Plutarch of Chaeronea and the 'Epistle of James' on communal behaviour (Between the Greek cultural elite and the early Christian community)

Despite the obvious differences between Plutarch's parties and James's chur ches, a careful look at the opening "Proslemata" of Plutarch's "Quaestiones convivales" sheds a helpful light upon the issues addressed in the "Epistl e of James". In both texts, the problems of quarrels, equitable seating arr angements and communal leadership are brought to the fore out of an assiduo us concern for harmony. Nonetheless, unlike Plutarch, James does not ground his prescriptions for congregational peace in the friendship of the commun ity but in ethical norms set up by god.