The New Testament: A Guide

Why is the New Testament considered a “sacred” text for Christians? For some, this ancient text is viewed simply as an influential and interesting artifact with no real impact on their lives. But for believing Christians it is an integral part of the Bible and normative for Christian faith and life. This book in Oxford University Press’s series Guide to Sacred Texts addresses the question of why the New Testament is considered sacred text by Christians. While sharing some characteristics of an Introduction to the New Testament, this work has a very different purpose. After exploring the content, the historical roots, and the complex process that led to the composition of the varied writings contained in the New Testament, Donald Senior turns to its fundamental unifying purpose. Through the diverse writings of the New Testament the early Christian community proclaimed the inherently transcendent character of Jesus Christ and the implications of that proclamation for the lives and destiny of Christians. A key process was the formation of the New Testament canon during the early centuries of the Christian era, a process that certified the normative nature of the New Testament writings and fused them onto the Jewish Scriptures or Old Testament to form the Christian Bible. The study concludes by sketching the evolution and ongoing diversity of New Testament interpretation both in the academy and in the church. Written in a clear and accessible manner, this study introduces the reader to the world of the New Testament and why it has had such a powerful claim on Christianity for two thousand years.