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Lost Letters of Pergamum Publisher: Baker Academic
Paperback
Published January 1, 2002
About the author
Bruce W. Longenecker
39 books25 followersDr. Longenecker specializes in the origins of Christianity, including the following emphases: Early Christianity in its Greco-Roman context; Jesus-devotion in the Vesuvian towns (Pompeii and Herculaneum); the life and theology of Paul; care for the needy among Christian communities of the Greco-Roman world.
Dr. Longenecker joined the Baylor faculty in August 2009, having taught previously at St Andrews University (Scotland, 1999-2009), Cambridge University (England, 1995-1999) and Durham University (England, 1991-1995).
- Ph.D. in Theology; University of Durham, England (1986-90).
- M.Rel. in New Testament Studies;Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (1983-86)
- B.A. in Biblical and Religious Studies; Wheaton College, Illinois, U.S.A. (1979-83)
Dr. Longenecker joined the Baylor faculty in August 2009, having taught previously at St Andrews University (Scotland, 1999-2009), Cambridge University (England, 1995-1999) and Durham University (England, 1991-1995).
- Ph.D. in Theology; University of Durham, England (1986-90).
- M.Rel. in New Testament Studies;Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (1983-86)
- B.A. in Biblical and Religious Studies; Wheaton College, Illinois, U.S.A. (1979-83)
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 14, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up.
First, the positives here outweigh the negatives. This is a wonderful and helpful work of imagination. This is good book for the church to expand the way we understand the first century context of the Bible.
That’s why it’s so curiously anachronistic that Longenecker’s critique of Roman society has so many modern materialist elements. Longenecker uses words like “systems”, “machinery”, and “social safety net” to describe the economy. He also criticizes Roman (and Jewish) religion as being primarily a system that operates to allocate resources to the different classes—from poor to “elites.”
Does Longenecker use this modernist lens write a critique of Roman culture that will resonate with his audience? We all wear Marxists lenses now, which isn’t a bad thing. But this raises the question, what’s the pedagogical effect of Longenecker’s book?
It would be an interesting work of imagination to describe an Antipas that lived in a pre-anthropocentric world—where meaning, supernatural beings, and transcendence were the lenses through which Antipas critiqued Roman religion/culture. And the lens through which Antipas found the gospel of Jesus the Christ to be more compelling. More angels and demons please, less self-interested materialism.
First, the positives here outweigh the negatives. This is a wonderful and helpful work of imagination. This is good book for the church to expand the way we understand the first century context of the Bible.
That’s why it’s so curiously anachronistic that Longenecker’s critique of Roman society has so many modern materialist elements. Longenecker uses words like “systems”, “machinery”, and “social safety net” to describe the economy. He also criticizes Roman (and Jewish) religion as being primarily a system that operates to allocate resources to the different classes—from poor to “elites.”
Does Longenecker use this modernist lens write a critique of Roman culture that will resonate with his audience? We all wear Marxists lenses now, which isn’t a bad thing. But this raises the question, what’s the pedagogical effect of Longenecker’s book?
It would be an interesting work of imagination to describe an Antipas that lived in a pre-anthropocentric world—where meaning, supernatural beings, and transcendence were the lenses through which Antipas critiqued Roman religion/culture. And the lens through which Antipas found the gospel of Jesus the Christ to be more compelling. More angels and demons please, less self-interested materialism.
Displaying 1 of 1 review