ABSTRACT
In 1975, John Gager raised the issue of ideology in the interpretation of early Christian texts. Asserting that conflict reaches its most intense level when it involves competing ideologies or competing views of the same ideology, he presented three critical moments in the history of early Christianity:
(a) conflict with Judaism over the claim to represent the true Israel;
(b) conflict with paganism over the claim to possess true wisdom;
(c) conflict among Christian groups over the claim to embody the authentic faith of Jesus and the apostles.
