Table Of Content“The book’s topic well deserves serious attention, and this volume brings the
appropriate mix of theoretical insight and specific case studies to the task …
The editorial team represented here are leading scholars in the field of ritual
studies.”
– Jonathan Schwiebert, Lenoir-Rhyne University, USA
Ritual, Emotion, and Materiality in the
Early Christian World
This volume advances our understanding of early Christianity as a lived religion
by approaching it through its rites, the emotions and affects surrounding those
rites, and the material setting for the practice of them.
The connections between emotions and ritual, between rites and their
materiality, and between emotions and their physical manifestation in ancient
Mediterranean culture have been inadequately explored as yet, especially with
regard to early Christianity and its water and dining rites. Readers will find
all three areas—ritual, emotion, and materiality—engaged in this exemplary
interdisciplinary study, which provides fresh insights into early Christianity and
its world.
Ritual, Emotion, and Materiality in the Early Christian World will be of special
interest to interdisciplinary-minded researchers, seminarians, and students who are
attentive to theory and method, and those with an interest in the New Testament
and earliest Christianity. It will also appeal to those working on ancient Jewish
and Greco-Roman religion, emotion, and ritual from a comparative standpoint.
Soham Al-Suadi is Professor of New Testament Studies and Dean on the Faculty
of Theology at the University of Rostock (Germany). She is a member of the
steering committee of the Society of Biblical Literature’s Seminar on Meals in
the Greco-Roman World.
Richard S. Ascough is Professor of Religious Studies at Queen’s University
(Canada) and has published widely on the social dynamics of early Christ groups
as well as Greek and Roman associations. His most recent book is 1 and 2
Thessalonians: Encountering the Christ Group at Thessalonike.
Richard E. DeMaris is a Senior Research Professor at Valparaiso University
(U.S.A.). His recent publications include Early Christian Ritual Life, co-edited
with J. T. Lamoreaux and S. C. Muir (Routledge, 2017) and The Oxford Handbook
of Early Christian Ritual, co-edited with R. Uro, J. J. Day, and R. Roitto.
Ritual in the Ancient Mediterranean
Scholarly interest in the ritual life of the ancient Near East, Greco-Roman
societies, and both ancient Christianity and Judaism has increased considerably in
the last decade, no doubt a reflection of the rising interest in ritual across many
fields in the social sciences and humanities—and in western societies generally.
This series supports scholarship that utilizes up-to-date ritual theory, and does
so critically, to produce innovative studies that challenge conventional views and
offer alternative viewpoints on the ancient Mediterranean world.
Series Editor: Richard E. DeMaris, Valparaiso University, USA
Advisory Board of Associate Editors: Emma Blake, University of Arizona, USA;
Thomas Kazen, Stockholm School of Theology, Sweden; Jacob A. Latham,
University of Tennessee, USA; Rubina Raja, Aarhus University, Denmark; Daniel
Ullucci, Stonehill College, USA
Titles include:
Ritual, Emotion, and Materiality in the Early Christian World
Edited by Soham Al-Saudi, Richard S. Ascough, and Richard E. DeMaris
For more information about this series, please visit: www .routledge .com /Ritual
-in -the -Ancient -Mediterranean /book -series /RITAM
Ritual, Emotion, and Materiality
in the Early Christian World
Edited by Soham Al-Suadi,
Richard S. Ascough, and
Richard E. DeMaris
First published 2022
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2022 selection and editorial matter, Soham Al-Suadi, Richard S. Ascough,
and Richard E. DeMaris; individual chapters, the contributors
The right of Soham Al-Suadi, Richard S. Ascough, and Richard E. DeMaris to
be identified as the authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for
their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77
and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Al-Suadi, Soham, 1980- editor. | Ascough, Richard S., editor. |
DeMaris, Richard E., editor.
Title: Ritual, emotion, and materiality in the early Christian world/
edited by Soham Al-Suadi, Richard S. Ascough and Richard E. DeMaris.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: CRC Press, 2022. |
Series: Ritual in the ancient Mediterranean | Includes bibliographical
references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2021040081 (print) | LCCN 2021040082 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781032054797 (hbk) | ISBN 9781032054834 (pbk) |
ISBN 9781003197720 (ebk)
Subjects: LCSH: Church history–Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600. |
Rites and ceremonies–History. | Emotions–Religious aspects–Christianity-
-History. | Christianity and culture–History. | Bible. New Testament–
Criticism, interpretation, etc.
Classification: LCC BR165 .R63 2022 (print) | LCC BR165 (ebook) |
DDC 270.1–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021040081
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021040082
ISBN: 978-1-032-05479-7 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-05483-4 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-19772-0 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003197720
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Deanta Global Publishing Services, Chennai, India
In memory of Dr. Jens Börstinghaus, esteemed friend and
researcher, who passed from this life far too soon
Contents
List of figures xi
List of tables xiii
List of contributors xiv
Acknowledgements xvi
List of abbreviations xvii
Introduction 1
SOHAM AL-SUADI
1 Theorizing ritual, emotion, and material 9
SHARDAY C. MOSURINJOHN
2 Emotional display in the necropoli at Roman Thessalonike 23
RICHARD S. ASCOUGH
3 Water Rites in the world of the New Testament:
Archaeological Highlights 42
KLAUS-MICHAEL BULL
4 Water rites in Greek and Roman associations 65
RICHARD S. ASCOUGH
5 Water rites, emotions, and epiphanic encounters in the
literary and material record of the Roman east 82
RICHARD E. DEMARIS
6 Ritual experience and emotions: The right place for water
rites in Luke-Acts 103
SOHAM AL-SUADI
