Many readers of the New Testament are both fascinated and perplexed by the book of Acts, the earliest “history of Christianity” put to papyrus. Acts begins to tell the story of the church, following the miracles, lives, and journeys of Peter, the Jerusalem Church, and the Apostle Paul. But Acts also ends abruptly—with Paul underContinue reading “Book Review: After Acts (Liftin)”
Tag Archives: Josephus
Messianic Expectations of Second Temple Judaism
Since the earliest days of the Jesus Movement, Christianity has proclaimed Jesus of Nazareth as the long-awaited Messiah of the Jewish people. What exactly did this proclamation mean to those who heard it in the context of the Roman Empire and Second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem? Much recent scholarship has attempted to assess the theologicalContinue reading “Messianic Expectations of Second Temple Judaism”
Comparing the Historical Jesus: Sources
This is part of our ongoing series comparing the perspectives of J. D. Crossan and N. T. Wright on the Historical Jesus. Of great importance for all historical study are the sources used in forming narrative perspectives. Some historians are relatively inclusive in their acceptance of source material, drawing from a wide variety of disciplinesContinue reading “Comparing the Historical Jesus: Sources”
Book Review: Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography (Crossan)
In Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, John Dominic Crossan writes what he calls a “startling account of what we can know about the life of Jesus.” [1] Crossan, who currently holds a Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies position at DePaul University in Chicago, was co-chair of the Jesus Seminar from 1985 until 1996, and has writtenContinue reading “Book Review: Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography (Crossan)”