Angels in Late Ancient Christianity

294 Pages·2013·1.087 MB·English

by  Ellen Muehlberger

Angels in Late Ancient Christianity
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Angels in
Late Ancient
Christianity
z
ELLEN MUEHLBERGER
1
3
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Muehlberger, Ellen.
Angels in late ancient Christianity / Ellen Muehlberger.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978–0–19–993193–4 (alk. paper)—ISBN 978–0–19–993194–1 (ebook)
1. Angels—History of doctrines—Early church, ca. 30–600. I. Title.
BT966.3.M84 2013
235′.309—dc23
2012026415

ISBN 978–0–19–993193–4
ISBN 978–0–19–993194–1

1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
For Gina
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Abbreviations xi
Introduction 1
1. Late Ancient Theories of Angels: Evagrius of
Pontus and Augustine of Hippo Compared 29
2. Locating Christ in Scripture: Angels in the Development
of Theological Reading 58
3. Angels as Equipment for Living: The Companion
Angel Tradition in Evagrian Christianity 89
4. Crossing Over: The Companion Angel Tradition
in Exemplary Lives 119
5. Defi ning Others: Asceticism and the Discourse
of the Angelic Life 148
6. Bringing Angels into the World: Catechesis and the Christian
Imagination 176
Conclusion: The Limits of Angelology 203
Notes 215
Bibliography 257
Index 273
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Acknowledgments
this book is a revision of my Indiana University doctoral dissertation,
and I owe many debts to those who helped nurture it from a host of elu-
sive thoughts toward something more tangible. First among them is my
mentor David Brakke, whose expert guidance about the project and about
being a scholar and teacher came with a sizable helping of humanity
and wit. The conversations I had with my readers Steven Weitzman, J.
Albert Harrill, and Constance M. Furey clarifi ed and expanded the ele-
ments of my project; I am grateful for the time they spent thinking with
me. My work at Indiana was supported by grants from the Department of
Religious Studies and the Borns Jewish Studies Program, both nurturing
environments for a new scholar.
If you were just starting out and had to pick a fi eld of study solely by
gauging the generosity and brilliance of the scholars who occupy it, you
would be hard pressed to fi nd something better than the fi eld loosely gath-
ered under the heading of “late antiquity.” The following list does not fully
address the debt I owe to these engaging and careful readers, all of whom
spent time with portions of this book as it developed: Mira Balberg, Adam
Becker, Jason BeDuhn, Daniel Caner, Catherine Chin, Elizabeth Clark,
Charles Cosgrove, Mark DelCogliano, Elizabeth DePalma Digeser, David
Frankfurter, Chris Frilingos, Diane Fruchtman, Mark Graham, Adam
Gregerman, Andrew Hofer, David Hunter, Anders-Christian Jacobsen,
Aaron Johnson, Dayna Kalleres, Joel Kalvesmaki, Blake Leyerle, Heidi
Marx-Wolf, Candida Moss, James J. O’Donnell, Anders Klostergaard
Petersen, Taylor Petrey, Andrew Radde-Gallwitz, Philip Rousseau, Samuel
Rubenson, Charles Stang, Bradley Storin, and Edward Watts. I am deeply
grateful for their comments and advice, as well as the guidance I have
received from my colleagues at the University of Michigan, especially
Kathryn Babayan, Gabriele Boccaccini, David Potter, Ray Van Dam, and
Terry Wilfong.