Tertullian the African : An Anthropological Reading of Tertullian's Context and Identities / David E. Wilhite.

Frontmatter -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- Abbreviations -- Chapter One - Conceptual Frameworks for Re-Reading Tertullian -- 1.1 A Postcolonial Re-reading of Tertullian -- 1.2 An Anthropologcial "Writing" of Tertullian -- 1.3 Patristic Readings of Tertullian -- 1.4 The Context of Tertullian: Colonization of Africa -- 1.5 The Context of Tertullian: Christianization of Roman Africa -- 1.6 Conclusion -- Chapter Two - Social Identity -- 2.1 Social Anthropology and Social Identity -- 2.2 Roman Africa and Social Identity -- 2.3 Ancient African Christians and Social Identity -- 2.4 Tertullian and Social Identity -- Chapter Three - Kinship Theory -- 3.1 Social Anthropology and Kinship Identity -- 3.2 Roman Africa and Kinship Identity -- 3.3 Ancient African Christians and Kinship Identity -- 3.4 Tertullian and Kinship Identity -- Chapter Four - Class Theory -- 4.1 Social Anthropology and Class Identity -- 4.2 Roman Africa and Class Identity -- 4.3 Ancient African Christians and Class Identity -- 4.4 Tertullian and Class Identity -- Chapter Five - Ethnicity Theory -- 5.1 Social Anthropology and Ethnic Identity -- 5.2 Roman Africa and Ethnic Identity -- 5.3 Ancient African Christians and Ethnic Identity -- 5.4 Tertullian and Ethnic Identity -- Chapter Six - Anthropology of Religion -- 6.1 Social Anthropology and Religious Identity -- 6.2 Roman Africa and Religious Identity -- 6.3 Ancient African Christians and Religious Identity -- 6.4 Tertullian and Religious Identity -- Chapter Seven - Disciplinary Frameworks for Re-Contextualizing Tertullian -- 7.1 Tertullian and Africa in Patristic Studies -- 7.2 Tertullian and Africa in Historical Theology -- Bibliography -- General -- Ancient Authors -- Index -- Subject -- Modern Authors

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Who was Tertullian, and what can we know about him? This work explores his social identities, focusing on his North African milieu. Theories from the discipline of social/cultural anthropology, including kinship, class and ethnicity, are accommodated and applied to selections of Tertullian's writings. In light of postcolonial concerns, this study utilizes the categories of Roman colonizers, indigenous Africans and new elites. The third category, new elites, is actually intended to destabilize the other two, denying any "essential" Roman or African identity. Thereafter, samples from Tertullian's writings serve to illustrate comparisons of his own identities and the identities of his rhetorical opponents. The overall study finds Tertullian's identities to be manifold, complex and discursive. Additionally, his writings are understood to reflect antagonism toward Romans, including Christian Romans (which is significant for his so-called Montanism), and Romanized Africans. While Tertullian accommodates much from Graeco-Roman literature, laws and customs, he nevertheless retains a strongly stated non-Roman-ness and an African-ity, which is highlighted in the present monograph.

Issued also in print.

Mode of access: Internet via World Wide Web.

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In English.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 01. Dez 2022)