En teori om urkristen religion. Reflektioner kring Gerd Theissens bok A Theory o f Primitive Christian Religion

This article presents some reflections from the reading and discussion of Gerd Theissen’s monograph concerning primitive Christian religion. It enters into debate with his scholarly method of dialogue and model of religion, as well as with his view of the primitive Christian sign system and its narrative development. His scientific method cannot be the only legitimate basis or form of mutual dialogue within a pluralistic society. The model of religion which he presupposes also generalizes the priority of the «essence» of religion, thus unduly neglecting the specificity and occasional priority of religious expression and experience. Moreover, Theissen’s emphasis on the creativity of the early Christians in the process of the emerging mythical and ritual sign language does not pay sufficient attention to the tradition historical basis of their cultural sign system. In regard to the ethical sign language, the intricate connections to Greco-Roman ethical sign languages indicate a more complex cultural matrix of ethical thinking and behavior in primitive Christianity than the essentially Jewish one presented by Theissen. The development towards an autonomous Christian sign system was complex. Against Theissen’s presentation of the Gospels as decisive narrative events in that development, it is to be noted that different and subtle forms of narrativity existed before and side by side with the Gospels. In conclusion, and despite these disagreements, the article expresses a sincere admiration of Theissen’s work and rare ability to handle the smaller as well as the larger issues involved in the description of the manifold phenomena and developments of primitive Christian religion.