JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. BRILL is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Vigiliae Christianae. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 128.235.251.160 on Fri, 26 Dec 2014 12:52:02 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions REVIEWS REVIEWS D. Praet, De God der goden. De christianisering van het Romeinse Rik. Kapellen, Pelckmans/Kampen, Kok, 1995. 232 p.As the title indicates, the author of this book deals with the question how the "God of gods" (Dan 2.47) triumphed over his opponents by the christianisation of the Roman empire. Praet had scrutinized the various theories on this subject in his thesis, which he later adapted for a useful survey in English in Sacris Erudiri XXXIII, pp. 5-119. The present study betrays its origin in that P.'s argument tends to proceed by way of summaries and quotations (rendered into Dutch) from secundary literature.Fortunately, this method does not preclude the appearance of many relevant primary texts. These are, however, mainly chosen from polite literature. Inscriptions and papyri are seldom referred to, which is to be deplored since these sources contain a treasury of evidence about the subject.The chapter on Constantine is notable by its lengthy and detailed discussion of some prime testimonia of the emperor's "conversion." P.'s verdict is that such a transformation simply did not take place. Constantine gradually grasped the potential of a well-organised and morally sound religious movement as the basis of the empire's unity. Here and elsewhere in the book one cannot avoid the impression that P. has not entirely come to terms with the deep roots religion had taken in the ancients' minds. In this field calculated manipulation does not at all imply a low amount of serious convictions.In the end P.'s main explanation of the Church's success starts from the cohesion and solidarity of its social world. No doubt this is a reasonable hypothesis, the more so as it emerges amidst a number of other theories which are satisfactorily elucidated by the author. 2353 BM Leiderdorp, van Effendreef 15 J. DEN BOEFT J. Ysebaert, Die Amtsterminologie im Jeuen Testament und in der alten Kirche. Eine lexikographische Untersuchung. Breda, Eureia, 1994. VIII-238 S. Verf. betont, daB seine Arbeit grundsatzlich eine lexikographische Studie ist. Das Thema ist sicherlich dafur geeignet, weil es sich nicht um die Bezeichnung abstrakter Begriffe wie Glaube, Gnade, Hoffnung u.dgl. handelt, sondern um die Benennung konkreter Gegebenheiten, Amter und Amtstrager in den friihen christlichen Gemeinden. Wichtige Elemente in D. Praet, De God der goden. De christianisering van het Romeinse Rik. Kapellen, Pelckmans/Kampen, Kok, 1995. 232 p. J. Ysebaert, Die Amtste...