Publisher's Synopsis
The concise and more pedagogical version of The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, Fourth Edition, Bart D. Ehrman's A Brief Introduction to the New Testament, Second Edition, is the intriguing story of the early Christian writings - their authors, their subject, and their influence. How were they formed? Why were they written? What do they mean? How do they differ? And how did they come to be collected into a canon of Scripture as the New Testament? Presenting challenging material in a way that is both accessible and understandable, Bart D. Ehrman takes a historical approach to these questions and builds his discussion based on context; he situates the writings of the New Testament in the social, cultural, and literary world of the early Roman Empire. His approach is also comparative, emphasizing similarities and differences between the texts. Bringing forth a multitude of perspectives, including those of various scholars in the field, he raises critical issues while also exemplifying the richness and diversity to be found in the study of early Christian literature. Further enhancing the text, Ehrman incorporates time lines, maps, an extensive box program, a comprehensive glossary of over 200 hundred key terms that are also boldfaced at their first appearance in each chapter and conveniently collected at the end of that chapter, and over seventy photos - now in full color throughout. In this new edition, Ehrman has revised and moved his discussion of Acts of the Apostles to follow the discussion of the Gospels and the historical Jesus. He has also moved his discussion of the Johannine epistles to appear with that of the other epistles. In addition, he has updated the book to reflect recent scholarship and discoveries, including the Gospel of Judas Iscariot. Four boxes are new, as is a photo essay on Ancient Manuscripts of the New Testament; and the Suggestions for Further Reading and the Questions for Study and Reflection (only included in this brief version, not in Ehrman's longer textbook) have been updated. An Instructor's Manual and a Companion Website complement the text. Ideal for introduction to the New Testament courses and other courses on early Christianity, the text is written in Ehrman's inimitable style, bringing the story of the New Testament to life for students and general readers alike.
