TY - BOOK AU - Clemens PP. AU - Jones,F.Stanley TI - The Syriac Pseudo-Clementines: an early version of the first Christian novel T2 - Apocryphes SN - 9782503551111 PY - 2014/// CY - Turnhout PB - Brepols N1 - Include bibliografia e indici N2 - The Syriac ‘Pseudo-Clementines’ available for the first time in any modern language. Of imperial family and eventually Peter’s heir as bishop of Rome, Clement relates here how he happened to become a Christian and how Peter instructed his companions as he refutes the arch-heretic Simon Magus in a series of debates. Clement also recounts the astonishing recovery of his long-lost family. All these events occur in the year of Christ’s death. The ‘Pseudo-Clementines’ were popular reading throughout the Middle Ages in a Latin translation and reemerged in early modern times via vernacular versions and especially the Faust-legend. Often considered the first and only ancient Christian novel, the Pseudo-Clementines originated in Syrian Jewish-Christianity in the early third century. Two ancient Syriac translations from the fourth century reflect Greek texts no longer preserved; they contain the essence of Clement’s biographical account and of Peter’s teachings and debates with Simon. Of particular interest is Peter’s detailed review of the origins of Christianity, which apparently seeks to rebut the canonical Acts of the Apostles and lays the blame for the unbelief of the Jews squarely at the feet of Paul ER -