Contested Domains and Enabling Conditions in the Conflicts between the Early Christian Mission and Non-Jews according to the Book of Acts

Abstract:While at first sight the early Christian proclamation of Jesus of Nazareth as God's Messiah seems to have been the contentious issue between the Christian missionaries and some of those who heard and experienced them, a close reading of the book of Acts indicates that other contested domains were involved and more prominent. While Paul and his travel companions face Jewish resistance regularly, there are only a few incidents of resistance from non-Jews. Why would polytheistic non-Jews—for whom, tongue in cheek, one more divine figure should not have been problematic—employ questionable means and mobilise others against the early Christian missionaries? Drawing on recent theorising about religious conflicts in antiquity (in particular W. Mayer), this article analyses the conflict accounts in Acts 16 and 19. It identifies the contested domains between the missionaries and their opponents and studies the enabling factors, that is, the means available to both sides involved. The article also notes traces of de-escalation and conflict resolution and references to peaceful co-existence and co-operation as well as transition and assimilation. In closing, the article discusses how these conflict accounts contribute to the purpose of Acts of presenting a narrative defence of Paul and his disputed mission to Jews and non-Jews, and the implications of having such accounts in the scriptural heritage of the church.