The Early Evolution of Christian Philanthropy

FAIN: FA-58215-15

Daniel Folger Caner
University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT 06269-9000)

This book project explores the elaboration of Christian philanthropy and role of church and monastic wealth in promoting an ideal social order in the Roman Empire of the East ca. 350-650 CE ("Early Byzantium"). Using history, philology and gift theory, it explains how and why Christian authorities conceptualized and applied five distinct types of gifts (alms, charity, blessings, fruit-bearings, offerings) to meet a spectrum of religious needs and facilitate different modes of social interaction in a period of great change. Besides establishing the specific relationships, responsibilities, resources and practical challenges associated with each type of gift, the resulting monograph "The Rich and the Pure: Christian Gift and Religious Society in Early Byzantium" will offer a new social and religious history of the first complex Christian society, and an original analytical basis for studying ideals of stewardship and social welfare in later monotheistic societies.

Associated Products

The Rich and the Pure: Philanthropy and the Making of Christian Society in Early Byzantium (Book)
Title: The Rich and the Pure: Philanthropy and the Making of Christian Society in Early Byzantium
Author: Daniel Caner
Abstract: As the Roman Empire broke down in western Europe, its stability and prosperity moved decisively to the east, producing history's first truly affluent, multi-faceted Christian society, in what is now known as the Byzantine Empire. What united the twenty-four million people living in this vast realm--Roman citizens all, but as diverse as the landscape itself--was a shared conviction in the Christian ideal of philanthrōpia. In this sweeping cultural and social history of Christian philanthropy, Daniel Caner shows this practice involved more than simply a love of humanity; it required living up to Jesus's injunction to 'Give to all who ask of you' by offering mercy and material aid to every human being, whatever their origin or status. Yet this commitment to the common good arose in an aristocratic society marked by sharp gradations of rank and privilege and dominated by an official church experiencing explosive growth and unprecedented affluence. In tracking the evolution of distinctive ideals and modes of Christian giving over three centuries, Caner brings to the fore the people of Byzantium, from the countryside to the lower levels of urban society to the elites, and the complex, hierarchical relationships that these gifts fostered among them. Drawing on an immense range of evidence, The Rich and the Pure offers nothing less than a portrait of the whole of early Byzantine society.
Year: 2021
Primary URL: https://www.worldcat.org/title/1221013833
Publisher: University of California Press
Type: Single author monograph
ISBN: 9780520381599
Copy sent to NEH?: No

Prizes

The Philip Schaff Prize
Date: 10/1/2022
Organization: American Society of Church History
Abstract: This prize annually honors the best book in the history of Christianity by a North American scholar published in the prior calendar year.

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