Essay questions for THU612 2018-2019.
Version: 09/04/19
Answer one of the questions, below.
If you wish, you may also set your own question. It’s strongly advised that you consult Tom if you
want to do this; he is happy to work with you to draft a good question. t.hunt@newman.ac.uk
1. What do the Sayings of the Desert Fathers show us about the religions of late antiquity?
2. “What light do [the Holy Man’s] activities throw on the values and functioning of a society
that was prepared to concede him such importance?” (Brown, “Rise and Function…”, p.80)
3. What is a ‘scriptural galaxy’ and how does the phrase help us to understand the
transformation of religions in late antiquity?
4. “Late antique religions are religions of the book.” What does this sentence mean and is it
correct?
5. What can written sources from late antiquity tell us about gender in late antique religions?
6. What was the role of asceticism in shaping models of social relationships in late antiquity?
7. Drawing on two primary sources discussed in this module, show how asceticism became a
marker of social identity for highly literate Christians in late antiquity.
8. Why did celibate men become so interested in the virginity of women in late antiquity?
9. Is Islam a religion of late antiquity?
10. To what extent is the early Islamic community distinct from other late antique religious
groups
