The contributions in this volume are focused on the historical origins, religious provenance, and social function of ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature, including so-called 'Gnostic' writings. Although it is disputed whether there was a genre of 'apocalyptic literature,' it is obvious that numerous texts from ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and other religious milieus share a specific view of history and the world to come. Many of these writings are presented in form of a heavenly (divine) revelation, mediated through an otherworldly figure (like an angel) to an elected human being who discloses this revelation to his recipients in written form. In different strands of early Judaism, ancient Christianity as well as in Gnosticism, Manichaeism, and Islam, apocalyptic writings played an important role from early on and were produced also in later centuries. One of the most characteristic features of these texts is their specific interpretation of history, based on the knowledge about the upper, divine realm and the world to come. Against this background the volume deals with a wide range of apocalyptic texts from different periods and various religious backgrounds.

The second century CE has often been described as a kind of dark period with regard to our knowledge of how the earliest Christian writings (the gospels and Paul's letters) were transmitted and gradually came to be accepted as authoritative and then, later on, as "canonical". At the same time a number of other Christian texts, of various genres, saw the light. Some of these seem to be familiar with the gospels, or perhaps rather with gospel traditions identical or similar to those that found their way into the NT gospels. The volume focuses on representative texts and authors of the time in order to see how they have struggled to find a way to work with the NT gospels and/or the traditions behind these, while at the same time giving a place also to other extra-canonical traditions. It studies in a comparative way the reception of identifiably "canonical" and of extra-canonical traditions in the second century. It aims at discovering patterns or strategies of reception within the at first sight often rather chaotic way some of these ancient authors have cited or used these traditions. And it will look for explanations of why it took such a while before authors got used to cite gospel texts (more or less) accurately.

The impact of earlier works to the literature of early Judaism is an intensively researched topic in contemporary scholarship. This volume is based on an international conference held at the Sapientia College of Theology in Budapest, May 18 21, 2010. The contributors explore scriptural authority in early Jewish literature and the writings of nascent Christianity. They study the impact of earlier literature in the formulation of theological concepts and books of the Second Temple Period."

As environmental destruction begins to seriously affect humans, it has become increasingly relevant to reflect on the essential elements of the Jewish and Christian theologies of creation. The essays in this volume explore key aspects of creation theology, which poses the question of the origin of the world and of man. Creation theology is rooted in the concept of man who owes his existence to God and who is placed in a cosmos which God created as "good." At the same time, the essays show that even back in antiquity, the creation discussion held high potential for ideological criticism.

The remarkably complex textual traditions of the Acts of the Apostles reflect the theological developments and socio-cultural framework of early Christianity. The present volume contains studies of textual witnesses, textual traditions and translations of the Acts. They do not only focus on the traditions which occur in the manuscripts, or on the theological tendencies of the major ancient versions and their reception in the Early Church, but also consider the relevance of mostly neglected witnesses such as amuletts and tablets, and the relationship between the ancient translators and Jewish exegetical traditions.

The second century CE has often been described as a kind of dark period with regard to our knowledge of how the earliest Christian writings (the gospels and Paul's letters) were transmitted and gradually came to be accepted as authoritative and then, later on, as "canonical". At the same time a number of other Christian texts, of various genres, saw the light. Some of these seem to be familiar with the gospels, or perhaps rather with gospel traditions identical or similar to those that found their way into the NT gospels. The volume focuses on representative texts and authors of the time in order to see how they have struggled to find a way to work with the NT gospels and/or the traditions behind these, while at the same time giving a place also to other extra-canonical traditions. It studies in a comparative way the reception of identifiably "canonical" and of extra-canonical traditions in the second century. It aims at discovering patterns or strategies of reception within the at first sight often rather chaotic way some of these ancient authors have cited or used these traditions. And it will look for explanations of why it took such a while before authors got used to cite gospel texts (more or less) accurately.

The impact of earlier works to the literature of early Judaism is an intensively researched topic in contemporary scholarship. This volume is based on an international conference held at the Sapientia College of Theology in Budapest,May 18 -21, 2010. The contributors explore scriptural authority in early Jewish literature and the writings of nascent Christianity. They study the impact of earlier literature in the formulation of theological concepts and books of the Second Temple Period.

The book presents diplomatic transcriptions (in Greek) and translations (in German and English) of all the known textual fragments which can be attributed to what is known as the Gospel of Peter and the Apocalypse of Peter or which scholars are discussing as possible elements of these texts. In addition, the documentation of the texts in ancient times is considered, and there is a brief discussion of the philological problems involved. With concordances.

Das Evangelium nach Petrus gehoert zu den faszinierendsten apokryphen Texten des 2. Jahrhunderts. Die Arbeiten des vorliegenden Bandes beschaftigen sich mit der Frage nach der Rekonstruktion seines Textes und damit verbundenen philologischen Fragen, nach den moeglichen Kontexten seiner Entstehung und nach Intertexten, die fur seine Interpretation bedeutsam werden koennen. Dabei gelingen zum Teil uberraschende, zum Teil kontroverse Einsichten in die Theologie dieses Textes.

