Making Christians

Rating:
Summary: Important account of the emergence of Christianity identity
Review: Buell offers an interpretation of Clement of Alexandria that at first sight seems trendy. In considering the question of how second-century Christians vied with each other in seeking to produce an authoritative discourse of Christian identity, she examines the use of the language of procreation and kinship. Following the lead of such scholars as Elaine Pagels, Buell questions the legitimacy of the distinction between orthodoxy and heresy, and so is able to look afresh at Clement. Even if one does not agree with the rejection of the distinction, one must admire Buell's close examination of the text without preconceived notions. In examining the metaphors that Clement uses, metaphors of procreation and generation, Buell argues that Clement's language, especially his use of paternal imagery, was a way to separate the true Christians from those who were heretical. In using kinship language, the Alexandrian Christians set off what is legitimate, i.e. those who were related to the true Father, from those whose paternity was in question. All Christians are children, but they are children who represent different levels of spiritual advancement. In her close study of Clement's use of imagery, Buell shows that he uses natural imagery--procreation, lactation, paternity, maternity and sexual difference--to bolster his view of Christianity, and argue against competing views, particularly that of the Gnostics. Buell is at her best when she examines the text closely, which she does in chapters nine and ten, which treat of the first three books of the Clement's Paidagogos. She treats at length Clement's four interpretations of 1 Corinthians 3:2 ("I gave you milk to drink, as infants in Christ, not solid food, for you were not yet capable of it, neither are you able to now.") This biblical passage, Buell argues, fits well with Clement's argument, because it speaks of infants (nepoi). It also fits into the currents of discourse among second-century Alexandrian Christians, where this and other Pauline passages which speak of the spiritual ones and the fleshly ones were used in the debate about baptism and salvation, and heterodoxy and orthodoxy. It also resonates with the baptismal imagery that Clement had already used. Finally, the image of milk gives Clement a multi-valent image for his argument, since blood was seen as the underlying essence of breast milk. Buell tries to elucidate the use of natural imagery as a way for Clement to promote his version of Christianity as the right one. She argues that we must avoid being drawn in by his imagery into seeing the power-relationships of early Christianity as natural. By ignoring the traditional distinction between heterodox and orthodox, Buell is able to examine what the second-century writers shared in common. Her effort is to examine how early Christians saw themselves, what lay behind their arguments for legitimacy, and in so doing to re-examine the history of early Christianity in order to come to a possible reinterpretation of Christian origins. MAKING CHRISTIANS is certainly a challenging book that deserves attention, even if one ultimately rejects her conclusions.

Rating:
Summary: Flashes of brilliance
Review: Who is Denise Kimber Buell? The curious party may find him or herself no closer to an answer after completing this excellent volume. The journey, therefore, becomes the joy: after a couple of chapters I began to catch myself daydreaming about ancient Alexandria, musing aloud to my coworkers on the curious intricacies of kinship, and endlessly humming the book's theme song, as performed by the lovely Chattle Sisters of West Virginia. Certainly, this is a surprisingly engaging read about history, which, as we all know, happened in the past. It's also a surprisingly engaging read about gender studies, which, as we all know, only concern people on college campuses. (As the old line goes, there wouldn't be any communists left in America if it weren't for the academy.) But who is Denise Kimber Buell? What makes her tick? When will she publish the sequel? (I'm rooting for a heartfelt historical novel about Thoreau, the Origen of the 19th century, but that's just me.) And who are these "Christians" she keeps talking about? Sadly, these questions are left unanswered.