Christianizing Egypt: Syncretism and Local Worlds in Late Antiquity

Abstract

In Christianizing Egypt: Syncretism and Local Worlds in Late Antiquity, David Frankfurter endeavors to redefine the term “syncretism” and to apply it to a new methodological framework for analyzing Christianization. The focus of his study is how people in late antique Egyptian culture combined traditional pagan elements with Christian symbols through art, ritual, and written text. While some may disagree with his characterization of “syncretism” and “conversion,” Frankfurter successfully synthetizes an impressive wealth of textual and material culture evidence in his book. He examines evidence ranging from votive objects and visual art to hagiography and other textual accounts of religious rituals, and his thematic organization of these sources lends well to his argument. Frankfurter’s book lays out a useful framework for examining and describing syncretism within the culture while also giving the reader an engaging glimpse into late antique Egypt.Christianizing Egypt is organized thematically around core aspects of late antique Egyptian culture. The first chapter is the most beneficial for researchers outside of Frankfurter’s field, because this chapter cogently outlines his methodology for analyzing syncretism and conversion. Chapter 2 covers the rituals of the domestic sphere, and in particular the importance of female votive objects in prayers for fertility and childrearing. Chapter 3 discusses holy men and their influence as controllers of spiritual power. Frankfurter illustrates how shrines and dwellings of holy men became places of healing, and that the presence of demons or exorcisms proved the power of Christian spiritual leaders. This theme is elaborated in chapter 4, which discusses the importance of shrines as loci of religious activity of many forms. Frankfurter especially focuses on the importance of festivals, as well as divination through incubation, both of which proved the holiness of a location. Chapter 5 delves into the creation of votive objects, textiles, and art, while chapter 6 discusses the creation of manuscripts and other religious works. Interestingly, Frankfurter focuses more on the artisans than their products in these chapters, discussing how the act of creation imbued an object with special power and conveyed the meaning the object had in the mind of the recipient. The final chapter discusses the importance of landscape for late ancient spirituality, wherein Frankfurter both summarizes and elaborates on earlier points to build a comprehensive picture of the culture.There are many commendable elements of this book, most notably the wealth of sources Frankfurter uses. His chapters on home votive objects and artisans were especially evocative in this regard, because he utilized numerous visual elements of religious practice to depict the lives of ordinary men and women in late Antique Egypt. He gave the items context, both to written descriptions of rituals such as dances and to how these items were valued by individuals and artisans. As well, his employment of both written and archeological evidence masterfully enhanced his discussions in every chapter.One of the major strengths of this book is also one of its weaknesses. Frankfurter endeavors throughout the book to use the term “syncretism” in a unique way. He describes syncretism as a “creative process,” combining elements of paganism with “true Christianity” (11, 15). He therefore sets up a contrast between “conversion” and “syncretism,” showing where the “pagan holdouts” remained within the culture (3–4). Frankfurter is not alone in the use of this contrast, but since his argument rests largely on this concept, it is necessary to critique how Frankfurter specifically uses it in his analysis. This contrast between “syncretism” and “conversion” reflects the written evidence of the period by Christian authors and hagiographers. The problem lies in the fact that these assumptions are not adequately contextualized in a robust way, which sets up a false dichotomy between the “syncretism” practiced by the local population and the concept of “conversion” articulated by educated Christians within the institutional church. Frankfurter has all the sources necessary to make an excellent critique of both the local rituals and the commentators of these rituals, but in the present work he does not go quite far enough in addressing the assumptions of his sources.In sum, Christianizing Egypt does a marvelous job of vivifying the lives of ordinary Christians in late antique Egypt. His unique utilization of the term “syncretism” brings together a wealth of resources on conversion during the late antique period, which illustrates that the culture blended Christian and non-Christian elements into distinctive forms of worship and practice. This book represents a significant contribution to the literature, and it will surely stimulate discussion among scholars for years to come.