Roman Crete and the Letter to Titus (original) (raw)
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THE ESSENCE OF THE BOOK OF TITUS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE
The Book of Titus is one of the three Epistles known collectively as the Pastorals. Indeed these Epistles stand or fall together: and they are all three genuine, or all three spurious (Plummer: 1924). The very Epistles therefore are; 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus. As a matter of fact, in these Pastorals, the main emphasis is placed on preservation of tradition in the community that seems to be that of the sub-apostolic age. Hence, the pastorals evince a level of church organization that most likely would not have existed in the lifetime of Apostle Paul. The epistle of Paul Titus is looked at by some scholars as a model of Christian doctrine, which is comprehended in a masterful way all that is necessary for every Christian to know and to live(Luther:1960).
The first Christian kernels and the dissemination of Christianity in Crete
Stylianos Papagrigoriou, 2020
In this paper we will try to shed light on the early Christian community and how it was formed in Crete. We will examine who were the first nuclei of this community, their origins, and finally, reference will be made to the action of the Apostle Titus and his teacher, Paul, within the historical context of the 1st century AD. The texts we will be based on are the Jewish inscriptions found in Gortyn, the descriptions we have of Philo the Jew and Flavius Josephus, the reference to the Jews of Crete by Tacitus, and for Titus's action and life, we will build on the letter to Titus of the New Testament and two subsequent occult texts on the life of Titus, one of which was written around the 9th century AD. and another one that was written around the 15th century, presenting some minor differences from its earlier text.
The Letter to Titus in Recent Scholarship: A Critical Overview
A review of literature over the last two decades suggests that the letter to Titus is inching away from the suffocating influence of the Timothean correspondence. Caged together with 1 and 2 Timothy, the individual voice of Titus went largely unappreciated. This trend is in decline. For example, scholars are now investigating the theology and structure ‘of Titus’ rather than of ‘the Pastorals’. Furthermore, even in terms of methodological interests, there seems to be a transition with at least one article applying rhetorical analysis to the text. This overview surveys these trends by engaging critically with the literature, highlighting the burgeoning appreciation for the individuality of the letter independent from 1 and 2 Timothy. While the trends are encouraging, the study reveals that comparatively little has been done. Put differently, it is hoped that this overview will stimulate further interest in the letter to Titus.
2019
This response critically analyzes Jens Herzer’s interpretation of the Pastorals’ “personal notes” (i.e., the references to personal circumstances, coworkers, and travel plans), which play a significant role in his essay in the present journal as well as in a number of his other recent publications. The response focuses on Herzer’s proposal that the references to travel plans and place names in the letter to Titus indicate that this missive was composed during Paul’s final journey to Rome (cf. Acts 27–28). I argue that a number of key exegetical decisions on which this hypothesis is based are debatable and that there are other, at least equally plausible, ways to explain the place names and travel plans mentioned in Titus. One possibility, which to the best of my knowledge has not been previously considered, is that the references to Crete (Titus 1:5) and Nicopolis (Titus 3:12) serve to address two “gaps” in the story of early Pauline Christianity: (1) the curious absence of any reference to Titus outside Galatians and 2 Corinthians, and (2) the lack of information about Paul’s mission in Illyricum, which is mentioned only in passing in Rom 15:19.
Book Review The Romans and Crete
The Romans and Crete by G.W.M. Harrison. Review by M.J. Curtis and published in The Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 85 (1995), pp. 305-306.
This chapter addresses the parallel history of two large Mediterranean islands-Cyprus and Crete-which experienced during Late Antiquity a series of social and cultural transformations that affected their regional identities. As far as Cyprus is concerned, the spotlight is focused on the 3rd and, more particularly, the 4th century AD, showing how Cyprus's position in the Graeco-Roman oikoumene resets in this period. An attempt will be made to show how Cyprus moved from the margins to the mainstream (and back again) and consequently how Cypriot identities were rebranded in the period from the end of the Ptolemaic period until the beginning of the so-called treaty centuries. During this time, Cyprus grew into a highly connected province that was able to import and export goods by sea, based largely on its own skills and manpower, at an unprecedented level. Imperviousness to war, local opulence, and expanding commerce but limited access to the imperial power, also characterised Cyprus throughout this period. The strenuous elimination of the island's pagan past and the concomitant spread of Christianity were the most important developments in Cypriot identity since the end of the ancient Cypriot kingdoms. The issue of Cretan regional identity is mainly addressed through evidence concerning its capital city, Gortyn. Still in the 4th century Crete was connected to Rome and Capua through patrimonial interests enjoyed in the island by high ranking Roman senators. Christianisation was another major transformation that affected Cretan society, a process opposed by part of the local ruling class. From the second half of the 5th century the church of Gortyn grew in importance, a growth reflected in an impressive season of ecclesiastical building in Gortyn itself and in other Cretan centres. The archbishoprics of Gortyn remained under the jurisdiction of the see of Thessalonica, whose primate was papal vicar in eastern Illyricum. Like Cyprus, throughout the period in question the economy of Crete grew within a highly developed network of maritime links with the whole Mediterranean, reaching important levels of wealth. Although not entirely overlapping-and indeed sometimes different-the socioeconomic and cultural
A. Christophilopoulou (ed.), Islands and Communities. Perspective on Insularity, Connectivity, and Belonging, 2024
This chapter addresses the parallel history of two large Mediterranean islands-Cyprus and Crete-which experienced during Late Antiquity a series of social and cultural transformations that affected their regional identities. As far as Cyprus is concerned, the spotlight is focused on the 3rd and, more particularly, the 4th century AD, showing how Cyprus's position in the Graeco-Roman oikoumene resets in this period. An attempt will be made to show how Cyprus moved from the margins to the mainstream (and back again) and consequently how Cypriot identities were rebranded in the period from the end of the Ptolemaic period until the beginning of the so-called treaty centuries. During this time, Cyprus grew into a highly connected province that was able to import and export goods by sea, based largely on its own skills and manpower, at an unprecedented level. Imperviousness to war, local opulence, and expanding commerce but limited access to the imperial power, also characterised Cyprus throughout this period. The strenuous elimination of the island's pagan past and the concomitant spread of Christianity were the most important developments in Cypriot identity since the end of the ancient Cypriot kingdoms. The issue of Cretan regional identity is mainly addressed through evidence concerning its capital city, Gortyn. Still in the 4th century Crete was connected to Rome and Capua through patrimonial interests enjoyed in the island by high ranking Roman senators. Christianisation was another major transformation that affected Cretan society, a process opposed by part of the local ruling class. From the second half of the 5th century the church of Gortyn grew in importance, a growth reflected in an impressive season of ecclesiastical building in Gortyn itself and in other Cretan centres. The archbishoprics of Gortyn remained under the jurisdiction of the see of Thessalonica, whose primate was papal vicar in eastern Illyricum. Like Cyprus, throughout the period in question the economy of Crete grew within a highly developed network of maritime links with the whole Mediterranean, reaching important levels of wealth. Although not entirely overlapping-and indeed sometimes different-the socioeconomic and cultural