The Origins of Christianity and the New Testament. Rebecca I. Denova

      

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.

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THE ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY AND THE NEW TESTAMENT

       Rebecca I. Denova

       University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This edition first published 2021

      © 2021 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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      The right of Rebecca I Denova to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with law.

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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

      2  Series page

      3  Title page

      4  Copyright

      5  Acknowledgments

      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