This essay should be ca. 1200-1600 words (please include the word count of your essay)
.
– [ ] In the first part of your essay, you should discuss the topic of persecution in early Christianity with reference to key texts in 1 Peter and Horrell (see esp. 53-60).
– [x] a) sketch out the specific scenarios of suffering that Horrell identifies (53-54)
– [ ] b) identify the specific things about Christians beliefs and practices that could have aroused the hostility of their nonChristian neighbors (55)
– [ ] c) identify the two points regarding the suffering of early Christians about which there is agreement among different interpreters (class lecture L-08a)
– [ ] d) sketch out the position of Elliott on suffering in 1 Peter (56)
– [ ] e) explicate in greater detail the opposing position of Horrell, showing how and why he takes a different view than Elliot (56-59)
– [ ]
– [ ] In the second part of your essay, you should then discuss Horrells analysis of the extent to which 1 Peter contains elements of conformity and resistance (pp. 77-95 + handouts).
– [ ] a) very briefly present the contrasting approaches of Balch and Elliott (p. 78-81, esp. 80)
– [ ] b) very concisely present Horrells view of the function of the household codes (81-85, esp. 84). Then, you should discuss in greater detail the ways in which Horrell discerns elements of resistance in c) the frame of the letter in conjunction with 2:4-10 (85-86) (mention he sided with Balch in that the codes promote conformity & resistance in 2:4-10 and 2:13-17)
– [ ] d) 2:13-17, providing a careful analysis of his interpretation of the implications of specific details of this 2:13-17 and explaining the role that Horrell assigns to the later martyr accounts in the development of his argument (86-89)
– [ ]
– [ ] Finally, you should sketch out how Horrell appeals to James Scott and Postcolonial studies as a way of moving beyond the Balch-Elliott debate (94)
– [ ] a) concisely identify what it is about Scotts research that Horrell finds relevant for the interpretation of 1 Peter
– [ ] b) briefly explain why Horrell thinks Postcolonial criticism provides a toolkit that is more useful than the social-scientific resources used by Balch and Elliott.
– [ ] c) Then, you discuss in greater detail what Horrell finds useful about Homi Babbhas concept of hybridity, and, specifically, the way in which he suggests that it is relevant for analyzing the significance of the name Christian in 1 Peter (94-95 and 90-91
– [ ] d) Finally, explain why Horrell chooses the phrase Polite Resistance to describe his own interpretation of 1 Peters stance toward the empire.(94-95)