Description
The life and death of Jesus of Nazareth and the beginnings of the movement that venerated him are of profound religious significance to Christian believers. Since these events, however, are part of our common history and have had enormous influence on the development of Western civilization, they are also legitimate subjects of historical inquiry. This historical introduction to the New Testament investigates the foundation of the new religious movement in the life of Jesus, the experiences that acted as the catalyst of missionary activity after his death, the factors that led to a separation of the movement from Judaism, and the development of the ecclesial structures through which Christianity has influenced subsequent secular and religious history.
