Once Again: Modelling Early Christian Social Formations and Christ-Cult Groups among Graeco-Roman Cults

Abstract

This essay traces the gradual development of an understanding of early Christian social formations and Christ-cult groups as subsets of Graeco-Roman associations from the History of Religions School in the nineteenth century to the present day. It argues that such an etic perspective is indispensable for understanding the living reality of Christ-cult groups in their Graeco-Roman contexts. Categorising Christ-cult groups as associations enables comparative theorising of Christian origins and the functioning of Christian social formations. Such comparisons with associations lead to new experimental readings of early Christian literature.

Keywords:

• Graeco-Roman associations
• early Christian social formations
• Christ-cult groups
• modelling cult groups
• comparative religion
• history of religion