Backgrounds of Early Christianity [Paperback]

Everett Ferguson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2003

Having long served as a standard introduction to the world of the early church, Everett Fergusons Backgrounds of Early Christianity has been expanded and updated in this third edition. The book explores and unpacks the Roman, Greek, and Jewish political, social, religious, and philosophical backgrounds necessary for a good historical understanding of the New Testament and the early church. New to this edition are revisions of Fergusons original material, updated bibliographies, and fresh discussions of first-century social life, of Gnosticism, and of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other Jewish literature.

Product Details

• Paperback: 648 pages
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co; 3 edition (September 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802822215
• ISBN-13: 978-0802822215
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,700 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accurate, honest, easy to read, February 3, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Backgrounds of Early Christianity (Paperback)

I bought this one on a whim, thought it might have an interesting section or two. I ended up reading the thing cover to cover.

In a field where lots of books are hard to read because they're poorly written, this one is exceptionally well organized, clearly written and easy to read.

It also covers all the subject, from Greco-Roman political history, through Hellenistic-Roman religions and philosophies, on to an excellent section on Judaism and another on early Christianity. Even if you're not an early Church buff, the book is a good introduction to ancient culture.

It's honest. It's written by a proff at a Christian university, but it doesn't slant the scholarship. For eg it gives a good accounting of both sides of the modern scholarship on the contributions of pagan Mystery Religions to the Church, and the _testimonium Falvianum_ is treated fairly -- and dismissed as a later interpolation.

Each section lists a number of books for further reading -- very useful.

A great book!!

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good, factual reference work., May 11, 2007

By 

David Stump - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Backgrounds of Early Christianity (Paperback)

This is a fact filled book that will be a good study tool to learn about the new testament background. Covers many aspects of Greco-Roman culture such as politics, social customs, religious beliefs, philosophical beliefs, etc. Also covers Jewish beliefs of the new testament era as well. Sometimes ties in subject matter with the new testament content. A gold mine of information. Well researched by a good scholar, this book just reports the facts. Reads almost like an encylopaedia, and as such it is a good reference book. I give it 4 stars instead of 5 simply because it is a bit of a dry read, but I guess that's the nature of a reference work. For similar, but shorter and easier reads, check out The World That Shaped The New Testament by Calvin Roetzel and also, Exploring The New Testament World by Albert A. Bell.

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and Understandable, May 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Backgrounds of Early Christianity (Paperback)

This book is an excellent introduction to the historical, cultural, social, economic, and political backgrounds of the times before, during, and after the beginnings of Christianity, i.e., from 330 B.C. to A.D. 330, from Alexander the Great to Constantine. It superbly complements the study of the New Testament. It has helped me attempt to make concepts in the Gospels concrete which, at first, seemed to be abstact.