This study contends that Christianity in the first century had no founder but rather evolved as a convergence of many forces: political disillusionment, cultural mutations, religious and theological motifs, psychosocial losses and new expectations. Following an examination of the foundations of historical and literary criticism in the Renaissance, and a detailed study of two writers in antiquity, Thucydides and Chariton, to examine writings in the period between Plato and the Gospel of Mark, the authors explore the writing of Paul and the stories told in the Gospels. Focusing on Paul's letters and other Christian writings, and the political, historical, moral and emotional conflicts they faced, and their formulation of early views of Christ, the book explores the difficult question of whether Jesus was a historical figure or an image who first emerged within developing communities of visionaries. Through an exploration of how Christology developed in the early first century, the authors seek to show that Christianity's emerging theology was a venture in human problem-solving and that both Paul and the Gospels sought to relate a story in which goodness would ultimately triumph, in the person of Christ.

In Search of First-Century Christianity (Ashgate New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology, and Biblical Studies)

History

Barnhart, Joe E.

Kraeger, Linda T.

World

Ashgate Pub Ltd

Religion and the Challenge of Philosophy (A Littlefield, Adams quality paperback ; no. 291)

Religion & Spirituality

Religious Studies

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

A Critical assessment of the famed evangelist's doctrine and practice.

The Billy Graham religion,

United Church Press

Tells the story of the Bakkers and the PTL scandal, offers a profile of Jim Bakker, and looks at the financial aspects of the scandal

Jim and Tammy: Charismatic Intrigue Inside Ptl

Winzenburg, Steven

Prometheus+books

In Search of First-Century Christianity (Routledge Revivals)

Ancient Civilizations

Routledge

Originally pulished in 2000, In Search of First Century Christianity contends that Christianity in the first century had no founder but rather evolved as a convergence of many forces: political disillusionment, cultural mutations, religious and theological motifs, psychosocial losses and new expectations. Moving on from an examination of the foundations of historical and literary criticism in the Renaissance, and a detailed study of two writers in antiquity,Thucydides and Chariton, to examine writings in the period between Plato and the Gospel of Mark, the authors then explore the writing of Paul and the stories told in the Gospels. With the early Christians drawing from both Greek and Hebrew sources, Barnhart and Kraeger propose that, like Plato, Paul and other Christians generated an "anti-tragic theatre" gospel with the Jesus figure being the creation of a culture steeped in an anthropomorphic, metaphysical view of the world.

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Books by Barnhart, Joe E.