An Introduction To Empire In The New Testament

Explore how empire is a crucial foreground for reading and interpreting the New Testament In the last three decades, significant attention has been given to the way in which New Testament texts engage and respond to the imperial world in which they were written. The purpose of the present volume is to introduce students and non-specialists to the growing subfield of New Testament studies known as empire studies. Contributors seek to make readers aware of the significant work that has already been produced, while also pointing them to new ways in which this field is moving forward. The contributors are Bruce W. Longenecker, Richard A. Horsley, Warren Carter, Adam Winn, Eric D. Barreto, Beth M. Sheppard, Neil Elliot, James R. Harrison, Harry O. Maier, Deborah Krause, Jason A.Whitlark, Matthew R. Hauge, Kelly D. Liebengood, and Davina C. Lopez. Features: Essays from a diverse group of interpreters who at times have differing presuppositions, methods, and concerns Articles introduce students and non-specialists to the Roman imperial realities regularly encountered by first and second century Christians Contributions explore the strategies employed by early Christians to respond to the Roman empire

How does a Christian render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto God what is God's? This book is the result of the Bingham Colloquium of 2007 that brought scholars from across North America to examine the New Testament's response to the empires of God and Caesar. Two chapters lay the foundation for that response in the Old Testament's concept of empire, and six others address the response to the notion of empire, both human and divine, in the various authors of the New Testament. A final chapter investigates how the church fathers regarded the matter. The essays display various methods and positions; together, however, they offer a representative sample of the current state of study of the notion of empire in the New Testament.

An indispensable introduction to Roman society, culture, law, politics, religion, and daily life as they relate to the study of the New Testament.The Roman Empire formed the central context in which the New Testament was written. Anyone who wishes to understand the New Testament texts must become familiar with the political, economic, societal, cultural, and religious aspects of Roman rule. Much of the New Testament deals with enabling its readers to negotiate, in an array of different manners, this pervasive imperial context. This book will help the reader see how social structures and daily practices in the Roman world illumine so much of the content of the New Testament message. For example, to grasp what Paul was saying about food offered to idols one must understand that temples in the Roman world were not “churches,” and that they functioned as political, economic, and gastronomic centers, whose religious dealings were embedded within these other functions.Brief in presentation yet broad in scope, The Roman Empire and the New Testament: An Essential Guide will introduce students to the information and ideas essential to coming to grips with the world in which early Christianity was born.

This lively, engaging introduction to the New Testament is critical yet faith-friendly, lavishly illustrated, and accompanied by a variety of pedagogical aids, including sidebars, maps, tables, charts, diagrams, and suggestions for further reading. The full-color interior features art from around the world that illustrates the New Testament's impact on history and culture. The first edition has been well received (over 60,000 copies sold). This new edition has been thoroughly revised in response to professor feedback and features an updated interior design. It offers expanded coverage of the New Testament world in a new chapter on Jewish backgrounds, features dozens of new works of fine art from around the world, and provides extensive new online material for students and professors available through Baker Academic's Textbook eSources.

This workbook accompanies The New Testament in Its World by N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird. Following the textbook's structure, it offers assessment questions, exercises, and activities designed to support the students' learning experience. Reinforcing the teaching in the textbook, this workbook will not only help to enhance their understanding of the New Testament books as historical, literary, and social phenomena located in the world of early Christianity, but also guide them to think like a first-century believer while reading the text responsibly for today.

Sze-kar Wan examines the social and political ramifications of Paul's last and longest letter. By taking seriously Paul's faithfulness to his ancestral tradition, Wan argues that Paul is engaged in ethnic construction by incorporating non-Jews into Ideal Israel. With its claim of universality and the cosmic Son of God installed as king, Ideal Israel stands in pointed opposition to the Roman Empire. Wan presents the Letter to the Romans as Paul's extended argument to his Gentile audience in defence of Ideal Israel and their place in it, without ignoring such prominent themes as good news, faith and belief, eschatology, and the collection for the poor. By also including a reading of Romans 13 as resistance against absolute authority, at variance with historical interpretations that defended American slavery and German Nazism, Wan gives readers a new perspective on a defiant message that can be marshalled to resist oppressive regimes.

This groundbreaking introductory textbook explores the emergence and development of the Bible, placing it in the broader context of world history. It particularly focuses on the role of a number of empires in the formation of the Biblical canon. Explores the historical role the Bible has played in subsequent empires, and its enduring influence in the contemporary world, resulting in a balanced overview of the historical forces that shaped the canon Explores topics including: the formation of the Pentateuch, the development of the earliest Old Testament stories, the historical study of the Gospel traditions surrounding Jesus; the influence of Roman rule in the provinces where Paul spent much of his ministry; and the interpretation of the Biblical texts and their use by different faith communities Incorporates numerous student-friendly features throughout, including study questions, review sections, bibliographies, timelines, and illustrations and photos

Explore a timely introduction to the formation of the Bible in its historical and modern contexts In the newly revised Second Edition of A Contemporary Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts, accomplished scholars and authors Colleen M. Conway and David M. Carr deliver a rigorous, accessible, and up-to-date introduction to the Bible. The textbook places the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and New Testament in the broader context of world history, with a special focus on the empires that influenced the Bible’s formation. Readers are introduced to the academic study of the Bible through a range of scholarly approaches. Readers benefit from the inclusion of: A thorough introduction to the Bible in its ancient contexts, from the emergence of Israel’s earliest traditions to the writing and reshaping of the Bible amidst Assyrian Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic and Roman empires. The most up-to-date work in the field, seamlessly integrated into every chapter A wealth of pedagogical features including study questions, bibliographies, timelines, and illustrations An unparalleled coverage of both fundamental topics and cutting-edge issues, resulting in a truly outstanding textbook. Perfect for undergraduate and graduate students studying religion, history, sociology, and philosophy, A Contemporary Introduction to the Bible: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts, Second Edition will also earn a place in the libraries of religious scholars and researchers seeking a one-stop reference to the Bible in its ancient and modern context.