All Things to All Cultures sets Paul in his first-century context and illuminates his interactions with Jews, Greeks, and Romans as he spread the gospel in the Mediterranean world. In addition to exploring Paul's context and analyzing his letters, the book has chapters on the chronology of Paul's life, the text of the Pauline letters, the scholarly contributions to our understanding of Paul over the last 150 years, and the theology of the Pauline corpus. There is no comparable introduction to Paul that integrates the Jewish, Greek, and Roman influences on him and the letters that make up a substantial portion of the New Testament. Contributors Mike BirdCavan ConcannonDavid EastmanChris ForbesMark HardingTim HarrisJim HarrisonPaul McKechnieBrent NongbriIan SmithMurray SmithLarry Welborn

When two unpublished 18th century manuscripts are re-discovered, they appear to authenticate the events described in Sunsphere, the most recent mega-selling novel by Mark Arden, the author of blockbusting historical conspiracy thrillers. Had Arden inadvertently stumbled upon a genuine great secret when he wrote his multi million seller? And is there, as the manuscripts seem to suggest, a real mystery to be unravelled? Convincing themselves there must be, three investigators set out to follow the trail of clues that begin in the country house where the first manuscript was discovered. Here a secret code is unearthed, the solution to which points them in the direction of Venice and more specifically the Customs House on the Grand Canal where, it seems, there is a great secret hidden within the golden globe of Fortuna that stands high above the building, exactly as Arden wrote in Sunsphere. But while in the city it slowly dawns on them that there maybe more to this than just coincidence. Does Arden know more than he's letting on and who are the strange people that seem to follow their every move? When the mystery is solved a shocking secret is revealed to the world, and one that is set to blow apart Christianity. But it soon becomes clear, at least to the most cynical member of the team, exactly what has been going on and all is not what it seems.

Bringing together the internationally recognized excellence of Macquarie University faculty -- renowned for their knowledge of the New Testament's Greco-Roman background -- and the theological expertise of scholars affiliated with the Australian College of Theology, this book provides a major, integrated, and distinctively Australian contribution to the study of the content and setting of the New Testament Gospels. Seventeen scholars here delve into the archaeology, the manuscripts, and the political, social, and religious context of the Gospels, as well as their place and use in the early churches. Even more, however, they offer in-depth, in-context examinations of Jesus' life and ministry as recounted in the Gospels.Contributors: Evelyn Ashley Scott D. Charlesworth Johan Ferreira Chris Forbes Greg W. Forbes Mark Harding Timothy J. Harris James R. Harrison Theresa Yu Chui Siang Lau Erica A. Mathieson Robert K. McIver Alanna Nobbs Brian Powell Van Shore Ian K. Smith Murray J. Smith Stephen Voorwinde

Early Christian Life and Thought in Social Context fills a vacuum in current scholarship. While there exists a number of anthologies of sources for students of the New Testament and early Judaism, this book integrates concise explanatory comment on various aspects of the historical and social situation of the early Christians with substantial extracts from early Christian, early Jewish, and Graeco-Roman sources.

Into All the World-the third volume from editors Mark Harding and Alanna Nobbs on the content and social setting of the New Testament-brings together a team of eminent Australian scholars in ancient history, New Testament, and the early church to take the story of Christianity into the Jewish and Greco- Roman world of the first century.In thirteen chapters, the contributors discuss all the post-Pauline New Testament writings, devoting attention to both their content and their context. They examine the impact of the growth of the church on both Jews and Gentiles, exploring issues such as the diaspora, minorities, the Book of Acts, and the Fourth Gospel. The book then proceeds to a discussion of the impact of Christianity on the Roman state, including consideration of the book of Revelation and the imperial cult. A final chapter investigates how the church was perceived by Clement of Rome at the end of the first century.