Revisiting the God-fearer Thesis in the Development of Early Christianity

(Hardback)

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This volume examines in depth the theory, evidence, and trail of scholarly work on god-fearers. Thomas A. Robinson argues for substantial revisions in the depiction of the god-fearer phenomenon, the story of early Christianity and its engagement with both Jews and with the larger Greco-Roman population. Robinson provides a thorough analysis of the god-fearer theory, examining scholarly debate and primary literary and inscriptional materials put forward as evidence for the god-fearer theory.

Robinson begins with an exploration of the god-fearing community, its definition, or lack thereof, and its role as a bridge to Christianity in the Greco-Roman world. He then examines the key features of god-fearers, and the scholarly appeal to circumcision as the primary barrier preventing god-fearer conversion to Judaism. The volume concludes with an exploration of Lukes Acts and its readers and a thorough investigation of inscriptional and literary evidence supporting god-fearer theory.

Author Bio

Thomas A. Robinson is Professor Emeritus, Department of History and Religion, The University of Lethbridge, Canada.