Introducing the New Testament by John Drane

Introducing the New Testament by John Drane

Continuously in print for over 30 years, and available in many different languages, John Drane's Introducing the New Testament has long been recognized as an authoritative and accessible survey of the subject. This new edition has been fully revised and updated with fresh material on the many political contexts in which the early church flourished, along with new insights into the writing and reception of written texts in what was essentially an oral culture. Specific issues that will be of particular interest to students are highlighted in special boxed feature sections, along with an extensive glossary of technical terms and key maps and diagrams. This book is the ideal starting point for readers who wish to explore the New Testament and its world in the light of recent scholarship, and its relevance to life in the twenty-first century.

John Drane is a theologian who is probably best known for his two best-selling books on the Bible, Introducing the Old Testament and Introducing the New Testament. He studied in the University of Aberdeen where he was a student of I. Howard Marshall, and he holds a PhD from the University of Manchester, where his mentor was F. F. Bruce. His doctoral research focused on Gnosticism in relation to early Christian thought and practice. This interest in esoteric spirituality later became a bridge between his study of the Bible and his concern for Christian mission, with particular reference to cultural change and the emergence of New Spirituality.