Patronage and Power: A Study of Social Networks in Corinth

by John K. Chow

From 1 Corinthians we know that the church at Corinth was beset by all sorts of problems. Some of these problems resulted from contacts with the pagan world - one member of the church cohabited with his stepmother, one brought a suit against another brother before the pagan magistrate, some ate idolatrous feasts at the pagan temple, and others underwent baptism for the dead. This refreshing and stimulating book seeks to understand the significance of these problems from the perspective of the social structures and conditions of this Graeco-Roman city, and places Paul's response to them in the same context.

230 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1992

Reviews

[Hunter Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated the detailed analysis of the Roman patronage network and how those systems of power deeply impacted both local communities and the church. Chapter 1 is worth the price of the book. For Christians who do not understand the pervasiveness of the ancient patronage system, I recommend this work.

However, I was not convinced by Chow's application of the patronage system to the exegetical questions of 1 Corinthians. Many of his solutions relied on too many interlocking hypotheticals.