About the Book
The first three centuries were the formative period of Christianity. The developments during this time led to the distinction of canonical and non-canonical writings, to organizational structures of the Christian church, and to the establishment of the Christian creed.
In The Reception of the Jesus in the First Three Centuries Chris Keith, Helen K. Bond, Christine Jacobi and Jens Schröter have collated a methodologically sophisticated resource. These volumes focus upon the diversity of reception of the Jesus tradition in this time period, highlighting the complex interactions between the inherited past and the present in which it is received. Rather than address texts specifically as canonical or non-canonical, the volumes show the more complex reality of attitudes towards and within early Christianity. Core literary texts such as Gospels and other early Christian writings are discussed in detail, but the volumes also highlight the importance of Jesus tradition in literary and non-literary contexts outside the gospel genre; including the Apostolic Fathers, patristic writers, traditions such as the Abgar Legend, and modifications to the gospel genre such as the Diatesseron. Evidence from material culture, such as pictographic representations of Jesus in the staurogram and Alexamenos Graffito, as well as visual presentations of gospel tradition in sarcophagi carvings, are also included in order to fully reflect the transmission and reception of the Jesus tradition.
Volume 2 examines all the literary texts from the second and third centuries, across 40 chapters, examining gospels and gospel-like as well as other texts.
Methodologically the volumes draw on new approaches to history, memory, and tradition, to provide a cutting-edge approach that focuses upon reception-history rather than the putative actual past. This cutting-edge reference resource provides a fresh and comprehensive account of the complex development of early Christian thought about Jesus. It will fuel future discussions of early Christian history, the historical Jesus, the development of the New Testament canon, and non-canonical Jesus traditions for years to come.
Table of Contents:
Introduction to Volume Two - Jens Schröter and Christine Jacobi
Epistolary Literature
1. Colossians - Andreas Dettwiler,University of Geneva, Switzerland
2. Ephesians - Andreas Dettwiler,University of Geneva, Switzerland
3. Pastoral Epistles - Andreas Dettwiler,University of Geneva, Switzerland
4. Epistle of Barnabas - J. Christopher Edwards, St. Francis College, USA
5. Ignatius - Paul Foster, University of Edinburgh, UK
6. Polycarp, To the Philippians - Paul Parvis, University of Edinburgh, UK
7. Apology of Quadratus and Epistle to Diognetus - Andreas Lindemann, Kirkliche Hochschule Wuppertal/Bethel, Germany
Gospel Literature
Gospels Narrating Parts of Jesus’s Earthly Life
8. Protevangelium Iacobi - Eric M. Vanden Eykel, Ferrum College, USA
9. Infancy Gospel of Thomas - Tony Burke, York University, USA
10. Gospel of Peter - Alan Kirk, James Madison University, USA
11. Diatessaron - Nicholas Perrin, Wheaton Graduate School, USA
Jewish-Christian Gospels
12. Gospel of the Nazarenes - Jörg Frey, Universität Zürich, Switzerland
13. Gospel of the Ebionites - Jörg Frey, Universität Zürich, Switzerland
14. Gospel of the Hebrews - Jörg Frey, Universität Zürich, Switzerland
Other Gospels (Listed in Alphabetical Order)
15. Egerton Gospel (P.Egerton 2) - Tobias Nicklas, University of Regensburg, Germany
16. Epistula Apostolorum - Paul Parvis, University of Edinburgh, UK
17. Fayûm Gospel (P.Vindob.G 23 25) - Thomas J. Kraus, University of Zürich and University of the Free State, Switzerland
18. Gospel of Judas - Lorne R. Zelyck, St Joseph’s College, University of Alberta, Canada
19. Gospel of Mary - Judith Hartenstein, University of Koblenz-Landau, Germany
20. Gospel of Philip - Todd Brewer, Manhattan College, USA
21. Gospel of the Savior (P.Oxy. 840) - Jens Schröter, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
22. Gospel of Thomas - Konrad Schwarz, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
23. Gospel of Truth (NHC I 3) - Katrine Brix, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
24. Marcion’s Gospel - Dieter T. Roth, Johannes Gutenberg Universität-Mainz, Germany
Gospel Additions
25. Scribal Alterations to the “Canonical” Gospels in Second- and Third-Century Manuscripts - Tommy Wasserman, Ansgar Teologiske Høgskole, Norway
Apocalypses
26. Apocalypse of Peter - Tobias Nicklas, University of Regensburg, Germany
27. Second Esdras - Lillia Milbach-Schirr, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
28. Shepherd of Hermas - Mark Grundeken, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
Other Early Christian Writings (Listed in Alphabetical Order)
29. Acts of John, Acts of Peter, Acts of Thekla, Third Corinthians, and Martyrdom of Paul - Julia A. Snyder, University of Regensberg, Germany
30. Christianized Texts - Thomas Kraus, University of Zürich and University of the Free State, Switzerland
31. Irenaeus - Rolf Noormann, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany
32. Justin Martyr - Winrich Löhr, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany
33. Martyrdom of Polycarp - Sara Parvis, University of Edinburgh, UK
34. Odes of Solomon - Majella Franzmann, The University of Sydney, Australia
35. Origen - Alfons Fürst, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany
36. Papian Fragments - David P. Moessner, Texas Christian University, USA
37. Second Clement - James A. Kelhoffer, Uppsala University, Sweden
38. Tertullian - Dieter T. Roth, Johannes Gutenberg Universität-Mainz, Germany
39. Traditio Apostolica - Markus Vinzent, King’s College London, UK
40. Valentinian Gnosticism - Johanna Brankaer, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany
Index
About the Author :
Chris Keith is Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity and Director of the Centre for the Social-Scientific Study of the Bible at St. Mary's University College, UK.
Helen K. Bond is Professor in Christian Origins with Specialisation in New Testament and Head of the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh, UK.
Christine Jacobi is Scientific Associate at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany.
Jens Schröter is Professor for Exegesis and Theology of the New Testament and New Testament Apocrypha at the Faculty of Theology at the Humboldt-University in Berlin, Germany.
