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Fifth-Century Views of Conversion: A Comparison of Conversion Narratives in the Church Histories of Sozomen and Socrates Scholasticus

Harris, Kevin Brice
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1364297607

Abstract Details

1998, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, History.
Sozomen and Socrates Scholasticus wrote church histories in the middle of the fifth century A.D. Each history covered the same period, from Constantine to Theodosius II. Sozomen wrote his history after Socrates' and although it tells many of the same stories, some striking dissimilarities can be identified. One way that Sozomen's history differs from Socrates' is in the author's view of conversion from paganism to Christianity. Sozomen's view is more process-oriented and more transformational than Socrates'. In this thesis, Sozomen's and Socrates' views of conversion are explored through an analysis of conversion narratives found in the two histories. After discussing some of the recent scholarship on conversion in late antiquity, I survey various historical views of conversions from Plato (fifth century B.C.) to Rufinus (fourth century A.D.) An examination of the background and sources of Sozomen and Socrates also prepares us for a comparison of the two authors. Then I examine five conversion narratives that both Sozomen and Socrates relate in their histories. For each conversion narrative, I provide the Greek text and an English translation. When the story is clearly derived from Rufinus of Aquilea (another fifth century church historian), I provide the Latin and an English translation of his account as well. By comparing terminology, metaphors and overall narrative style, I analyze the different conversion accounts in order to understand each author's view of conversion. Research on conversion in history has increased recently, but it still relies primarily on autobiographical accounts. This thesis provides a different perspective by analyzing two lay historians who tell stories about conversions in the crucial period just after the conversion of Constantine. These authors' views on conversion inform scholars who research their historiography, but they also provide the historian of the period with some insight into how conversion was perceived. Thus, the implications of this study have ramifications for both historiographical and historical research in the fifth-century Roman empire.
Timothy E. Gregory, Dr. (Advisor)
119 p.
Religious History

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Citations

  • Harris, K. B. (1998). Fifth-Century Views of Conversion: A Comparison of Conversion Narratives in the Church Histories of Sozomen and Socrates Scholasticus [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1364297607

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Harris, Kevin. Fifth-Century Views of Conversion: A Comparison of Conversion Narratives in the Church Histories of Sozomen and Socrates Scholasticus. 1998. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1364297607.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Harris, Kevin. "Fifth-Century Views of Conversion: A Comparison of Conversion Narratives in the Church Histories of Sozomen and Socrates Scholasticus." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 1998. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1364297607

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1364297607
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© 1998, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.