Die zentrale Rolle des Konflikts in Verkündigung und Handeln Jesu

The aim of this article is to apply some aspects of a theory of conflict to the study of early Christianity. It is our belief that a non secondary result of this application will be a more correct understanding of the many conflicts characterising the Christian origins, revealing the limitations of concepts such as “persecution” or of the "Judaism-Christianity" contraposition. The concept of persecution presuposes an hostility towards Jesus and his followers (who are represented as peacefully preaching love and forgiveness). Within this limiting vision, the responsibility of conflict is attributed to the adversary. On the other hand, the contraposition between Judaism and Christianisty in itself presuposes two distinct religions. The theory of conflicts on the contrary allows here to see the conflicts between Jesus and his adversaries as reciprocal relationship of opposition within the same society