As the value and importance of the non-canonical Jesus tradition continues to be recognized, there is an ever-increasing need for scholarly introductions to this tradition. This co-edited edition comprises the Greek critical editions, with full translations, of several key gospel fragments including P.Egerton 2, P. Oxy. 840, and P.Oxy. 1224. These fragments, preserved despite the widespread destruction of non-canonical manuscripts, are invaluable primary witnesses of ancient Christianity and the transmission of early Christian texts. Introductions to the fragments discuss dates, origins, interpretations, and the relationship of the texts to the canonical gospels. Detailed commentaries expand points of interest to facilitate further scholarly research on these texts in the future.

The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Apocrypha addresses issues and themes that arise in the study of early Christian apocryphal literature. It discusses key texts including the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Peter, letters attributed to Paul, Peter, and Jesus, and acts and apocalypses written about or attributed to different apostles. Part One consists of authoritative surveys of the main branches of apocryphal literature (gospels, acts, epistles, apocalypses, and related literature) and Part Two considers key issues that they raise. These include their contribution to our understanding of developing theological understandings of Jesus, the apostles and other important figures such as Mary. It also addresses the value of these texts as potential sources for knowledge of the historical Jesus, and for debates about Jewish-Christian relations, the practice of Christian worship, and developing understandings of asceticism, gender and sexuality, etc. The volume also considers questions such as which ancient readers read early Christian apocrypha, their place in Christian spirituality, and their place in contemporary popular culture and contemporary theological discourse.

The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Apocrypha addresses issues and themes that arise in the study of early Christian apocryphal literature. It discusses key texts including the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Peter, letters attributed to Paul, Peter, and Jesus, and acts and apocalypses written about or attributed to different apostles. Part One consists of authoritative surveys of the main branches of apocryphal literature (gospels, acts, epistles, apocalypses, and related literature) and Part Two considers key issues that they raise. These include their contribution to our understanding of developing theological understandings of Jesus, the apostles and other important figures such as Mary. It also addresses the value of these texts as potential sources for knowledge of the historical Jesus, and for debates about Jewish-Christian relations, the practice of Christian worship, and developing understandings of asceticism, gender and sexuality, etc. The volume also considers questions such as which ancient readers read early Christian apocrypha, their place in Christian spirituality, and their place in contemporary popular culture and contemporary theological discourse.

In very different ways the writings of the New Testament have shaped cultures until today. The Novum Testamentum Patristicum project will give a full documentation of ancient Christian receptions of the New Testament in late antiquity. This volume focuses on the different mainly narrative receptions of New Testament texts in ancient Christian apocryphal literature. While it has been accepted for a long time that apocryphal writings mainly wanted to fill the gaps of New Testament texts in more or less fantastic ways, the articles in this volume discover a rich and very different variety of re-writings, relectures, and receptions of New Testament texts, motifs and ideas.

While the so-called "New perspective in Paul" has been in the focus of New Testament exegesis for more than 25 years now, ancient interpretations of Pauline texts and ideas have been neglected widely. The present volume aims to fill this gap. Its articles concentrate on three different foci of modern exegesis: interpretations of Paul's conversion, his ideas about the relation of "grace" and "works" and the fate of Israel. Several additional articles contrast these ancient perspectives with answers of modern exegesis.

Das Gebet hat jedenfalls viele Gesichter und Formen. Seit den AnfAngen des Christentums spielt es eine zentrale Rolle im privaten wie im kirchlichen Leben. Gebetet wurde und wird aber auch im Judentum, im Islam und in anderen Religionen. Im Mittelpunkt des Bandes stehen die Grundformen des Betens wie das Bitt-, Klage-, Dank- und FA"rbittgebet, die Rezeption der Psalmen in den Passionsgeschichten, das VerhAltnis von Geist und Buchstabe, die groAen Praktiker, Theoretiker und Kritiker des Gebets wie Luther, Kant und Bonhoeffer sowie das VerhAltnis von Gebet und LebensfA"hrung.

"This is a stimulating work, engaging with those 'uncomfortable' violent texts in the Apocalypse, and detailing the reception of the work in later commentaries and in liturgy and art. The later reflections, from both East and West, are insightful, and the authors combine exegetical analysis with the critical importance of locating works within their social and political contexts...Highly recommended. -- Mark Finney, Journal for the Study of the New Testament The Apocalypse of John belongs to the most puzzling texts of the New Testament. Historical-critical exegesis has been stressing that the book above all wishes to give a message of hope and comfort for a community under threat. Yet readers have also always been impressed and terrified by the many images of violence, including war, destruction, persecution and martyrdom, and the appearance of the devil and his demons. This book does not allow its readers to remain neutral. The present volume offers the proceedings of a conference that was held in Leuven, Belgium, in September 2009 and was organised by the general editors of the Novum Testamentum Patristicum. The conference focused on how early Christian and Patristic authors have coped with all these many passages that deal with various sorts of violence. The volume contains essays on most of the important commentators, Origen, Tyconius, Lactance, Victorin of Pettau, and those of a somewhat later age, Andreas of Caesarea, Oecumenius, and Bede, but also looks at the reception history on a larger scale. It also deals with issues of method in reading the Book of Revelation, with important themes (the 1000-year reign), the Jewish background of some of these motifs, and the reception of Patristic thought in the most important medieval commentator of the book, Joachim of Fiore.