This book, the second of three volumes dedicated to Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi, includes contemporary essays on the New Testament. The topics offer a rich array of exegetical studies related to the life and teachings of Jesus and the apostle Paul. Coming from America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, the contributors to Volume 2 of the Festschrift in Honor of Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi have gathered to advance the scholarly vision of Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi.

"For anyone wanting to understand an extraordinary and important episode in the modern history of Christianity, Tom Dykstra's excellent account, which is both meticulous and highly readable, should be an indispensable starting-point. It brings alive a passionate argument over the holiness of the Name of God which shook the Tsarist and Balkan world on the eve of the first world war. Better than any other chronicler of the tragedy that came to a head in the main monastic stronghold of the Christian East, he combines a clear view of the theological stakes with a keen sense of the politics, both secular and ecclesiastical, which determined the outcome. Dykstra also manages to situate the Imperial Russian quarrel over sacred names in the broader sweep of the history of monotheism." - Bruce Clark, Writer on religion and public policy, The Economist, www.economist.com

For over 150 years the idea that Mark used the Pauline epistles has been recurring in New Testament research. Now in the work of Tom Dykstra, wide-ranging work and thoughtful, the truth of that idea emerges with a clarity it never had before. The result is to give a fresh sense of the origin and nature of Mark, of all the New Testament books, and of the quest for history.
-Thomas Brodie, Director, Dominican Biblical Institute, author of - The Birthing of the New Testament
Tom Dykstra draws connections between Paul and the Gospel of Mark that are stunning, surprising, and original, and leave readers with a sense that the evidence deserves a better interpretation than traditional Synoptic models can o ffer. Well argued, easy to read, immersed in the relevant current exegetical discussion, the book fascinates, provokes, and encourages to think outside the box.
David Trobisch, author of The First Edition of the New Testament
In addition to its main focus on Mark, this book is a lucid introduction to early church history, oral tradition, the gospels genre, and how to understand scripture in general.
Paul Nadim Tarazi, Professor of Biblical Studies, St. Vladimir s Seminary

This is the third of three volumes dedicated to Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi. Volume 3 of Festschrift in Honor of Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi is a collection of articles discussing the latest findings in a variety of theological subjects related to the Bible as received and interpreted in the Orthodox Church tradition. Scholars from around the world have contributed their recent findings in the field of their research and teaching in this volume.