In the tradition of The First Urban Christians by Wayne Meeks, this book explores the relationshi... more In the tradition of The First Urban Christians by Wayne Meeks, this book explores the relationship between the earliest Christians and the city environment. Experts in classics, early Christianity, and human geography analyze the growth, development, and self-understanding of the early Christian movement in urban settings. The book's contributors first look at how the urban physical, cultural, and social environments of the ancient Mediterranean basin affected the ways in which early Christianity progressed. They then turn to how the earliest Christians thought and theologized in their engagement with cities. With a rich variety of expertise and scholarship, The Urban World and the First Christians is an important contribution to the understanding of early Christianity.
Let it be said at the outset: Jesus and the Victory of God (hereafter JVG) is one of the best boo... more Let it be said at the outset: Jesus and the Victory of God (hereafter JVG) is one of the best books on the historical Jesus-indeed, in NT studies-for years. Tom Wright has thought long and deep before publishing this stimulating, exciting and readable work, and the wait has been worth it. 1 This is not a dull piece of historical criticism which endlessly debates whether Jesus could or could not have said this or that (although it contributes to such discussions): Wright works on a bigger canvas and, in my judgement, manages to cut through much sterile debate by coming at questions in a fresh way. And he writes accessibly and readably-not qualities often associated with this field of study! Good though it is, it is also highly controversial, as a stream of reviews (many with responses by Wright) shows. 2 Wright has been accused of ditching the idea of the 'second coming' of Jesus (on which, see further below), although he himself claims 'eschatology' (carefully defined) as the central theme of the ministry and beliefs of Jesus. The placing of the category of return from exile at the heart of Wright's reading of Jesus, with the claim that the majority of Jews of Jesus' day would have seen themselves as not having really returned from the Babylonian exile of the sixth century BC, has met with lots of questions and discussion. Although we had a shorter work on Jesus in the meantime: N. T. Wright, Who Was Jesus?, London, SPCK 1992, the last chapter of which presaged some of the larger book. In similar manner, the excellent
This innovative volume focuses on the significance of early Christianity for modern means of addr... more This innovative volume focuses on the significance of early Christianity for modern means of addressing poverty, by offering a rigorous study of deprivation and its alleviation in both earliest Christianity and today’s world. The contributors seek to present the complex ways in which early Christian ideas and practices relate to modern ideas and practices, and vice versa. In this light, the book covers seven major areas of poverty and its causes, benefaction, patronage, donation, wealth and dehumanization, ‘the undeserving poor’, and responsibility. Each area features an expert in early Christianity in its Jewish and Graeco-Roman settings, paired with an expert in modern strategies for addressing poverty and benefaction; each author engages with the same topic from their respective area of expertise, and responds to their partner’s essay. Giving careful attention toboth the continuities and discontinuities between the ancient world and today, the contributors seek to inform and engage church leaders, those working in NGOs concerned with poverty, and all interested in these crucial issues, both Christian and not.
Steve Walton offers this extended review of N T Wright's important book The Resurrection of t... more Steve Walton offers this extended review of N T Wright's important book The Resurrection of the Son of God. The book has two main aims: to reassert that the authors of the New Testament believed that Jesus was raised bodily from the dead and to clarify the same authors' understanding of resurrection for those who believe in Jesus. Wright examines the writings of St Paul, especially in the letters to the Corinthians, and of the gospel writers. Although the length of the book might be daunting for most readers, lay or ordained, it is well written and will clarify thinking about resurrection in both academy and church.
In the tradition of The First Urban Christians by Wayne Meeks, this book explores the relationshi... more In the tradition of The First Urban Christians by Wayne Meeks, this book explores the relationship between the earliest Christians and the city environment. Experts in classics, early Christianity, and human geography analyze the growth, development, and self-understanding of the early Christian movement in urban settings. The book's contributors first look at how the urban physical, cultural, and social environments of the ancient Mediterranean basin affected the ways in which early Christianity progressed. They then turn to how the earliest Christians thought and theologized in their engagement with cities. With a rich variety of expertise and scholarship, The Urban World and the First Christians is an important contribution to the understanding of early Christianity.
This article assesses the widespread scepticism about the historical value of the portrait of the... more This article assesses the widespread scepticism about the historical value of the portrait of the earliest Christians sharing their possessions in the early chapters of Acts, and criticises two key claims: first, that Luke believes the earliest believers practised compulsory pooling of possessions by those who became Christians; and second, the assertion that sharing possessions disappears once the mission spreads into Gentile circles. A careful reading of the key passages (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-5:11; 6:1-6) shows that, while there was a remarkable readiness among the believers to share with those in need, there was no compulsion about this. Rather, the principle of holding possessions lightly as God’s stewards guided practice, and this principle also underpins later almsgiving among Christians reported in Acts.
