Online Texts for Craig White's Literature Courses

  • Not a critical or scholarly text but a reading text for a seminar

  • Changes may include paragraph divisions, highlights, spelling updates, bracketed annotations, & elisions (marked by ellipses . . . )

Early Christianity (Apostolic Era)

 as Communal Utopia

New Testament of Bible,
Book of
Acts, chapter 2: 42, 44, and 45:

Image result for acts 2 community
thanks to https://sacredstoryministries.org/hurricanes-make-community-happen/

Acts, chapter 2: 42, 44, and 45:

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and in fellowship . . . . 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things in common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

Acts, chapter 4: 32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

[Instructor's comment: Such community or communal behaviors survive in churches as "love offerings" or humanitarian action or donations for disaster relief, but evangelical Christianity increasingly aligns  with competitive capitalism.]