Jason Borges

Explore the Archaeological Evidence Behind Early Christianity in Ancient Roman Cities In this fascinating book, Jason Borges offers an original and engaging analysis of life in the Greco-Roman city as seen through its public spaces: ? agoras ? temples ? baths ? prisons ? theaters ? libraries ? cemeteries Drawing on primary sources and archeological evidence, he explores how these seven key civic structures shaped the lives, writings, and theology of early Christians. From lively agoras to magnificent temples and luxurious baths, civic buildings were more than just physical settings for everyday life; they were spaces imbued with social and political meaning. Informed by the author's research and his experience leading tours to ancient sites, this book explores how early Christians interacted with and understood their urban environment. The result is fresh insight into the cultural background of the New Testament and other early Christian writings. Each chapter explains a specific structure, provides an extant example, and discusses its significance for reading the New Testament. The book includes black and white images, informative diagrams, and a foreword by David A. deSilva. This helpful supplementary textbook illuminates the architectural and civic background of the New Testament and early Christianity so that readers can better understand the writings and theology of early Christians.

Travel Among Early Christians approaches intercommunal movement between churches as a valuable source of insights regarding social and theological aspects of early Christianity. Incorporating theories from mobility studies and ancient institutions that facilitated travel, Borges traces how travel functioned as a formative practice among early Christians' group identities, and signified a new cosmic reality regarding their unity in Christ. Borges investigates six specific travel events in Pauline and Ignatian churches, noting how mobility became a distinctive and revealing aspect of early Christianity.

Cultures - Just as fish do not think about water, we humans rarely think about our own culture (unless you happen to be an anthropologist). Fish do not realize just how pervasive water is to their existence until they are removed from it. Then, the absence of water becomes painfully obvious. Likewise, we don't realize how pervasive our culture is until we've been taken out of it and put into another culture. Culture is the operating system running our life. Culture colors the way we see the world. Culture is like a tree with deep roots. Yet, most of culture is hidden below the surface.