In the tradition of The First Urban Christians by Wayne Meeks, this book explores the relationshi... more In the tradition of The First Urban Christians by Wayne Meeks, this book explores the relationship between the earliest Christians and the city environment. Experts in classics, early Christianity, and human geography analyze the growth, development, and self-understanding of the early Christian movement in urban settings. The book's contributors first look at how the urban physical, cultural, and social environments of the ancient Mediterranean basin affected the ways in which early Christianity progressed. They then turn to how the earliest Christians thought and theologized in their engagement with cities. With a rich variety of expertise and scholarship, The Urban World and the First Christians is an important contribution to the understanding of early Christianity.
Let it be said at the outset: Jesus and the Victory of God (hereafter JVG) is one of the best boo... more Let it be said at the outset: Jesus and the Victory of God (hereafter JVG) is one of the best books on the historical Jesus-indeed, in NT studies-for years. Tom Wright has thought long and deep before publishing this stimulating, exciting and readable work, and the wait has been worth it. 1 This is not a dull piece of historical criticism which endlessly debates whether Jesus could or could not have said this or that (although it contributes to such discussions): Wright works on a bigger canvas and, in my judgement, manages to cut through much sterile debate by coming at questions in a fresh way. And he writes accessibly and readably-not qualities often associated with this field of study! Good though it is, it is also highly controversial, as a stream of reviews (many with responses by Wright) shows. 2 Wright has been accused of ditching the idea of the 'second coming' of Jesus (on which, see further below), although he himself claims 'eschatology' (carefully defined) as the central theme of the ministry and beliefs of Jesus. The placing of the category of return from exile at the heart of Wright's reading of Jesus, with the claim that the majority of Jews of Jesus' day would have seen themselves as not having really returned from the Babylonian exile of the sixth century BC, has met with lots of questions and discussion. Although we had a shorter work on Jesus in the meantime: N. T. Wright, Who Was Jesus?, London, SPCK 1992, the last chapter of which presaged some of the larger book. In similar manner, the excellent
This innovative volume focuses on the significance of early Christianity for modern means of addr... more This innovative volume focuses on the significance of early Christianity for modern means of addressing poverty, by offering a rigorous study of deprivation and its alleviation in both earliest Christianity and today’s world. The contributors seek to present the complex ways in which early Christian ideas and practices relate to modern ideas and practices, and vice versa. In this light, the book covers seven major areas of poverty and its causes, benefaction, patronage, donation, wealth and dehumanization, ‘the undeserving poor’, and responsibility. Each area features an expert in early Christianity in its Jewish and Graeco-Roman settings, paired with an expert in modern strategies for addressing poverty and benefaction; each author engages with the same topic from their respective area of expertise, and responds to their partner’s essay. Giving careful attention toboth the continuities and discontinuities between the ancient world and today, the contributors seek to inform and engage church leaders, those working in NGOs concerned with poverty, and all interested in these crucial issues, both Christian and not.
Steve Walton offers this extended review of N T Wright's important book The Resurrection of t... more Steve Walton offers this extended review of N T Wright's important book The Resurrection of the Son of God. The book has two main aims: to reassert that the authors of the New Testament believed that Jesus was raised bodily from the dead and to clarify the same authors' understanding of resurrection for those who believe in Jesus. Wright examines the writings of St Paul, especially in the letters to the Corinthians, and of the gospel writers. Although the length of the book might be daunting for most readers, lay or ordained, it is well written and will clarify thinking about resurrection in both academy and church.
In the tradition of The First Urban Christians by Wayne Meeks, this book explores the relationshi... more In the tradition of The First Urban Christians by Wayne Meeks, this book explores the relationship between the earliest Christians and the city environment. Experts in classics, early Christianity, and human geography analyze the growth, development, and self-understanding of the early Christian movement in urban settings. The book's contributors first look at how the urban physical, cultural, and social environments of the ancient Mediterranean basin affected the ways in which early Christianity progressed. They then turn to how the earliest Christians thought and theologized in their engagement with cities. With a rich variety of expertise and scholarship, The Urban World and the First Christians is an important contribution to the understanding of early Christianity.
This article assesses the widespread scepticism about the historical value of the portrait of the... more This article assesses the widespread scepticism about the historical value of the portrait of the earliest Christians sharing their possessions in the early chapters of Acts, and criticises two key claims: first, that Luke believes the earliest believers practised compulsory pooling of possessions by those who became Christians; and second, the assertion that sharing possessions disappears once the mission spreads into Gentile circles. A careful reading of the key passages (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-5:11; 6:1-6) shows that, while there was a remarkable readiness among the believers to share with those in need, there was no compulsion about this. Rather, the principle of holding possessions lightly as God’s stewards guided practice, and this principle also underpins later almsgiving among Christians reported in Acts.
This article argues that the true focus of the ‘Acts of the Apostles’ is God and the work and pur... more This article argues that the true focus of the ‘Acts of the Apostles’ is God and the work and purposes God is now carrying out in the world. Four lines of evidence point this way: an analysis of clause and sentence subjects (following Richard Burridge’s work on the Gospels as Graeco-Roman ‘lives’); terms assuming or implying divine action; a consideration of the focus of the speeches (within and outside the believing community, and in a variety of circumstances); and the development and growth of the mission in Acts. Acts thus facilitates and feeds apologetic and evangelistic proclamation, especially in the Gentile world.
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