Reading World Upside Down: A Response to Matthew Sleeman and John Barclay

Abstract

This essay discusses the argument of C. Kavin Rowe, World Upside Down: Reading Acts in the Graeco-Roman Age by engaging with criticisms and comments by Matthew Sleeman and John Barclay. The response accepts several key points, including the locatedness of the early believing communities, the place of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and the importance of heaven for the early Christians. The response also clarifies and defends the view of Christianity’s cultural subversiveness and political engagement implied in Acts, as well as the claim that ‘tension’ is the right interpretive vocabulary needed to grasp the Christian political stance(s) in Acts.

Keywords

Acts Christian(s)Rome politics law church

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References

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