Synopses & Reviews
An Introduction to the Gospels and Acts offers a concise, readable study of the first five books of the New Testament. Charles Puskas and David Crump (1) clearly explain the need for a historical-critical study of the texts; (2) Summarize source, form, and redaction criticism; and (3) lead readers through the texts, highlighting the various literary devices and themes, pointing out the political and religious context, and offering the scholarly consensus on the sources.
Puskas and Crump's coverage of the Gospels and Acts throughout is clear, comprehensive, and -- with more than 300 endnotes -- well documented. Evenhanded and nonpolemic, this book will be valuable both for those with a previous foundation of biblical study and for students with no background in reading the Bible.
Synopsis
In this book Charles Puskas and David Crump provide a solid, student-friendly introduction to the four Gospels and the book of Acts. Leading students through the texts, highlighting the various literary devices and themes, and pointing out the historical and cultural contexts, An Introduction to the Gospels and Acts is a fruitful collaboration between a mainline scholar (Puskas) and a more evangelical scholar (Crump), who clearly articulate their own opinions while charitably engaging a wide spectrum of scholarship.
The coverage of the Gospels and Acts throughout is clear, comprehensive, and well documented. Maps, charts, outlines, and tables round out the wealth of information offered here. Evenhanded and nonpolemical, this text will be valuable both for students with a previous foundation of biblical study and for those with little or no Bible background.
Table of Contents
The historical context of the Gospels and Acts -- The historical methods of criticism -- The Gospel of Mark -- The Gospel of Matthew -- Literary features of Luke-Acts -- Key themes of Luke-Acts -- The Gospel of John.