Blackwell Ancient Religions
Ancient religious practice and belief are at once fascinating and alien for twenty–first–century readers. There was no Bible, no creed, no fixed set of beliefs. Rather, ancient religion was characterized by extraordinary diversity in belief and ritual.
This distance means that modern readers need a guide to ancient religious experience. Written by experts, the books in this series provide accessible introductions to this central aspect of the ancient world.
Published
Ancient Greek Divination
Sarah Iles Johnston
Magic in the Ancient Greek World
Derek Collins
Religion in the Roman Empire
James B. Rives
Ancient Greek Religion, Second Edition
Jon D. Mikalson
Ancient Egyptian Tombs: The Culture of Life and Death
Steven Snape
Exploring Religion in Ancient Egypt
Stephen Quirke
Greek and Roman Religions
Rebecca I. Denova
THE ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY AND THE NEW TESTAMENT
Rebecca I. Denova
University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
This edition first published 2021
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Denova, Rebecca I., author.
Title: The origins of Christianity and the New Testament / Rebecca I. Denova.
Description: Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons, 2021. | Series: Blackwell ancient religions | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Contents: Book : The origins of Christianity and the New Testament -- Studying the historical Jesus -- The history of Israel -- Introduction to the gospels -- The gospel of Mark (the apocalyptic Jesus) -- The gospel of Matthew (The “new Moses”) -- The gospel of Luke (The compassionate Jesus) -- The acts of the Apostles -- The gospel of John (“the stranger from heaven”) -- Historical anomalies in the trial(s) and crucifixion of Jesus -- Jesus and women in the gospels -- Paul, the “apostle to the gentiles” -- Paul and the first Christians -- Women in the Pauline communities -- The other New Testament documents --The revelation of John of Patmos -- The legacy of Jewish-Christian relations -- Glossary.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020058482 (print) | LCCN 2020058483 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781119759621 (paperback) | ISBN 9781119759652 (pdf) | ISBN 9781119759607 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Christianity--Origin. | Jesus Christ--Historicity. | Bible. New Testament--Criticism, interpretation, etc.
Classification: LCC BR129 .D47 2021 (print) | LCC BR129 (ebook) | DDC 270.1--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020058482
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020058483
Cover image: © DEA/V. PIROZZI/Contributor/Getty Images
Cover design by Wiley
Set in 10.5/13pt Minion Pro by Integra Software Services, Pondicherry, India.
CONTENTS
1 Cover
6
Preface
Chapter I: Studying the Historical Jesus
Chapter II: The History of Israel
Excursus I: Introduction to the Gospels
Chapter III: The Gospel of Mark (The Apocalyptic