Carter on Imperial Cult in the Gospel of John

Last week I attended the SBL Southwestern Regional Meeting here in the Fort Worth/Dallas area. One of the sessions I attended was quite stimulating, thought-provoking, and creative. The room was crowded. Some people remained standing throughout the session. Isn't that an obvious thing in John's sessions? Warren Carter, who is Professor of New Testament at Brite Divinity School of Texas Christian University, gave a paper on the Influence of the Imperial Cult on the Gospel of John (his title: "John's Gospel and the Imperial Cult: Encountering John in Ephesus"). The following are his basic arguments:

1. Carter contends that John's Gospel was the work of imperial negotiation in the context of Ephesus. Here he takes the traditional view that John wrote his Gospel in Ephesus.
2- According to Prof. Carter, many of the Johannine christians participated actively in the imperial cult celebrations in Ephesus. Evidently, the latter was a constested issue for later first-century Jesus-believers. He alludes to the book of Revelation (chapters 2 & 3), particularly to the context which John wrote to the seven churches.
3- Further, Carter argues that the author of the fourth Gospel employs a "rhetoric of distance" "to urge more less accommodation and to create an alternative "anti-society" for followers of Jesus crucified by the empire but vindicated by God."
4- Carter appeals to five factors urging distance from Roman imperial society

1) Plot: Jesus crucified by the empire

2) Dualism: creating distance

3) "in the beginning:" appeal to antiquity; one God ( 5:44; 17:3)

4) Social/Economic Distance from temples of sebastoi & Artemis; possibilities?

5) Temple-Community ecclesiology: three possible implication: no traders (Zech
14:21)? Emphasis on lived service? Not iconic (4:20-24)

5- In light of the notion of "negotiating the Imperial cult: Not assume non-participation in imperial cult was universal or normative: (1 Cor 8-10; Acts 15:29; 1 Peter 2:17; Tertullian; Origen)

Frankly, Carter's contribution to Johannine writings and theology demontrates fresh insights, creative arguments into the world of John. What say you?