Yale University Library Research Guides: New Testament Studies: History

General Historical Context of the New Testament

Backgrounds of Early Christianity by Everett Ferguson Quick introduction to historical context, parsed socially, religiously, economically, etc.
The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians by N. T. Wright; Michael F. Bird A readable, one-volume introduction placing the entire New Testament and early Christianity in its original context. Written from an evangelical perspective
The World of the New Testament by Joel B. Green; Lee Martin McDonald

Religious Context of the New Testament

Religion in the Roman Empire by James B. Rives Engaging, systematic introduction to religion in the Roman empire. Draws on textual and visual, literary, inscriptions and monuments.
Religions of Rome by Mary Beard; John North; Simon Price Historical overview of Roman cultic practices (Vol 1). Sourcebook (Vol 2).
Rituals and Power: The Roman Imperial Cult in Asia Minor by S. R. F. Price Studies Greek cults of the Roman emperor in Asia minor. Shows how and why the Roman emperor was god. Analyses the historical, social and cultural contexts of the Imperial cult, rituals of temples, images and sacrifices. Helps our understanding of the relationship between religious ritual and political power.
Roman Religion: A Sourcebook by Valerie M. Warrior Sourcebook introducing fundamentals of ancient Roman religious beliefs and rituals. Includes maps, glossary, a chronological table and lists of important gods. Companion to Valerie Warrior's Greek Religion: A Sourcebook .
Rome and Religion by Jeffrey Brodd; Jonathan L. Reed Historical introduction. Online Available.
The Ancient Mysteries: A Sourcebook by Marvin W. Meyer Selections from Greek and Roman history, plays, and poetry. Brief intros to each mystery cult.

Historical Jesus and the Gospels

A Marginal Jew - Rethinking the Historical Jesus by John P. Meier Five long volumes. Summarizes major questions and answers related to every aspect of historical Jesus studies of the past century. Survey table of contents and read the series' introduction of methods before diving in. Online available.
Jesus and Judaism by E. P. Sanders Deals with Jesus' intention and relationship to contemporaries in Judaism. Investigates the reason for his death and rise of Christianity.
Jesus the Jew by Geza Vermes A significant corrective to the study of the historical Jesus. A portrait of Jesus based on evidence of charismatic activity in first-century Galilee. Contextualizes prophet, Lord, Messiah, son of man, Son of God.
The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant by John Dominic Crossan Attempts to determine Jesus' words and actions stripped of any subsequent additions. The Jesus who emerges is a Jewish Mediterranean peasant, a radical revolutionary, with a vision of economic, political, and religious egalitarianism.

Historical Paul and the Epistles

From Paul to Valentinus: Christians at Rome in the Cirst Two Centuries by Peter Lampe Studies the rise and shape of the earliest churches in Rome. Integrates history, archaeology, theology, and social analysis. From Paul's Letter to the Romans to the writings of Clement of Rome, Justin Martyr, Montanus, and Valentinus.
Paul and Palestinian Judaism by E.P. Sanders A landmark in 20th century Paul studies. Credited for the New Perspective on Paul. Long. Online available.
Reinventing Paul by John G. Gager Introduces the historical study of Paul and 19-20th century advancements. Short. Online available.
The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul by Wayne A. Meeks Analyzes the earliest documents of Christianity--letters of Paul--to describe the tensions and the texture of life of the first urban Christians.

New Testament Reception History

The Canon Debate by Lee Martin McDonald; James A. Sanders How was the New Testament canon formed and closed? What role was played by Marcion? By gnostics? By the church fathers? What did the early church make of the apocrypha and pseudepigrapha? By what criteria have questions of canonicity been decided? Read to find out.
The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance by Bruce M. Metzger Provides information from Church history concerning the recognition of the canonical status of the books of the NT. Canonization was a long and gradual process of sifting through scores of gospels, epistles, and other books that enjoyed local and temporary authority.
The New Testament Canon: Its Making and Meaning by Harry Y. Gamble Argues that the history of the canon indicates that the contents of the New Testament were determined by the church on the basis of tradition

History of New Testament Studies

History of New Testament Research: 3 Volumes by William Baird Outlines the global history of modern NT studies. Organized by locations, periods, schools, figures, and paradigm-shifting works. Bibliographies for each section. Three (long) volumes. Online available.
Racializing Jesus: Race, Ideology, and the Formation of Modern Biblical Scholarship by Shawn Kelley Shows how racially-grounded thinking has influenced modern biblical scholarship.
The Invention of the Biblical Scholar by Stephen D. Moore; Yvonne Sherwood What is a "biblical scholar"? A product of the enlightenment. Poses questions for scholars across the humanities concerned with the question of the religious and the secular. What other forms might biblical criticism have taken? What untried forms might biblical criticism yet take?

Social Context of the New Testament

Associations in the Greco-Roman World by Richard S. Ascough; Philip A. Harland; John S. Kloppenborg Provides students and scholars with a better understanding of the social, cultural, and religious life across the ancient Mediterranean. Includes new translations of inscriptions and papyri from hundreds of associations, alongside descriptions of more than two dozen archaeological remains of building sites.
Greco-Roman associations: Texts, Translations, and Commentary by John S. Kloppenborg; Richard S. Ascough Private associations organized around a common cult, profession, ethnic identity, neighbourhood or family were common throughout the Greco-Roman antiquity, offering opportunities for sociability, cultic activities, mutual support and a context in which to display and recognize virtuous achievement. This volume collects a representative selection of inscriptions from associations inAttica, Central Greece, Macedonia, Thrace, published with English translations, brief explanatory notes, commentaries and full indices. This volume is essential for several areas of study: ancient patterns of social organization; the organization of diasporic communities in the ancient Mediterranean; models for the structure of early Christian groups; and forms of sociability, status-displays, and the vocabularies of virtue. Multiple volumes, organized by geographical region.
Ideas of Slavery from Aristotle to Augustine by Peter Garnsey Asks how slavery was viewed by the leading spokesmen of Greece and Rome. Challenges the common assumption of passive acquiescence in slavery, and the associated view that, Aristotle apart, there was no systematic thought on slavery.
The Cambridge Economic History of the Greco-Roman World by Ian Morris; Walter Scheidel; Richard P. Saller A one-volume survey of the economies of classical antiquity that summarizes the current state of scholarship. Approach is both thematic and chronological, with coverage of the whole of the Greek and Roman worlds extending from the Aegean Bronze Age to Late Antiquity.
The Roman Empire: Economy, Society and Culture by Peter Garnsey; Richard Saller; Jas Elsner; Martin Goodman; Richard Gordon; Greg Woolf A new, expanded edition of an account of the economy, society, and culture of the Roman Empire
The Roman Household: A Sourcebook by Jane F. Gardner; Thomas Wiedemann Illustrates the activities associated with the household, demonstrating the different and frequently conflicting roles and moral values expected from its various members: male and female, old and young, freedman and slave.