Das Urchristentum by C. F. Georg Heinrici; Die urchristlichen Gemeinden:Sittengeschichtliche Bilder by Ernst von DobschützReview by: Alfred Williams AnthonyThe American Journal of Theology, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Jan., 1903), pp. 149-150Published by: The University of Chicago PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3154357 .

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RECENT THEOLOGICAL LITERA TURE 149

thoroughness as has Dr. Alexander--and very few have done so-- should not discuss the subject of New Testament demonology without first consulting this scholarly and timely book.

LUTHER TRACY TOWNSEND. BOSTON UNIVERSITY,

Boston, Mass.

DAS URCHRISTENTUM. Von C. F. GEORG HEINRICI. Gattingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1902. Pp. viii+ 143. M. 2.40.

DIE URCHRISTLICHEN GEMEINDEN: SITTENGESCHICHTLICHE BIL- DER. Von ERNST VON DOBSCHOTZ. Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1902. Pp. xvi+300. M. 6.

THESE two volumes are supplementary rather than parallel. The former discusses the organic development of Christianity; the latter treats exclusively of the moral life of early Christians.

Heinrici's task is to trace the process by which primitive Chris- tianity became a universal religion, extending its sway over the Roman empire. He sees four stages: (I) The work of Jesus. Jesus' message was universal, rather than national; he required an inner obedience to law, instead of external observance of legal forms; he gave personal access to God, in the place of the intervention of priests, and he taught confidence in God and courage in the discharge of duty, in strong contrast to current pessimistic views of the present and the anxious expectancy with which men faced the future. (2) The consti- tution of Jewish Christianity. Had not Jerusalem been destroyed, Christianity would have been reckoned as but one more Jewish sect, along with the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes, and the Zealots. (3) The origin of gentile Christianity under the preaching of Paul. Paul, endowed with great organizing capacity, was still more remarka- ble for his breadth of view. He favored neither Jewish nor gentile Christians, but was impartial toward both. He insisted upon internal principles, and thus erected the ideal of Christian unity. (4) The tri- umph of Christianity over other religions and philosophies, and its spread as a world-religion. In this division the chief sources of information are the Johannine writings. While Paul conceived the idea of Christian unity, yet the fourth gospel gave to Christianity its expression as a universal religion.

Dobschiitz sets out to harmonize the eulogy of the moral life of early Christians, which is contained in the Apology of Aristides, and

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I50 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY

the reproofs and exhortations to more worthy living, such as are given in the Shepherd of Hermas. He inquires, not after ethics, but con- duct. He examines first the Pauline church. In the different cities the church is in an immoral environment, yet it discountenances

immorality, censures and punishes its members for immoral practices, and strives toward a pure ideal. In its failures it evinces not so much weakness as immaturity. The Jewish Christian church, which is next examined, did not need to develop a new ideal, in opposition to con-

temporary practices, as did gentile Christianity, but to strengthen and

purify the ideals already at hand, derived from the Jewish law. In later gentile Christianity fluctuations are manifest, the stress changing at times from life to doctrine and then from doctrine to life, at times ascetic tendencies from without crowding in upon the ethical princi- ples of the church; and yet the spirit of Christ prevailed, and Chris- tians, compared with their contemporaries, have always exemplified in life loftier ethical principles, with exceptions which have ever been in the minority.

Both of these authors recognize the importance of the fourth gos- pel in the development of the church and the commanding influence of its author, although neither deems the apostle to be the author, Heinrici ascribing its composition to a pupil of the apostle, and Dob-

schiitz ascribing it to the presbyter John. Each in his interpretation

,of primitive conditions is sane and informing. Dobschiitz renders his volume accessible by the addition of two

carefully prepared indexes. ALFRED WILLIAMS ANTHONY.

COBB DIVINITY SCHOOL,

Lewiston, Me.

EIN BISHER UNBEACHTETER APOKRYPHER. BERICHT tBER DIE TAUFE JESU. Nebst

Beitr.igen zur Geschichte der Didas-

kalie der zw6lf Apostel und Erlaiuterungen zu den Darstel-

lungen der Taufe Jesu. Von ADOLF JACOBY. Mit acht Abbildungen. Strassburg: Verlag von Karl J. Triibner, 1902. M. 4.50.

THE hitherto unnoticed apocryphal account of the baptism of

Jesus to which the author refers in this interesting monograph is a frag- ment from an Egyptian source. The author of the monograph thinks

he has made probable, if not certain, that in this fragment we have the

remains of a Didaskalie of the Twelve Apostles, now lost, but of which

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