Journal: Tyndale Bulletin
Volume: TYNBUL 45:1 (NA 1994)
Article: Early Christianity In Transjordan
Author: Bastian Van Elderen

TynBul 45:1 (1994) p. 97

Early Christianity In Transjordan

Bastiaan Van Elderen

Summary

Considerable archaeological field work is currently being conducted in the area of the Decapolis, including the author’s involvement in the excavations of Abila. This article reviews the few references to northern Transjordan in the New Testament and the references in early Christian literature which suggest that Jewish Christianity flourished in Transjordan in the early Christian centuries. Archaeological evidence indicates a rich floruit of Byzantine Christianity in Transjordan. A study of literary allusions relating to this area and the current archaeological work promise new light on this little-known phase of early Christianity.

One of the blank pages in ancient church history is the beginning stages of the movement of Christianity to the east. The movement of Christianity as presented in the Acts of the Apostles was to the west. Nothing is reported about the movement of Christianity to the south apart from the report of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch; or of the movement to the east apart from the report of Christians in Damascus whom Saul sought to apprehend. On the other hand, there are some scattered references in the literature of the early church. In view of increasing archaeological work in the Transjordan area it may be useful to assemble some of these data from the literary sources to provide a framework in which to evaluate this current and future archaeological work.

Perhaps a word of caution is in order first of all. Archaeological data relating to pre-Constantinian Christianity are extremely limited. To a certain extent this is understandable, since prior to the Edict of Toleration in the early fourth century Christianity was a proscribed religion. Hence, many Christian activities had to be covert and there was little or no public evidence of Christian architecture. Thus, in excavating a pre-Constantinian site it is virtually

TynBul 45:1 (1994) p. 98

impossible to identify with certainty Christian remains. Perhaps the major exception is the house-church uncovered at Dura Europos dating from the middle of the third century.

On the other hand, after the Edict of Toleration there was a huge flurry of church building. Churches, shrines, and Christian cemeteries from this period are found throughout the Mediterranean world. Transjordan is no exception. Remains of numerous churches, often with colourful mosaic floors and massive architecture, from the fifth to the seventh centuries are found throughout this area. Practically every village had a church and in numerous places there were multiple churches; for example, at Madaba there were as many as 14 churches, at Jerash at least 14 churches, at Um el-Jemal 14...