Luke Timothy Johnson

As ancient literature and a cornerstone of the Christian faith, the New Testament has exerted a powerful religious and cultural impact. But how much do we really know about its origins? In this concise, engaging book, noted New Testament scholar Luke Timothy Johnson takes listeners on a journey back to the time of the early Roman Empire, when the New Testament was written in ordinary Greek (koine) by the first Christians. The author explains how...

Looks at Jesus through the many portraits the Gospels provide. The course examines not only the familiar canonical Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John from the New Testament, but also many other apocryphal narratives and literary works that have also contributed to our perceptions of Jesus, Mary, and Christianity. All of these works are encompassed by the word "Gospel."

This fully accessible exploration of the creed, the list of beliefs central to the Christian faith, delves into its origins and illuminates the contemporary significance of why it still matters. During services in Christian communities, the members of the congregation stand together to recite the creed, professing in unison the beliefs they share. For most Christians, the creed functions as a sort of 'ABC' of what it means to be a Christian and to...