terms, titles, or concepts as if their meaning and context were totally unknown or still to be defined. I am hardly seeking to present yet another historical reconstruction of what the early church did or did not believe. Quite the contrary, it should be clear, given my previous statements, that I assume that such scriptural usage presupposes a basic Christian faith, as that is understood not by historians so much as the church’s own tradition. I understand my project as building on that basic understanding,