This book represents a fresh approach to the study of 2 Corinthians. In the first chapter of the epistle, Paul recounts how he had been faced suddenly with the prospect of imminent death. Either he had succumbed to a severe illness or was suffering the effects of savage persecution. In either case Dr. Harvey believes that some of the profound but difficult language in the central chapters may best be explained by reference to this traumatic event. He begins by exploring the social, economic and religious consequences of illness or disability in antiquity and the radically new understanding of suffering to which Paul was led by his near-death experience. The remainder of the book takes the form of a running commentary, bringing out the implications of this biographical approach for understanding the text of 2 Corinthians. Despite addressing detailed questions of a technical nature, this study is presented in a clear and readable form and will prove illuminating for all those - scholars, students, or more general readers - interested in St. Paul and 2 Corinthians.

Since this Companion to the New Testament was first published in 1970, new methods of interpretation and sustained research into the environment of Jesus, and the early church, have combined to correct former misunderstandings and to set old problems in a new light. This fully revised second edition now follows the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) to provide a running commentary on the text of the New Testament while taking account of the findings of recent scholarship. Using no technical language, it aims to set the text in the context of the time and place in which it was written, and to clarify its meaning in the light of modern methods of research and interpretation. Accessible and up-to-date, this work will be invaluable to clergy, students and all who have a serious interest in the New Testament.

Since this Companion to the New Testament was first published in 1970, new methods of interpretation and sustained research into the environment of Jesus, and the early church, have combined to correct former misunderstandings and to set old problems in a new light. This fully revised second edition now follows the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) to provide a running commentary on the text of the New Testament while taking account of the findings of recent scholarship. Using no technical language, it aims to set the text in the context of the time and place in which it was written, and to clarify its meaning in the light of modern methods of research and interpretation. Accessible and up-to-date, this work will be invaluable to clergy, students and all who have a serious interest in the New Testament.

In this volume A. E. Harvey asks, Is the notion of -Holy Scripture- still credible? In particular, in the light of modern critical study and postmodern literary theory, does the New Testament still qualify as a -holy- book? Arguing that the New Testament must continually subject its credentials to examination for historical reliability, internal consistency, and general plausibility, Harvey tests the Bible's historical credibility and plausibility in seven concise chapters. In dialogue with historical criticism, he compares the New Testament to other ancient documents, examines its presentation of Jesus, and considers the New Testament's validity as a moral guide in the twenty-first century. Harvey's careful examination leads him to conclude that a good case can still be made for the New Testament's authority and -holiness, - subject to continual reassessment in the light of further advances in understanding and criticism.

This work is the fruit of two years of discussions between Christians holding a variety of views and responsibilities. The contribution both of the Bible and of Just War thinking is critically assessed.'

In this compelling memoir Anthony Harvey traces the three ways he has felt drawn throughout his life - to a ministry in the Anglican priesthood, to a profession in theological scholarship, and to his marriage and family. Harvey recounts his clergy training in Canterbury, his time as canon of Westminster Abbey, his teaching and research at the University of Oxford, and his many exciting travels. He also candidly discusses the challenges presented by his marriage to an artist and writer whose spells of mental illness, along with the premature death of their daughter, placed great strain on both his family life and his public responsibilities. Throughout the book Harvey authentically narrates his inner tensions and conflicts, his own spiritual questioning, and his propensity toward a Christian stoicism. From the foreword: "This moving and unpretentious memoir charts a journey of education in faith, not least through times of deep challenge in personal life. It shows us a scholar always willing to put the resources of his remarkable learning at the disposal of the Christian community. . . . It has the capacity to rekindle faith in the theological vocation in the fullest sense of the word `theological' and to renew a confidence in the possibility of interweaving human honesty and Christian depth." - Rowan Williams TENT