Seven Events That Shaped the New Testament World

by Warren Carter

This useful, concise introduction to the worlds around the New Testament focuses on seven key moments in the centuries before and after Jesus. It enlightens readers about the beginnings of the Christian movement, showing how religious, political, and economic factors were interwoven in the fabric of the New Testament world.

Leading New Testament scholar Warren Carter has a record of providing student-friendly texts. This introduction offers a "big picture" focus and is logically and memorably organized around seven events, which Carter uses as launching pads to discuss larger cultural dynamics and sociohistorical realities that were in some way significant for followers of Jesus and the New Testament. Photos and maps are included.

Genres: New Testament, Theology, Biblical Studies, Church History, History

192 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2013

About the author

Warren Carter is Professor of New Testament at Brite Divinity School. He came to Brite in 2007 after teaching for 17 years at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. His scholarly work has focused on the gospels of Matthew and John, and he has focused on the issue of the ways in which early Christians negotiated the Roman empire. In addition to numerous scholarly articles, he is the author of ten books including Matthew and the Margins (Orbis Books), Matthew and Empire (Trinity Press International/Continuum), The Roman Empire and the New Testament (Abingdon), John and Empire (T&T Clark/Continuum), and What Does Revelation Reveal? (Abingdon). He has also contributed to numerous church resources and publications such as contributing 15 studies on Matthew in The Pastors Bible Study Vol 1 (Abingdon). He is a frequent speaker at scholarly and ecclesial conferences.

Degrees
Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary, 1991
Th.M., Melbourne College of Divinity, 1986
B.D., Melbourne College of Divinity, 1985
B.A., Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 1976

Reviews

[Ben K · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is written for a younger, uninformed audience. The style is very informal, which I enjoyed at first, but by the end began to grate on me.

I appreciated much of the discussion, especially the way it tied historical events to the way people thought in NT times. What I did not appreciate was the way the author presented his own views as the only viable ones, especially on hotly debated issues such as the authorship and dating of NT books.

There were other quirks and annoyances as well. For example, what is the reasoning behind his unusual translation of Jesus "King of the Judeans?" He often draws attention to his peculiar terminology and views without explaining why he is deviating from the more commonly accepted ones.

[Joel Wentz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid, extremely accessible introduction to the context of the New Testament. Carter surveys a lot in a very short book. Personally, I found the chapters pre-Jesus (especially on Alexander and the Maccabees) to be the strongest. Carter definitely leans in a more liberal/skeptical direction on certain debates, like the dating and authorship of the NT documents, which could bother some readers. Also, for those who are already well acquainted with the history of Greece, Rome, the Septuagint, and the context of Paul's letters, this probably won't offer much new information.

Overall, it's a great introduction to the above topics, and an easy recommendation for someone who is looking for a short, enjoyable (it's actually quite funny!) book on the historical setting of the New Testament.

[sturnerreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

High-level and easy to read. A good starting point. If I have one complaint it's that the author tends to draw conclusions about related topics without fully explaining all the viewpoints, but those topics are not the point of this book. I see this book as a solid place to begin, but a student of theology will likely come away with many questions requiring further research. This could mean, however, that the book has served the exact purpose the author intended.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book added much to what I thought I already knew. I also liked the little touches of humidor, just the right amount, around otherwise serious subjects.

[Ike Unger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent work. Carter does a wonderful job working through all of the information to give us a precise account of the events.

[Lindsay John Kennedy · Rating 2 out of 5]

[Full review available at http://mydigitalseminary.com/seven-ev...]

Reading this book felt a little like watching Fawlty Towers.

In the British TV series Fawlty Towers, the viewer constantly anticipates what will go wrong next. The comedy is proportionate to the level of disaster, and in the show disaster is around every corner – and frustratingly, Bazil Fawlty only makes it worse!

Similarly, reading Seven Events That Shaped the New Testament World (hereafter Seven Events) felt like watching Fawlty Towers in that I would arrive to each new section with both a certain level of dread and macabre curiosity, wondering what would “go wrong” here. ...

... Carter’s approach, style and format are all very enjoyable, but for me the content is where this work falls flat. And of course, content is king. However, if my complaints against the content are irrelevant to the reader, then I am sure they will profit from this book due to its other strengths. This book would fit well as part of a New Testament background or introduction class for college age students. Carter’s style is fun and keeps the reader engaged.

I personally would stay far away since ultimately it encourages a skeptical and condescending attitude towards the Word of God.

[Dave McNeely · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a mixed bag, but largely a promising book, with special relevance to anyone (particularly undergraduates) seeking a good introduction to the cultural setting of the New Testament.
As opposed to looking specifically at ideas or people, Carter takes the novel approach of examining the New Testament culture through the lens of 7 significant events that shaped the culture. This approach is worthwhile because it grounds the New Testament in historical realities and provides necessary background for understanding both the canon and the texts.
In addition, Carter's writing is highly accessible and would be enjoyed by most readers.
Despite these strengths, I would quibble with Carter's 7 choices. What about the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E.? Also, Carter devotes an entire chapter to the closing of the canon, but seems to underplay the role of both Constantine's conversion and the sporadic persecution prior to that.
In addition, while Carter does an admirable job at keeping his arguments brief and concise (respecting his intended audience, no doubt), there are points that would have benefited from deeper elaboration.
This would make a great book for an Intro to NT class, especially if you wanted to devote significant attention to cultural issues surrounding the New Testament.

[Rev. Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a text for a Spring 2017 Brite Divinity Class, Intro to Theology, and the author is also the instructor. A very interesting read, and prompted this former reference librarian to research some of the ideas presented in the book. Reading this text has me excited about the course beginning in January. --- From the publisher: This useful, concise introduction to the worlds around the New Testament focuses on seven key moments in the centuries before and after Jesus. It enlightens readers about the beginnings of the Christian movement, showing how religious, political, and economic factors were interwoven in the fabric of the New Testament world. Leading New Testament scholar Warren Carter has a record of providing student-friendly texts. This introduction offers a "big picture" focus and is logically and memorably organized around seven events, which Carter uses as launching pads to discuss larger cultural dynamics and sociohistorical realities that were in some way significant for followers of Jesus and the New Testament. Photos and maps are included.

[jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I greatly appreciated Carter's book; its topics fall within my areas of expertise, teaching, and interests. Carter's perspective or regimen is clearly history of religions with a hermeneutical tuning fork of empire; the book ever resonates with the dynamics of power. That's an important perspective on a big picture that scholars to students will find beneficial. For the initiate, however, Seven Events That Shaped the New Testament World does itself subtly SHAPE firm conclusions for the reader on matters that are not so decided. A good book like this would be much better if such strategies were self-consciously exposed, especially one that orients the reader to read with understanding. If I were the prof, I would say, read it and we'll talk!

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read with details on the Henry family through 1941. Knowing the historical events leading to the war encouraged we to be actively seeking the next page. It is a very realistic story of how the family copes and how reality of life exists. Well onto War and Rememberance.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good historical background to understand the times of Messiah Jesus and what effected the New Testament world.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book. It explores how events from the battles of Alexander The Great to creation of New Testament canon shaped the early church.

[Aldo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to the NT world that can be read in an afternoon.

[Michel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I particularly liked chapter 3: The Rededication of the Jerusalem Temple (164 BC) and chapter 4: The Roman Occupation of Judea (63 BC) for their many references to relevant contemporary literature.