Sociology of Johannine Christianity

This study uncovers the first-century community dynamics that occurred among the people to whom the Gospel of John is addressed. It first separates early from late passages, then portrays the local social situation around each layer of literary tradition. Following the successive portrayals, the study finds a change from the 'forum' social situation to a 'jurisdictional dispute', and then to a schism between Christians and non-Christians within a local synagogue. Following the schism came the formation of separate Jewish and Christian identities, a high christology among the Christians, and a conformance on the part of part of the Johannines to the practices of other Christian groups. Special discussions focus on Johannine conceptions of ultimacy, the desyncretizing activity among the Johannine Christians, and their similitude of modernity.