Skarsuane provides the reader with insights into the Jewish background of early Christianity, even Gentile Christianity. It is not an overstatement to call his work exhaustive, as he covers all the bases in this 455 page work.

There are 21 chapters divided into 4 parts.
1.judaism and hellensim 2.Politics: jews and the roman empire
3. geography: the land of israel and the diaspora 4. jerusalem: teh city of the temple 5.how many "judaisms"? 6.jesus with judaism 7. the early jerusalem community of Christians 8.mission to the gentiles and the torah etc........
Skarsaune is very thorough!

I would also highly recommend Jean Danielou's "Theology of Jewish Christianity". It is out of print, but possible to find and it is worth the hunt!

The price is also very cheap for such a work. You will be hard-pressed to find a book more detailed and readable than this one. Enjoy!

This book, by veteran early-church historian Oskar Skarsaune, presents a wealth of information on early Judaism, the New Testament, and the Early Church. It's easy to read and each chapter comes with a list of suggestions for further reading. Most surprising to some readers will be that so much of what some consider "Gentile" about Christianity is at heart Jewish - including even the doctrine of the Incarnation, often held to be a pagan import. This is a must read for anyone interested in Jews, Judaism, or Christianity.

This book is a true gem on the subject of HOW the Early Church was a real daughter of the Ancient Synagogue. Author Prof. Skarsaune is an expert on Christian origins, early Judaeo-Christianity and Jewish-Christian relations in Antiquity. In his rich and fascinating book Skarsaune gives a detailed account of the Jewish religious environment of the Second Temple Period and First Century and how this environment had a profound influence on the Christian Beginnings of the Church of Jewish and gentile believers in Jesus. Personally, I was again very much surprised by the deep roots of the Faith, Worship and Liturgy of the early Church in the Jewish religious soil of the Old Testament.
It is a great book with well-documented sources. It can very well be used as an original and practical inspiration for present-day renewal in Christian worship and faith practices. Warmly recommended!

Skarsaune is a master historian of early Christian dogma, and in this book he narrows his sights upon the central claim of the faith- that God became man in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Setting the doctrine in its jewish context, Skarsaune outlines the major Jewish objections to the "scandale of the incarnation". He then traces Hellenic opposition thru the early centuries. In each case study, he interacts heavily with primary sources. What was most useful in these sections was Skarsaune's presentation of the "Jewishness" of New Testament Christology. This is very useful and in you are interested in this area of study the book is book pays for itself with that chapter!

He then compares the early Christian experience of Jesus as God with the philosphical mileu of the time, showing how the early church freely adopted some philosophical points while rejecting others. In this way, the church was not "platonized", as many authors suggest, but rather baptized some elements of neoplatonsim for its own use without sacrificing the uniqueness of the gospel (which is why it was still offensive to hellenic ears!).

In further chapters, the various christologies of the eastern and western traditions are outlined and compared, showing that the early church was neither monolithic nor totalitarian in its approach to Christ (you have to wait a few cuenturies after the 400s for that!). Against the backdrop of teachings that were not accepted as authentic (i.e. Arianism, Nestorianism, Monothylitism, Monophysitism, Appolonarianism) the early church formulated more precise christological definitions at various Councils- Nicea, Ephesus, Chalcedon. These councils and others are clearly outlined and examined, providing the reader with a clear understanding of the motives (theological and otherwise) behind the doctrines, as well as their wider religious context.

This book is truly a masterpiece. The generous use of primary sources makes it a great introduction into the writings of both christian and non-christian philosphers and theologians from the first through the fifth centuries.

Study questions are included, making it a great resource for adult study groups.

With a great index, detailed endnotes, and a great bibiliography, this book is unbeatable at only 176 pages. You can't go wrong here! Enjoy!

You may also be interested in his new book, In The Shadow Of The Temple, which traces the Jewsih origins of the early Church. It is very well done! See my other reviews for books of similar interest. Thanks!