Christ Groups and Associations

In this volume, Richard Ascough has assembled essays spanning from the late nineteenth century to the early twenty-first, each of which has engaged in fruitful comparison between ancient Greek and Roman associations and early Christ groups. Ascough has not organized these contributions chronologically, but according to where their respective ideas fit within this ongoing comparative work. The book does not claim to be exhaustive, but as a collection of foundational studies, it provides the reader not only with a substantive and rich discussion of ancient associations of all sorts as well as interesting insights about the modern study of early Christianity.

~Alicia J. Batten, Professor of Religious Studies and Theological Studies, Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo

We are dealing here with a collection of essays that goes far beyond the representation of the sources. It is a collection that takes a new look at the beginnings of Christianity and ties texts directly to their context. The volume is suitable as a study book and as a subject reference in theology, religious studies, and ancient studies.

~Soham Al-Suadi, Professor for New Testament, Universität Rostock

This collection deepens our contemporary discussions about early Christ groups within the Greco-Roman world—a world awash with associations. Richard Ascough has done us the welcome service of assembling valuable but often neglected contributions of scholars who considered these issues before us. Our rediscovered interests in Greco-Roman associations and early Christ groups will inevitably be refreshed and enhanced by these insightful contributions.

~Bruce W. Longenecker, W. W. Melton Chair of Religion, Baylor University

One must commend Ascough for another excellent contribution to the study of associations and early Christianity, on which he has now been publishing for some twenty-five years.

~Timothy A. Brookins, Review of Biblical Literature

overall this is a tremendous boon to scholars working on the question of how these groups help us understand the emergence of Christian communities in the first century.

~Patrick Gray, Rhodes College, Religious Studies Review