| Acknowledgments | |
| Abbreviations | |
| Introduction: Origin Stories as Authorizing Discourse | 3 |
| Ch. 1 | Tracing Procreation: The Origins of Origin Stories | 21 |
| Ch. 2 | The Social Force of Metaphors for Procreation | 32 |
| Ch. 3 | Sowing Knowledge: Procreation and Pedagogy | 50 |
| Ch. 4 | Defending Teaching Methods with Procreative Language | 69 |
| Ch. 5 | "Few Are Like Their Fathers": The Rhetoric of Genealogy and Intra-Christian Polemic | 79 |
| Ch. 6 | Allegiance to the "True Father": Kinship Metaphors as Border Discourse | 95 |
| Ch. 7 | A Rhetoric of Christian Unity: Christians as Children of the Father of All | 107 |
| Ch. 8 | Paideia and the Paidagogos | 119 |
| Ch. 9 | Perfect Children: Drinking the Logos-Milk of Christ | 131 |
| Ch. 10 | "The Milk of the Father": "Only Those Who Suckle This Breast Are Truly Blessed" | 149 |
| Conclusion: Reflections on the Future of Origin Stories | 180 |
| Select Bibliography | 185 |
| Index of Ancient Passages Cited | 205 |
| General Index | 215 |
