The Christian movement emerged amidst complex social tensions, power politics, ethnic diversity, economic stress, and cultural changes. Both biblical scholars and social scientists find that a social scientific study of early Christian phenomena yields fascinating results. However, biblical scholars are sometimes unaware of the breadth of the useful social scientific concepts and techniques, and social scientists sometimes lack the most basic background in literary research methods. The Handbook of Early Christianity provides a much needed overview for biblical scholars and social scientists alike. Drawing on perspectives from anthropology, archaeology, economics, history, literary analysis, psychology, political science, and sociology, the Handbook shows the myriad and complementary approaches that shed light on Christianity's formation and early development. Twenty-seven chapters from leading scholars along with a comprehensive bibliography make this an essential reference for anyone wishing to understand the social dynamics of Christianity's birth.

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Excerpt from The Social Results of Early Christianity I have to thank M. Schmidt for permission to translate his book into English, Dr. Dale for his Preliminary Essay, and J.L. Paton, Esq., for assistance with the classical notes. The completeness with which M. Schmidt gives the authorities upon which his statements rest, adds greatly to the value of his book. Born into a world in which the institutions are at least coloured by Christianity, we can hardly realize either what they have been without it, or to what they may yet rise with a fuller appreciation of its principles and spirit. It is an intelligent knowledge of what Christianity has accomplished for humanity, its realized results leading to a study of its aims and central motives, that is likely to bring about the vivid belief in its life-giving mysteries; the intelligent, new application of its principles, which will be the greatest means for the transformation of the Social Order to a true ideal. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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First published in 1999. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Comments on the First Edition... Those concerned with Christian beginnings will find Malherbe stimulating and incisive on the New Testament. Robert M. Gratn, Journal of Religion The author is a scholar of great learning. I found the footnotes to be extremely useful, and the challenge of the book that a new consesus has emerged is a genuine contribution to continuing debate. Robin Scroggs, Journal of the American Academy of Religion An interesting and informed introduction to an important new development in the study of earliest Christianity. - Victor P. Furnish, Perkins Journal The book constitutes a major challenge to the depictions of early Christianity - especially of the Pauline Wing in earlier scholarly work. - Howard Clark Kee, Reflection