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This textbook provides a balanced, critical overview of the history, literature, and religious diversity of Early Christianity.
List of contents
Part I. Historical and Religious Background: 1. Introduction; 2. Jews among Greeks and Romans; 3. Basic Second Temple Judaism; 4. Varieties of Second Temple Judaism; 5. Jewish hopes for the future; 6. Hellenistic religion, philosophy, and world-view; 7. An overview of early Christian history; 8. The making of the New Testament; Part II. Jesus and the Gospels: 9. Introduction to the Gospels; 10. The synoptic problem; 11. The Gospel of Mark; 12. The Gospel of Matthew; 13. The Gospel of Luke; 14. The Gospel of John; 15. The apocryphal Jesus; 16. The quest for the historical Jesus; Part III. Acts: 17. The book of Acts; Part IV. Pauline Christianity: 18. Paul, his letters, and his churches; 19. Gentiles and the law (1): Galatians; 20. Gentiles and the law (2): Romans; 21. Problems of church life: 1 Corinthians; 22. Problems of church life: 2 Corinthians; 23. The imminent parousia: 1 and 2 Thessalonians; 24. Prison Epistles (1): Philippians and Philemon; 25. Prison Epistles (2): Colossians and Ephesians; Part V. Judaic Christianity: 26. Judaic Christianity; 27. The letter of James; 28. The Didache; Part VI. Gnostic Christianity: 29. Gnostic Christianity; 30. The Gospel of Thomas; Part VII. Proto-Orthodox Christianity: 31. Proto-Orthodox Christianity; 32. Conflict in the church (1): pastoral epistles; 33. Conflict in the church (2): Jude and 2 Peter; 34. Conflict in the church (3): Johannine Epistles; 35. Conflict in the church (4): letters of Ignatius; 36. Conflict in the church (5): 1 Clement; 37. Relation of Christianity to Judaism (1): Hebrews; 38. Relation of Christianity to Judaism (2): Epistle of Barnabas; 39. Conflict with the Roman world (1): 1 Peter; 40. Conflict with the Roman world (2): Revelation; Appendixes: Appendix 1. Lucian on sacrifices; Appendix 2. The Essenes; Appendix 3. Jewish messianic hopes; Appendix 4. Divine humans and their births; Appendix 5. Apotheoses; Appendix 6. Miracle stories in the ancient world; Appendix 7. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas; Appendix 8. The Gospel of Peter; Appendix 9. The Didache; Appendix 10. Selections from the Gospel of Thomas; Appendix 11. Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans 1-9; Appendix 12. Selections from 1 Clement; Appendix 13. Selections from the Epistle of Barnabas; Appendix 14. Conflict with Rome.
About the author
Delbert Burkett is Seynaeve Professor of Christian Origins at Louisiana State University. He has written or edited a number of books and articles on Jesus, the New Testament title 'Son of Man', and the Synoptic Gospels. He has received several teaching awards and a major research grant. He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature and was elected to the Society for New Testament Studies.
Summary
This book offers an authoritative and accessible introduction to the New Testament and other early Christian literature for anyone interested in the Bible or the origins of Christianity. Designed primarily for undergraduate courses, it provides a balanced, critical overview of the history, literature, and religious diversity of Early Christianity.
