The First One Hundred Years of Christianity: An Introduction to Its History, Literature, and Development

Product Description

Beginning as a marginal group in Galilee, the movement initiated by Jesus of Nazareth became a world religion within 100 years. Why, among various religious movements, did Christianity succeed? This major work by internationally renowned scholar Udo Schnelle traces the historical, cultural, and theological influences and developments of the early years of the Christian movement. It shows how Christianity provided an intellectual framework, a literature, and socialization among converts that led to its enduring influence. Senior New Testament scholar James Thompson offers a clear, fluent English translation of the successful German edition.

From the Inside Flap

Praise for the German Edition
“This volume could be an excellent textbook . . . for any course on the beginnings of Christianity, a very good example of how a historical study of the period should be undertaken.”
—
James D. G. Dunn,
Journal of Ecclesiastical History
Beginning as a marginal group in Galilee, the movement initiated by Jesus of Nazareth became a world religion within one hundred years. Why, among various religious movements, did Christianity succeed? Udo Schnelle traces the historical, cultural, and theological influences and developments of the early years of the Christian movement, demonstrating how Christianity provided an intellectual framework, a literature, and socialization among converts that led to its enduring influence.

“Written clearly and judiciously, this up-to-date integration of early Christian history and theology will be of interest to all students of the beginnings of Christianity and the formation of the New Testament. This succinct volume should instantly become a standard textbook and the go-to book for all interested students, teachers, and pastors. Thanks go to Baker Academic and James Thompson for making this important book available in English.”
—
M. Eugene Boring, Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University (emeritus)

“This translation makes Udo Schnelle’s monumental scholarship about the formative period of early Christianity available to English-speaking audiences. The book outlines the origins of the Jesus movement and its rapid development within the multifaceted matrix of the ancient Greco-Roman world and early Judaism. It is clear in its structure, solid in its argumentation, and broad in its scope, while still remaining attentive to important details. Benefiting from Thompson’s sensitive and competent translation, Schnelle’s sweeping depiction of the past will find the approval of many biblical scholars. I highly recommend this work as a comprehensive and trustworthy textbook for graduate classes in early Christianity/New Testament.”
—
Christian A. Eberhart, University of Houston

From the Back Cover

A History of Early Christianity, 30-130 CE”Udo Schnelle, one of Germany’s leading New Testament scholars, has produced a comprehensive account of the growth and development of early Christianity. Thoroughly at home in all the relevant ancient texts and in critical dialogue with contemporary scholars, Schnelle sets the development of the church against the complex background of Greco-Roman and Jewish culture. He carefully traces the ways in which communities of Jesus believers grew and produced their distinctive literature. This is a rich and rewarding resource for serious students of early Christianity, particularly useful for introducing English readers to a wealth of German scholarship.”
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Harold W. Attridge, Yale Divinity School

“This immense undertaking is no light survey but a wide-ranging, comprehensive assessment of most of the major questions and issues in contemporary scholarship with regard to the transition from charismatic movement to Early Christianity. It takes balanced and well-informed positions on disputed issues. Rather than an introduction for beginners, it is a treasury of scholarship and interpretation for those who want more.”
—
Carol