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Book Review - Christian Identity in Corinth: A Comparative Study of 2 Corinthians, Epictetus & Valerius Maximus

V. Henry T. Nguyen, Christian Identity in Corinth: A Comparative Study of 2 Corinthians, Epictetus & Valerius Maximus, Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament, Series 2 (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2008); ISBN-13: 9783161496660; xii + 272 pp.

This impressive book is the revised version of a doctoral thesis completed at the University of Aberdeen in 2007. It examines the concept of social identity through the term persona/πρόσωπον in the work of Paul, Epictetus and Valerius Maximus. The inspiration for undertaking this study came from the author’s observation of the Pauline usage of the word πρόσωπον in several passages in the Epistles and especially in 2 Corinthians 5.12: ‘ἵνα ἔχητε πρὸς τοὺς ἐν προσώπῳ καυχωμένους καὶ μὴ ἐν καρδίᾳ’. A critique of the superficiality of values amongst the elite of the Greaco-Roman city of Corinth was essential in establishing the Pauline message. Yet in order for us to appreciate the full meaning of this critique, it is necessary to grasp the concept of Roman social identity in the first place, as well as the critique of aspects of this identity from within. That is what the author has done, dedicating the first part of his book to the study of social identity in the work of Valerius Maximus and Epictetus.

Firstly, Valerius Maximus provides an example from Rome itself. A great stress was placed on persona within Roman society, and a projection of persona on all aspects of public life was an important part of being Roman. Not surprisingly, Valerius’s work Facta et dicta, designed to give moral guidance to Roman citizens, is greatly concerned with persona. It provides us with a Roman criticism of the superficial aspects of persona very useful in itself and also for comparative purposes. In this work, Valerius Maximus gives one thousand examples of acts and sayings of famous personalities for moral edification, divided in ‘virtues’ and ‘vices’. In his task he follows the lead of Herodotus, Thucydides, Sallust and others, who also used examples from the past. A preface gives Valerius’s rationale and Romano-centric view of the world. In criticizing the superficial aspects of persona, Valerius shows his concern for what he perceives to be a crisis in Roman identity, which led to a greater emphasis on appearance and vanity within Roman society.

Secondly, Epictetus, although he had experiences of Rome in his early life as a slave, serves as a representative of the Roman East, for the purposes of the study. The historian Arrian was a pupil of Epictetus in the city of Nicopolis (near modern-day Preveza) where the philosopher taught. Following the example of Socrates and of his own teacher, the Stoic Musonius Rufus, Epictetus did not write any of his teaching down. It is thanks to Arrian who recorded them that they are preserved to us. Arrian collected the teachings of Epictetus in eight books, known as Discourses or Dissertationes, only four of which survive. He also made an introductory summary of the teachings in an epitome, the Encheiridion. It is noticeable that although Arrian wrote most of his works in the Attic dialect and one, Indica, in Herodotus’s Ionian, he chose the Hellenistic Koine to convey the message of Epictetus. This indicates a desire to have the works read by the common people, and also may point to a genuine effort to keep to his teacher’s words as closely as possible. Unlike Valerius Maximus, who accepts Roman values provided that they are properly adhered to, Epictetus is at best indifferent to them. For Valerius the exemplar of the ideal person is the Roman emperor, for Epictetus, as it was also for many Stoic philosophers, the exemplar is Socrates. Therefore, Epictetus displays an apathy towards conventional values and replaces them with the moral code of Stoicism.

Another person Epictetus admired, however, was the Cynic philosopher Diogenes. Epictetus admires the extreme asceticism of the Cynics but he does not maintain that this is a path that is suitable for everyone. Cynic philosophy was akin to Stoicism, with the latter having adopted many of the more moderate aspects of Cynicicm. Equally importantly for this study, Cynicism had a heavy influence on the lifestyle of the early Christians. In line more with the Cynics than with the Stoics, Paul demands from every Christian to follow the hardest path, to deny conventional values and become Christ-like. In this, like the Cynics, his position is non-negotiable. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians comes as a reply to criticisms of the Corinthians against Paul. The Corinthians had accused Paul of weakness when he was with them and of strength when he was away (writing to them), in other words of a weak conventional persona. The distinction between πρόσωπο and καρδία comes as his answer to this criticism. Socio-economic differences were at play between the Christians of Corinth, too, with wealthier Corinthians receiving better quality of food at common meals than poorer citizens. This was in accordance with Roman custom and is greatly challenged by Paul.

The nuances of the relationships between the moral systems of belief discussed in this book may lead to further scholarly work. V. Henry T. Nguyen has already identified four areas of further study on the concept of persona. These are: a) departure from Pauline texts and the exploration of other New Testament books; b) the inclusion of Seneca, Plutarch, Petronius and Dio Chrysostom into the debate; c) the study of Valerius Maximus and Epictetus in conjunction with other New Testament books; and finally d) further socio-historical enquiries in 2 Corinthians.

In this book, its author has set out a dual goal: to make a significant contribution to what is called in German scholarship Antike und Christentum, that is ‘the profitable use of ancient sources by New Testament scholars’ and also to Christentum und Antike, ‘the use of the early Christian sources by classicists for supplemental information and new insights into ancient history’. He has enjoyed overwhelming success in both, offering to the academic community a work that should be studied with equal fervour by classicists and early Christian scholars alike. An extensive bibliography and indices of Ancient Sources (1. Old Testament; 2. New Testament; 3. Other Greek and Latin), Modern Authors, and Subjects and Key Terms, complete this work. These supplementary resources, together with its clear and stylish prose and good organisation are sure to make this book invaluable for teachers and students alike.