Introducing the New Testament

Introducing the New Testament presents the complex and often challenging texts and history of the New Testament in a clear and informative manner. The book begins with a section that gives readers a clear idea of how to use it most effectively for study and personal research, followed by a chapter which outlines the various manuscript traditions and processes of transmission that resulted in the biblical texts we have before us today. With this groundwork complete, readers are then introduced to all the texts of the New Testament, and to major issues and debates such as the 'Historical Jesus' the 'Synoptic Problem' and current debates surrounding inspiration - how these texts can be seen in both a historical context and in the context of religious faith. The book features maps, chapter summaries, sample essay questions, chapter bibliographies and reading lists, and an annotated glossary of key terms.

Table of Contents:
Preface How to use this book Introduction 1. A Brief History of Israel 2. How the text came to be: originals and translations 3. The New Testament World: Judea, Galilee, Romans, Hellenism 4. Mark 5. Matthew 6. Luke 7. Acts 8. The Synoptic Problem 9. John 10. The Historical Jesus 11. Pauline Letters (more than one chapter – exact divisions TBD) 12. Pastoral Letters 13. The Letters of John 14. Revelation 15. Inspiration: how these texts are seen to be normative Bibliography Indexes

About the Author :
Henry Wansbrough OSB is a Benedictine Monk of Ampleforth Abbey, and former Master of St Benet's Hall, Oxford. He served on the Pontifical Biblical Commission under Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Currently, Fr Henry is Alexander Jones Professor of Biblical Studies at Liverpool Hope University, UK. His recent publications include The Use and Abuse of the Bible (Continuum 2010) and The Sunday Word (Burns & Oates 2011).

Review :
Henry Wansbrough is excellent company in this tour through the New Testament. He has an easy style, and a gift for conveying technical information with clarity. Into the New Testament comprises compact but thorough pieces on each New Testament book ... An essential guide. Henry Wansbrough, a well-known Roman Catholic New Testament scholar, has produced a book that engagingly summarizes the results of historical-critical study of the New Testament and places them in the context of a robust theological interpretation and straightforward commitment to the truth of the biblical faith in all its variety. [Wansbrough's] ambition should be lauded ... [He maps] out convoluted issues such as the Q hypothesis with elegance and charm ... [T]his is an exceptional work that deserves the place on the reading list of any first-year course on the New Testament. Dom Henry Wansbrough offers a masterly introduction to the New Testament ... the breadth and depth of coverage is amazing ... I recommend this book both to church members and aspiring NT students. Even those well versed in the subject will benefit from its insights. Very clearly laid out in short well-signposted chapters, with some background material and a chapter for each of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament ... The breadth and depth of Wansbrough’s scholarship shines through the text, but he writes accessibly and at a level appropriate to Readers in training, for whom this book would be a particularly valuable addition to their bookshelves. In this accessible and wide-ranging introduction, Henry Wansbrough shows himself to be a gifted teacher as well as a fine biblical scholar. He provides just the right amount of information to illuminate the Jewish and Greco-Roman worlds from which the New Testament writings emerge, and succinctly presents the distinctive characteristics of each book. Nor are important questions of divine inspiration and canonicity neglected. Wansbrough amply demonstrates how historical criticism still has much to contribute to contemporary biblical scholarship. This introduction arises out of years of reflection and teaching. This is illustrated by both the depth and the clarity of its writing. It is a joy to read and should find a place on the bookshelves of any serious student of the New Testament. This is a prodigious achievement, the fruit of a lifetime spent in attentive study of the Scriptures. Henry Wansbrough has produced a really admirable introduction to the twenty-seven documents that constitute our New Testament, and to some of the issues that beset the reading of them today. This is a work that is in touch with the latest scholarship, but is nevertheless couched in happily accessible language. It can be put safely into the hands of beginners and rewardingly onto the desk of those who have gone more deeply into the subject. A wide range of readers will profit from their encounter with this remarkable volume. Introducing the New Testament is at once accessible, scholarly, and theological. With Father Wansbrough as their guide, readers can be assured that they are engaging the tough questions of history even as they enrich and deepen their understanding of the meaning and world of the New Testament. Wansbrough offers a useful textbook for beginner’s courses in NT studies and all other people interested in the NT and its content.