Religious Rivalries and the Struggle for Success in Sardis and Smyrna

Richard S. Ascough is Associate Professor of New Testament at Queen's Theological College in Kingston, Ontario.

• Religious Rivalries and the Struggle for Success in Sardis and Smyrna edited by Richard S. AscoughPrefaceAcknowledgmentsContributorsAbbreviationsIntroduction1. Interaction among Religious Groups in Sardis and Smyrna Richard S. Ascough, Queen's University, KingstonOverview of Religious Groups in Sardis and Smyrna2. Jewish Communities in Sardis and Smyrna Lloyd Gaston, Vancouver School of Theology3. Christian Communities in Sardis and Smyrna Dietmar Neufeld, University of British Columbia, Vancouver4. Greco-Roman Religions in Sardis and Smyrna Richard S. Ascough, Queen's University, Kingston5. Spheres of Contention, Claims of Pre-eminence: Rivalries among Associations in Sardis and Smyrna Philip A. Harland, Concordia University, MontréalIndirect Contact among Jews and Christians in Sardis and Smyrna6. Some Astrological Motifs in the Book of Revelation Tim Hegedus, Waterloo Lutheran Seminary7. The Patriarchs and the Zodiac: Revelation 12 John W. Marshall, Department for the Study of Religion, University of Toronto8. Was Roma the Scarlet Harlot? The Worship of the Goddess Roma in Sardis and Smyrna James Knight, Wycliffe College, University of TorontoInteraction among Religious Groups in Sardis and Smyrna9. ""Caring for All the Weak"": Polytheist and Christian Charity in Sardis and Smyrna Steven C. Muir, Concordia University College, Edmonton10. Martyrdom: In Accordance with the Gospel Wayne O. McCready, University of Calgary11. Among Gentiles, Jews, and Christians: Formation of Christian Identity in Melito of Sardis Reidar Aasgaard, University of Oslo, Norway12. Acquaintances, Supporters, and Competitors: Evidence of Inter-Connectedness and Rivalry among the Religious Groups in Sardis Keir E. Hammer, University of Toronto, and Michele Murray, Bishop's UniversityBroadening the Context13. Down the Road from Sardis: Adaptive Religious Structures and Religious Interaction in the Ancient City of Priene Michele Murray, Bishop's University14. Urbanization in the Roman East and the Inter-Religious Struggle for Success Jack N. Lightstone, Concordia University, MontréalConclusionReligious Coexistence, Co-operation, Competition, and Conflict in Sardis and Smyrna Richard S. Ascough, Queen's University, KingstonNotesWorks CitedModern Authors IndexAncient Sources IndexSubject Index

``A refreshing, informative, and provocative collection of essays addressing the complex relationships among religious groups in two of the most important urban centres of the Greco-Roman world. In contrast to many other studies, these essays take seriously the local contexts of ancient religions--including geography, economics, and politics--and thereby challenge some of the basic assumptions with which scholars often approach this topic. Religious Rivalries and the Struggle for Success in Sardis and Smyrna is testimony to the groundbreaking scholarship taking place in biblical studies in Canada.'' -- Adele Reinhartz, Wilfrid Laurier University, author of -- 200503