Inquiry into the New Testament: Ancient Context to Contemporary Significance

The enormous cultural impact of the Bible--and in particular, the New Testament--has given people of all backgrounds and traditions at least some familiarity with it. Yet the Bible remains one of the most misread and misunderstood books of all time. Given the sheer variety of interpretive and critical methods, perhaps this isn't altogether surprising. In Inquiry into the New Testament: Ancient Context to Contemporary Significance, David Landry offers a readable, informed, and thorough introduction to this important collection of books. Teachable and ecumenical, the text includes methodological tools, reading guides, key terminology, review and discussion questions, images, and recommendations for further reading that will equip students to understand both Early Christianity and its foundational texts. With sections on literary and historical context, source criticism, interpretive lenses, the formation of the canon, the books of the New Testament as well as noncanonical gospels, and contemporary application, Inquiry into the New Testament highlights not only the ancient importance of the New Testament, but its continued modern significance, as well.

Table of Contents:
Introduction 1. The Formation of the New Testament 2. Some Prominent Noncanonical Gospels 3. Greco-Roman Religions: Alternatives to Christianity 4. Ancient Judaism: Christianity's Mother Religion 5. The Roman Empire 6. Introduction to the Gospels 7. Methods of Biblical Criticism 8. The Gospel of Mark 9. Source Criticism and the Synoptic Problem 10. The Gospel of Matthew 11. Luke's First Volume: The Gospel of Luke 12. Luke's Second Volume: The Acts of the Apostles 13. The Johannine Literature: The Gospel of John and the Three Letters of John 14. Introduction to Paul 15. The Genuine Letters of Paul: Rhetorical Criticism and the Letter to Philemon 16. Paul's Correspondence with the Thessalonians, Philippians, and Galatians 17. Paul's Correspondence with the Corinthians and Romans 18. The Deutero-Pauline and Pastoral Epistles 19. The General Epistles: James, Jude, 1 and 2 Peter, and Hebrews 20. The Book of Revelation 21. The Quest for the Historical Jesus 22. The New Testament in the Modern World Glossary of Selected Key Terms Index

About the Author :
David Landry has a PhD in New Testament from Vanderbilt University. He is a professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas. John Martens has a doctorate from McMaster University and teaches in the theology department at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, MN.

Review :
In the overcrowded field of introductory textbooks, Inquiry into the New Testament is a standout. Designed with the undergraduate student in mind, this engaging and pedagogically smart volume explores salient historical, literary, theological, and wider interpretive issues both within and with the New Testament. Reflecting decades of teaching and scholarship, Landry and Martens show why a critical New Testament literacy is indispensable for understanding the power the Bible exerts, for better and for worse, in contemporary culture. Few introductions readily embrace this challenge so directly, and none does so more effectively. It's a superb choice for the beginning New Testament course and one that will enrich many classrooms for years to come. --Gary A. Phillips Wabash College David Landry and John Martens provide a thorough and accessible introduction to the New Testament replete with images, review and discussion questions, key terms, and bibliography. The approach is primarily historical and literary. What makes Inquiry into the New Testament distinctive from other introductory texts, however, is its engagement with the ongoing use of the Bible in the contemporary world, whether for good or ill. Landry and Martens address the historical and present-day significance of various parts of the New Testament, and furnish each chapter of their book with discussion questions that sometimes engage controversial issues. Various topics such as fundamentalism, politics, economics, gender, and social and environmental justice come to the fore, especially in the last chapter. The authors effectively demonstrate why the academic study of the New Testament is important, regardless of one's religious orientation. I highly recommend Inquiry into the New Testament for undergraduate courses. --Alicia J. Batten Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo