A few months ago I began a series on an academic book focused on the theology of Martin Luther. I enjoyed taking an angle on that book chapter by chapter and hope many of you enjoyed the chance to dig a little deeper.
Since we closed that book up last week, I’ve picked a new one. It’s entitled In the Shadow of the Temple, Jewish Influences on Early Christianity and is written by Oskar Skarsaune. This is a book that I read a few years ago, but as I was looking through something I thought I would enjoy discussing chapter to chapter for this audience, it really lept off the shelf. Each chapter really brings some incredible insights that drive you deeper into your reflections on Scripture and theology.
Here’s a brief summary of the purpose:
In the Shadow of the Temple offers a new persepctive on the develpment of the early church in its practice (e.g. worship, baptism, and Eucharist” and doctrine (e.g. Scripture, Christology, pneumatology). Oskar Skarsuance begins by tracing the story of second temple Judaism from the crisis of the Jre3ish encoutner with Hellenism in the second century B.C. through the diverse Judaisms of the first century A.D.. Then, from the time of Jesus and the origins of the church up to the Constantinian revolution of the early fourth century A.D., Skarsuance offers us fascinating snapsots and analyses of the itneraction, the arguments, and the shaping influences of Judaism o nthe life, creed, and practices of the church.
So in my next post on this book we’ll be talking about how the culture of the Greek Empire and Hellenism influenced the Jewish faith and in turn our own Christian faith.
Looks interesting!