It is customary for scholars to depict Christian and Jewish groups as 'sects' in a sociological sense, stressing conflict with and separation from society. But this ap proach often obscures other evidence concerning a variety of possibilities in the involvements of some of these groups in certain facets of civic life, involvements that are comparable to those of other 'pagan' associations in the same context. In this paper, a comparison of associations (Jewish, Christian and other) with respect to particular dimensions of society in Roman Asia—especially imperial aspects of the polis—illustrates the complexities of group—society relations. Viewing the Apoca lypse in light of such evidence helps to locate John's sectarian perspective within the range of 'pagan', Jewish and Christian viewpoints and practices in Asia, shed ding further light on the opponents addressed in the opening letters.
Scholars have frequently underplayed the significance of the emperors within actual social and religious life in cities of the Roman empire and have portrayed imperial cults as predominantly political, lacking in religious dimensions. However, this view of imperial cults is misguided and acts as an obstacle to understanding the nature and significance of these cults at the local level. A fresh study of associations (local social-religious groups) in Ephesus helps to clarify the significance of emperors with respect to social, political and religious facets of life. There were two main interconnected ways in which emperors played a role in social and religious life within associations: in regard to networks of benefaction and with respect to cultic activities. Résumé : Les chercheurs ont souvent négligé l'influence des empereurs dans la vie sociale et religieuse des villes l'empire romain. Ils ont décrit les cultes impériaux comme étant surtout politiques, sans dimensions religieuses. Cependant cette façon de voir est mal fondée et nous cache la véritable nature de ces cultes au niveau local. Une nouvelle étude des associations (groupes locaux socio-religieux) & a g r a v e ; Éphèse aide & a g r a v e ; clarifier l'importance des empereurs dans les dimensions sociales, politiques et religieuses de la vie. Il y a eu deux façons principales interreliées qui montrent que les empereurs ont joué un rôle dans la vie sociale et religieuse des associations: dans les réseaux d'assistance et dans les activités du culte.
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