The Gospels and Christian Life in History and Practice

Book excerpt: The Gospels and Christian Life in History and Practice approaches the four canonical gospels in an engaging way as handbooks for religious formation through communal practices. The book focuses on the communities that produced each gospel, the dynamic energy each gospel displays for creating and sustaining community life, the different interpretations of the person of Jesus, and the different systems of organization and leadership each gospel promulgated. Providing necessary background information for understanding the social, intellectual, and religious setting for each gospel, the authors then build on these foundations to illustrate the nature and scope of the community's practices. Book jacket.