Reading and Writing in the Time of Jesus: No. 69 (Biblical Seminar S.) - Softcover

Millard, Alan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1841270709 ISBN 13: 9781841270708

Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group - Sheffie, 2000

Synopsis

Jesus never wrote a book. The main sources about him, the Four Gospels, were written some forty years after his death, and contentious debates reign concerning their sometimes contradictory portrayals, which accounts are credible, and how far their authors may have altered or invented episodes to support a view or doctrine of the early Church. Most scholars assume that information about Jesus was preserved only orally up until the writing of the Gospels, allowing ample time for the stories of Jesus to grow and diversify. Alan Millard here argues that written reports about Jesus could have been made during his lifetime and that some among his audiences and followers may very well have kept notes, first-hand documents that the Evangelists could weave into their narratives. Reading and Writing in the Time of Jesus first provides a brief, fascinating introduction to the history of writing's early survival, how we have the documents we have, and what they can tell us about the times and places of their origins. This overview is followed by a more specific look at what biblical and religious writings survive, how they are dated, and who was able to read and write at the time of their creation. Finally, Millard examines the possibility that Jesus' words and actions were committed to writing during his lifetime and what this would mean for the study of Christianity and the origins of the Gospels.

About this title

Review

"A valuable reference."

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"A valuable reference." )-("Religious Studies Review"), ()

"A valuable reference." -"Religious Studies Review",

"A highly readable narrative of nineteenth and twentiety century Serbian history told with verve and deep knowledge."--, author of Dark Continent: Europe in the Twentieth Century-Mark Mazower, author of Dark Continent: Europe in the Twentieth Century

"If you want to step back and take a more historical view, Steven Pavlowitch's account of Serbian history from the Middle Ages until today is a good place to start."---Economist,

"Pavlowitch has consistently maintained a very high standard of accuracy and scholarship in all of his work on the former Yugoslavia."--, -New York Review of Books, April 25, 2002

"A valuable reference." -"Religious Studies Review"

"A valuable reference."

-Religious Studies Review

Synopsis

Examines the possibility that Jesus' words and actions were committed to writing during his lifetime and what this would mean for the study of Christianity and the origins of the Gospels.

Edition details

• Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group - Sheffie
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1841270709
• ISBN 13: 9781841270708
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 200