![]() ” Though, on occasion, there is a derogatory nuance (slander?), thus “ Ethnic outsider” may sometimes be preferable. ‘Gentile’ (gentilis) is a Latin carry-over word meaning “of a family or nation, of the same clan.” The Latin Vulgate used it to translate ethnos but in English it has come to be understood mainly as “non-Jew.”Ī better translation for ethnos would be “ Ethnic other. The word usually translated as “Gentile” is ethnos (sometimes Hellēnistēs). ![]() Ethnic identity allowed a person to know which group(s) they belonged to, which group(s) they were excluded from, and which people(s) they should stay away from.Įxamples of Ethnic identities in the New Testament: Jews, Greeks, Syrophoenician, Romans, Samaritans, Cretans, Barbarians, Scythians, Ethiopian, Persian (Magi), Canaanite, Syrian etc. They were powerfully aware of their ethnos and formed much of their life around it. The designation of people into ethnos is a key way they communicated about themselves. įor the ancients, one’s ethnicity ( greek = ethnos ) was core to their existence, shaping their politics, economics, daily practices, family life and religion. The bible does not promote ethnic erasure, amalgamation or “blindness,” rather, it points toward the ultimate redemption of all ethnic groups and celebrates the diversity of humanity as a means of putting the wisdom of God on display.Ī nation, a people, a large group based on various cultural, physical or geographic ties. “The Holy Spirt emerges as the central figure in the formation of a new social identity that affirms yet chastens and transcends ethnic identity.” Click here for a copy of the original handout.įor more discussion on Ethnicity in the Bible, check out this podcast by Pastor Caleb and this deep dive study of Ethnicity in Acts. This content was originally presented as a group study. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |