Docetism in the Early Church

The Quest for an Elusive Phenomenon

Edited by Jens Schröter Edited by Reimund Bieringer Edited by Joseph Verheyden Edited by Ines Jäger

Book cover: Docetism in the Early Church

Extent: 300 pages

Publisher: Mohr Siebeck

Subjects: Biblical Studies

Series: Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(March 2018)

ISBN: 9783161540844

6.38 x 9.41 inches

Price: $231.00

Out of stock

The present volume studies various facets of the search for traces of Docetism in the way early Christian sources, among these the gospels, the Johannine literature and several second-century authors, present the incarnation, the Eucharist, Jesus’ suffering, and the person of Jesus as a divine figure.


This volume studies the ways modern research has tried to detect traces of Docetism in ancient sources, including the gospels and the Johannine epistles and several second-century authors. As a concept, Docetism is often used in scholarly literature for denoting loosely connected or even quite different phenomena or doctrines that all have to do with defining the nature of Christ and the reality of the incarnation and passion of Jesus. The essays gathered here address the topic from a new perspective by concentrating on the ancient documents themselves instead of staying on a purely theoretical or dogmatic level, while also critically re-examining the historical contexts in which these were produced and first circulated. Contributors: Reimund Bieringer, Allen Brent, Paul Foster, Jorg Frey, Paul Anthony Hartog, Taras Khomych, Dominika Kurek-Chomycz, Winrich Lohr, Maarten J.J. Menken, Jens Schroter, Alistair C. Stewart, Joseph Verheyden, Francis Watson

Joseph Verheyden: Introduction - Allen Brent: Can There be Degrees of Docetism? - Jörg Frey: "Docetic-like" Christologies and the Polymorphy of Christ: A Plea for Further Consideration of Diversity in the Discussion of "Docetism" - Francis Watson: Pauline Reception and the Problem of Docetism - Paul Foster: Christophany Stories in the Synoptic Gospels and Docetism - Jens Schröter: Eucharistie, Auferstehung und Vermittlung des ewigen Lebens: Beobachtungen zu Johannes und Ignatius (mit einem Ausblick auf Justin, Irenäus und das Philippusevangelium) - Reimund Bieringer: The Passion Narrative in the Gospel of John: A Hotbed of Docetism? - Maarten J.J. Menken: The Secessionists of the Johannine Epistles and Docetism - Alistair C. Stewart: Ignatius' "Docetists": A Survey of Opinions and Some Modest Suggestions - Paul Anthony Hartog: The Impact of the Christological Controversies: Comparing the Ignatian Kerygma and Romans 1 - Dominika Kurek-Chomycz: "… the Flesh of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, Which suffered for Our Sins": The Early Christian "Dying for" Formula, Suffering, and the Eucharist in IgnSm 7:1 - Taras Khomych: Conflicting Choreographies? Dance as Doctrinal Expression in Ignatius' Ephesians 19 and Acts of John 94-96 - Winrich Löhr: A Variety of Docetisms: Valentinus, Basilides and Their Disciples

  • Edited by Jens Schröter
  • Edited by Reimund Bieringer
  • Edited by Joseph Verheyden
  • Edited by Ines Jäger