Dr. Paul Burns

Biography

Paul Burns is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies. His teaching and research primarily explore the transformations of intellectual resources within the contexts of Christianity and cultural contexts, particularly focusing on the development of Western culture from the fourth century Common Era. Traditionally, scholars have credited the legislative agenda and public building program of Emperor Constantine as a catalyst for the rapid emergence of Christianity from a persecuted community to one enjoying imperial protection and privilege. His research emphasizes the significant contributions of social historians examining the patterns of Christian responses to this new political status, particularly the enthusiastic appropriation of public policy ideology as represented by figures such as Eusebius of Caesarea. Moreover, he investigates the ascetical movements that represent a rejection of public social values and has recently published studies on the role of women and issues of sexual morality in the writings of Jerome and Ambrose. His work also includes analyses of how Christians sought to present their beliefs within the social and cultural context of Late Antique Rome, employing various cultural resources. His contributions to education have focused on the use of canonical texts in grammatical and rhetorical schools, and he has published articles on keyworks such as Augustine’s Confessions, and he is currently researching the influence of canonical texts on social thought.

Research Interests