Arthur Darby Nock

British-born classicist and historian of religion, long-time Harvard professor, noted for influential work on ancient religious conversion, including the book "Conversion: The Old and the New in Religion from Alexander the Great to Augustine of Hippo" (1933).

Books

Ranked Books All Books

This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

  1. 1. Early Gentile Christianity And Its Hellenistic Background

    Cover of 'Early Gentile Christianity And Its Hellenistic Background' by Arthur Darby Nock

    Explores how a predominantly non-Jewish movement took shape within the Hellenistic religious and social environment, showing how notions of conversion, salvation, lordship, and communal rites were recast for Gentile audiences. It weighs affinities with mystery cults, popular piety, and philosophical currents while stressing decisive reinterpretation rather than direct borrowing, and highlights the urban missionary setting, voluntary associations, and synagogue-connected “God-fearers” as key conduits of growth.