Making Amulets

Without a doubt, all further work on Christian amulets will have to be based and measured against DB's extensive study. * Peter Arzt-Grabner, Biblische Notizen *
The rich textual findings and analytical insights of the intersections between religion and material culture, doctrinal teachings, and faith practices should appeal to specialists and nonspecialists alike. * Christie Chui-Shan Chow, Religious Studies Review *
De Bruyn's book is a substantial contribution to the study of Early Christianity and the formation of ritual practices not necessarily controlled by the institutional church...the impact of de Bruyn's book is expected toextend to disciplines beyond Papyrology and Early Christian Studies * Eirini Afentoulidou, Austrian Academy of Sciences, De Gruyter *
Making Amulets Christian is a valuable addition to this field that has something to offer everyone. Its introductory chapters, especially chapter two, would work well in a graduate level course on ancient magic. Moreover, with its numerous detailed analyses of specific amulets, the book can serve as a rich sourcebook of primary sources. Finally, de Bruyn's contributions to the question of classifying these rituals and his focus on 'lived ancient religion' and agency brings much to the table for future research. * Andrew M. Henry, Ancient Jew Review *
Making Amulets Christian: Artefacts, Scribes, and Contexts is an enjoyable book. Theodore de Bruyn sifts through a vast amount of material and curates a selection from which we can really get a sense of the rich cultural milieu that existed in Egypt in the Late Antique period. The book challenges us to move past envisioning Christianity and the earliest Christian practices in a monolithic manner and instead suggests an immense amount of nuance with variation by time, region, social positioning, and individual interpretation. This is a valuable and worthwhile read for anyone interested in the development of Christianity in Late Antiquity. * Melody Everest, Reading Religion *