Status Updates From Ancient Christian Martyrdom

I've just finished. What a book the last chapter was a very detailed examination pertaining to the vernacular of voluntary martyrdom;how we can define it, if at all; and finally whether voluntary martyrdom existed as a subset to the category of martyrdom itself.

Book continues with an examination of Alexandrian Christianity, which, incidentally has proved to be most informative so far! :)

The book continues on to look at Justin the Martyr (Christian use of the philosophical death); The martyrdom of Paul; The Martyrs of Lyon & Vienne and finally the Martyrdom in North Africa (Scillitian Martyrs). All very interesting so far. Moss utilises an exceedingly accessible style. Braking down chapters into subsections to help progress her argument (makes it clear & concise).

Chapter 1: Continues on in the same vein from the introduction. It examines in further detail the various cultural trends that helped to define Christian approaches to martyrdom. Chapter 2: Looks at the works attributed to Justin The Martyr and the school of his disciples and their contribution to the debate of what martyrdom should constitute to be true marker of Christian identity.

The introduction to this book is really very well thought out and methodical. It list all the various approaches to the topic of 'antique martyrdom' in modernity. It also provides a brief description of the cultural milieu/ cultural vernacular of the Pagan and Jewish worlds. Which Moss plans to argue had a great deal of influence on the development of Christian approaches to martyrdom.