In this engaging introduction to the New Testament, Professor Dale Martin presents an historical study of the origins of Christianity by analyzing the literature of the earliest Christian movements. Focusing mainly on the New Testament, he also considers non-Biblical Christian writings of the era.

Martin begins by making a powerful case for the study of the New Testament. He next sets the Greco-Roman world in historical context and explains the place of Judaism within it. In the discussion of each New Testament book that follows, the author addresses theological themes, then emphasizes the significance of the writings as ancient literature and as sources for historical study. Throughout the volume, Martin introduces various early Christian groups and highlights the surprising variations among their versions of Christianity.

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Visit Dale B. Martin's official course page on the Open Yale Courses website.

Dale B. Martin is Woolsey Professor of Religious Studies and chair of the Department of Religious Studies, Yale University. His previous books include The Corinthian Body and Slavery as Salvation: The Metaphor of Slavery in Pauline Christianity, both published by Yale University Press.

'The most informative and thought-provoking introduction to the New Testament I have ever read.' Neil Richardson, Methodist Recorder