The Church of Smyrna: History and Theology of a Primitive Christian Community

420 Pages·2015·2.598 MB·English

by  Mauricio Saavedra

PATROLOGIA
BEITRÄGE ZUM STUDIUM
DER KIRCHENVÄTER
XXXIII
MAURICIO SAAVEDRA MONROY
THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA
HISTORY AND THEOLOGY OF A PRIMITIVE
CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
Umschlaggestaltung:
© Olaf Gloeckler, Atelier Platen, Friedberg
Cover Design:
© Olaf Gloeckler, Atelier Platen, Friedberg
Conception de la couverture du livre:
© Olaf Gloeckler, Atelier Platen, Friedberg
This book deals with the theology of the Church of Smyrna from its foun-
dation up to the Council of Nicaea in 325. The author provides a critical
historical evaluation of the documentary sources and certain aspects particu-
larly deserving of discussion. He makes a meticulous study of the history
of the city, its gods and institutions, the set-up of the Jewish and Christian
communities and the response of the latter to the imperial cult. Finally, he
undertakes a detailed analysis both of the reception of the Hebrew Scriptures
and the apostolic traditions, as well as examining the gradual historical pro-
cess of the shaping of orthodoxy and the identity of the community in the
light of the organisation of its ecclesial ministries, its sacramental life and the
cult of its martyrs.
Mauricio Saavedra Monroy is an Augustinian priest. He holds a doctoral
degree in Theology and Patristic Studies. He teaches Patristics in the Insti-
tutum Patristicum Augustinianum of Rome and Saint Augustine Cervantina
University of Bogota.
www.peterlang.com
The Church of Smyrna
PATROLOGIA
BEITRÄGE ZUM STUDIUM DER KIRCHENVÄTER

Herausgegeben von
Andreas Spira †, Hubertus R. Drobner, Christoph Klock

Band XXXIII
MAURICIO SAAVEDRA MONROY

THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA
HISTORY AND THEOLOGY
OF A PRIMITIVE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
Bibliographic Information published by the Deutsche
Nationalbibliothek
The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in
the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic
data is available in the internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de.

P-Initiale zum weihnachtlichen Introitus
aus dem Abdinghofer Graduale fol. 12V,
Bibliotheca Theodoriana Hs. Ba 1 aus dem Jahr 1507.
Abdruck mit freundlicher Genehmigung der
Erzbischöflichen Akademischen Bibliothek Paderborn.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Saavedra Monroy, Mauricio, 1981-
The church of Smyrna : history and theology of a primitive Christian community / Mau-
ricio Saavedra Monroy.
pages cm. – (Patrologia - Beiträge zum Studium der Kirchenväter ; Band 33)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-3-631-66235-9 (Print) -- ISBN 978-3-653-05260-2 (E-Book) 1. Izmir (Turkey)–
Church history. 2. Izmir (Turkey)–Church history–Sources. 3. Christianity–Turkey–Izmir.
4. Church history–Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600. 5. Theology, Doctrinal. I. Title.
BR166.S238 2015
275.62'501–dc23
2015009384

ISSN 0940-4015
ISBN 978-3-631-66235-9 (Print)
E-ISBN 978-3-653-05260-2 (E-Book)
DOI 10.3726/978-3-653-05260-2
© Peter Lang GmbH
Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften
Frankfurt am Main 2015
All rights reserved.
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utilisation outside the strict limits of the copyright law, without
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This publication has been peer reviewed.
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Preface
Early Christian Studies have suffered considerably from a tendency to regards
texts as culturally insulated from their social and intellectual environments in
Hellenistic culture. The witness of the early Fathers and Martyrologies, such as
those of Polycarp and of Pionius, and the surviving Ignatian and Polycarpian
texts, in combination with fragments in Irenaeus, has long been treated as a de-
velopment sui generis with little relationship to cultural background. Mauricio
Saavedra, in this ground breaking study arising from his work and collaboration
at the Augustinian Patristics Institute in Rome, has crucially challenged this fail-
ure of previous research.
Saavedra painstakingly reconstructs from earlier sources both the literary
Christian and Pagan background to Smyrna, and proceeds to integrate that liter-
ature within a comprehensive and perceptive picture of the general development
of Smyrna as a Hellenistic and then Roman city. His work, as a young scholar
of the highest promise, cannot be underestimated in its ability to lead us in new
directions in the study of Early Christian History.
Allen Brent
King’s College, London
V

Acknowledgments
My interest in the Church of Smyrna was first aroused following a suggestion
made by the man who is now Cardinal Prosper Grech, OSA, who some years ago
offered me his support and great academic experience in the study and explora-
tion in depth of a theme related to the rich cultural and religious world of Asia
Minor in the early centuries of Christianity. Thus it is that, after reading the book
by Paul Trebilco on the Christians of Ephesus up to the time of Ignatius, the idea
came to me of studying the history and theology of the Christian community of
Smyrna in depth, which acted as a sister and on occasion even rivaled of Ephesus
itself. To Cardinal Prosper Grech, I owe all the company provided throughout
this rigorous itinerary of research, and I wish to express to him in a special way
my gratitude for these years of academic and spiritual guidance.
This academic work has benefited inestimably from the opportune and sub-
stantial contributions of Professor Manlio Simonetti, who very generously de-
cided to put his vast academic experience in the field of the history and literature
of early Christianity at my disposal, and who with thoughtful diligence revised
all my notes, making adequate corrections and suggestions. My sincere gratitude
and admiration go to him.
Likewise, from my very first steps in the research, Professor Emanuela Prin-
zivalli evinced her generous interest in helping me throughout this whole pro-
cess, offering me her invaluable academic experience, reading my notes with
attention, and suggesting a vast updated bibliography to me. May I extend to her
my sincere thanks for these years of committed academic guidance.
I am extremely grateful to all the academic community of the Institutum Pa-
tristicum, and first and foremost to the person of its President Fr. Robert Dodaro,
Fr. Juan Antonio Cabrera, Fr. Antonio Gaytan of the library service, and Fr. Am-
ado Llorente of the General Secretariat. In the same way I am especially grateful
to the community of the Saint Monica International College which over the years
has offered me its fraternal and spiritual space in order to carry out my academic
work.
My personal gratitude goes to the Order of Saint Augustine, and especially
to the Province of Nuestra Señora de Gracia of Colombia, for having generously
subsidised all my studies and my stay in Rome during these years.
I also wish to thank Jean Alison Gray for the work of translation, Prof. Carlos
Prieto for his help in the layout, and Mr. Elkin Saboya and the publishing house
for having accepted the fruit of my research.
VII
Lastly I would like to thank Fr. Andres Niño, OSA, and the library of Harvard
Divinity School, who offered me the opportunity of carrying on my academ-
ic research during the summer vacation. Likewise my gratitude and solidarity
with the present Church of Izmir in Turkey, headed by its pastor Mons. Ruggero
Franceschini, who was enthusiastic about the research carried out, extending a
most friendly welcome to me.
Mauricio Saavedra, OSA
Rome 2015
VIII