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.
Introduction to Volume Two - Jens Schröter and Christine Jacobi Epistolary Literature 19. Colossians - Andreas Dettwiler,University of Geneva, Switzerland 20. Ephesians - Andreas Dettwiler,University of Geneva, Switzerland 21. Pastoral Epistles - Andreas Dettwiler,University of Geneva, Switzerland 22. Epistle of Barnabas - J. Christopher Edwards, St. Francis College, USA 23. Ignatius - Paul Foster, University of Edinburgh, UK 24. Polycarp, To the Philippians - Paul Parvis, University of Edinburgh, UK 25. Apology of Quadratus and Epistle to Diognetus - Andreas Lindemann, Kirkliche Hochschule Wuppertal/Bethel, Germany Gospel Literature Gospels Narrating Parts of Jesus’s Earthly Life 26. Protevangelium Iacobi - Eric M. Vanden Eykel, Ferrum College, USA 27. Infancy Gospel of Thomas - Tony Burke, York University, USA 28. Gospel of Peter - Alan Kirk, James Madison University, USA 29. Diatessaron - Nicholas Perrin, Wheaton Graduate School, USA Jewish-Christian Gospels 30. Gospel of the Nazarenes - Jörg Frey, Universität Zürich, Switzerland 31. Gospel of the Ebionites - Jörg Frey, Universität Zürich, Switzerland 32. Gospel of the Hebrews - Jörg Frey, Universität Zürich, Switzerland Other Gospels (Listed in Alphabetical Order) 33. Egerton Gospel (P.Egerton 2) - Tobias Nicklas, University of Regensburg, Germany 34. Epistula Apostolorum - Paul Parvis, University of Edinburgh, UK 35. Fayûm Gospel (P.Vindob.G 23 25) - Thomas J. Kraus, University of Zürich and University of the Free State, Switzerland 36. Gospel of Judas - Lorne R. Zelyck, St Joseph’s College, University of Alberta, Canada 37. Gospel of Mary - Judith Hartenstein, University of Koblenz-Landau, Germany 38. Gospel of Philip - Todd Brewer, Manhattan College, USA 39. Gospel of the Savior (P.Oxy. 840) - Jens Schröter, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany 40. Gospel of Thomas - Konrad Schwarz, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany 41. Gospel of Truth (NHC I 3) - Katrine Brix, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany 42. Marcion’s Gospel - Dieter T. Roth, Johannes Gutenberg Universität-Mainz, Germany Gospel Additions 43. Scribal Alterations to the “Canonical” Gospels in Second- and Third-Century Manuscripts - Tommy Wasserman, Ansgar Teologiske Høgskole, Norway Apocalypses 44. Apocalypse of Peter - Tobias Nicklas, University of Regensburg, Germany 45. Second Esdras - Lillia Milbach-Schirr, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany 46. Shepherd of Hermas - Mark Grundeken, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany Other Early Christian Writings (Listed in Alphabetical Order) 47. Acts of John, Acts of Peter, Acts of Thekla, Third Corinthians, and Martyrdom of Paul - Julia A. Snyder, University of Regensberg, Germany 48. Christianized Texts - Thomas Kraus, University of Zürich and University of the Free State, Switzerland 49. Irenaeus - Rolf Noormann, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany 50. Justin Martyr - Winrich Löhr, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany 51. Martyrdom of Polycarp - Sara Parvis, University of Edinburgh, UK 52. Odes of Solomon - Majella Franzmann, The University of Sydney, Australia 53. Origen - Alfons Fürst, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany 54. Papian Fragments - David P. Moessner, Texas Christian University, USA 55. Second Clement - James A. Kelhoffer, Uppsala University, Sweden 56. Tertullian - Dieter T. Roth, Johannes Gutenberg Universität-Mainz, Germany 57. Traditio Apostolica - Markus Vinzent, King’s College London, UK 58. Valentinian Gnosticism - Johanna Brankaer, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany
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.
