De waardering van heidense religie in het Nieuwe Testament in relatie tot de kerstening van Noord- Nederland

The appreciation of gentile religion according to the New Testament in relation to the Christianization of the Northern Netherlands.

The New Testament epistles and Acts are critical about gentile religion, although Rom. 2:14-15 introduces gentiles who do by nature what the law requires and Col. 1:27 might mean that Christ is mysteriously present among them. Ambrose’s and Augustine’s reception of these nuances is briefly assessed. In a few testimonies to the missionary work in the Northern Netherlands gentile virtuousness is acknowledged. Attention is paid to the Frankish imperialism that backed the missionaries and to the absence of such support in Ireland, where missionaries were more inclined to acknowledge natural goodness among gentiles.