The Ransom of the Soul: Afterlife and Wealth in Early Western Christianity

Beginning with a backdrop comparison of Christian views on the soul's progression into the afterlife in the second and third centuries to the seventh century CE, Brown (history, Princeton Univ.; Through the Eye of a Needle) discusses early Christian beliefs concerning the afterlife, connections between the living and the dead, and how the living could help the dead. Pulling from numerous historical sources, Brown lists the evolving ideas Christians such as Augustine of Hippo and Gregory of Tours held on how the living could help souls toward heaven, particularly via material wealth, while providing historical context for these principles and their effects on society and Christian theology. Topics explored include the concept of "treasure in heaven," values and practices in remembrance of the dead, connections between almsgiving and sin, socioeconomic factors surrounding patronage to monastic settlements, and more.