«My Share of God's Reward» refers to a quote from Ignatius of Antioch speaking of the desired
compensation for his impending martyrdom. The author investigates the roles and widely varying
conceptions of the afterlife presented in early Christian martyrdom accounts and concludes that
personal immortality is integral to the functioning of these texts as the anticipated reward
for a martyr's death. Accordingly the very diverse conceptions of the afterlife presented in
them are indicative of the frequently ignored theological diversity and experimental spirit
prevalent in both early Christianity and late Second Temple Judaism. The discussion also
incorporates a unique definition of martyrdom that recognizes the genealogical and
developmental connections between Christian martyrdom and its antecedents.
