Conflict at Rome: Social Order and Hierarchy in Early Christianity - Softcover

"This book makes a solid contribution to our understanding of social conflicts among Christians in the Roman church of the second century. Jeffers utilizes recent studies of the nature of sects and applies these findings to the churches represented by Clement and Hermas. His conclusions are enlightening and convincing, with the added dimension of giving us insights into the emergence of the Roman hierarchy."

Utilizing archeological evidence and an analysis of two early Christian texts related to the church at Rome, James S. Jeffers offers a penetrating glimpse into the economic, social, and theological tensions of early Roman Christianity. Clement and the Shepherd of Hermas are shown to represent two decidedly conflicting conceptions of Christianity and hierarchy: Clement represents the social elite and a more structured approach to church organization, and Hermas displays a tendency toward sectarianism. Photographs and line drawings illustrate archeological evidence.