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Imitation in Early Christianity: Mimesis and Religious-Ethical Formation
What did exhortations to “follow Jesus” or “imitate Christ” mean to early Christians?
Cornelis Bennema examines mimesis as a religious-ethical concept in early Christianity—the imitation of Jesus (and other exemplars) to become a better, more Christlike person. Situating appeals for imitation in the New Testament and Apostolic Fathers within the cultural and social context of the broader Greco-Roman world, Bennema shows how early Christian mimesis was not about literal replication, but instead was a creative, cognitive, and transformative means for shaping conduct and character.
As part of this study, Bennema explores key questions about the historic origins of early Christian mimesis; the language that early Christian authors used to articulate the concept of mimesis; the scope, nature, and workings of mimesis in each major section of early Christian literature; and how early Christians navigated the challenges of imitating exemplars (such as Paul or Jesus) who were not physically present. Offering well-researched answers to these questions, Bennema provides readers with a nuanced and informative picture of exhortations to imitation in the New Testament and Apostolic Fathers.
Cornelis Bennema examines mimesis as a religious-ethical concept in early Christianity—the imitation of Jesus (and other exemplars) to become a better, more Christlike person. Situating appeals for imitation in the New Testament and Apostolic Fathers within the cultural and social context of the broader Greco-Roman world, Bennema shows how early Christian mimesis was not about literal replication, but instead was a creative, cognitive, and transformative means for shaping conduct and character.
As part of this study, Bennema explores key questions about the historic origins of early Christian mimesis; the language that early Christian authors used to articulate the concept of mimesis; the scope, nature, and workings of mimesis in each major section of early Christian literature; and how early Christians navigated the challenges of imitating exemplars (such as Paul or Jesus) who were not physically present. Offering well-researched answers to these questions, Bennema provides readers with a nuanced and informative picture of exhortations to imitation in the New Testament and Apostolic Fathers.
464 pages, Hardcover
Published March 20, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 4, 2025
I heard Dr. Bennema on the OnScript podcast and decided that I needed to read this book. It's a fantastic and thorough bit of research on the concept of Imitation as situated in the New Testament and more broadly through early Christianity. I'll be using some of this research in my own studies.
May 5, 2025
With this thoroughly argued study of imitation in early Christianity (the NT and the Apostolic Fathers), Bennema concludes that imitation was essential to moral understanding of the Johannine and Pauline corpus of the NT. Worth reading for anyone interested in the moral understanding of early Christianity.
May 16, 2025
seminal. So glad to have this aid as I think through this topic.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews