:The Mystery of Reading Scripture

1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary

The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter

A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons

Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature

Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen

The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism

A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel

From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution

Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy

Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper

A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament

Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature

Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays

Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life

The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church
Did Alexandrian Jews support the Arians? Athanasius charged as much, and his assessment has been found convincing to more than one modern historian.
Victor Tcherikover wrote, “Jews became openly hostile to the new rulers” after Constantine’s conversion, “and proffered assistance to any group of persons or to any social or religious movement in opposition to the official Church. Thus they certainly supported the Arians, and the Fathers of the Church classed Jews and Arians together as the fiercest enemies of orthodoxy. The Jewry of the Roman empire, though dispersed and lacking a national center in a state of its own, was nevertheless a considerable force, not to be over-looked by the Christian church.”
Robert Louis Wilken writes: “During the episcopate of Athanasius, Jews and Christians clashed over the appointment of bishops to the see of Alexandria. The Arian bishop Gregory was appointed to take Athanasius’ place. When the time came for his entrance into Alexandria, Catholics tried to prevent him from being consecrated, but Philagrius, the prefect of Alexandria, was an Arian supporter. According to Athanasius this prefect gathered together a large mob of heathens and Jews and set them against the Catholics with swords and clubs. They broke into the churches and desecrated holy objects, seized the virgins and monks, and burned the Scriptures.” He credits the report of Theodoret, who claimed that after the consecration of Peter as bishop of Alexandria, “the governor ‘assembled a mob of Greeks and Jews, surrounded the walls of the church, and bade Peter come forth, threatening him with exile if he refused.’”
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Friday, June 18, 2010 at 1:18 pm
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