Christ's Resurrection in Early Christianity and the Making of the New Testament

Why is the Resurrection of Christ so remote, almost non-existent in many early Christian writings of the first 140 years of Christianity? This is the first Patristic book to focus on the development of the belief in the Resurrection of Christ through the first centuries A.D. By Paul, Christ's Resurrection is regarded as the basis of Christian hope. In the fourth century it becomes a central Christian tenet. But what about the discrepancy in the first three centuries? This thought provoking book explores this core topic in Christian culture and theology. Taking a broad approach - including iconography, archaeology, history, philosophy, Jewish Studies and theology - Markus Vinzent offers innovative reading of well known biblical and other texts complemented by rarely discussed evidence. Christ's Resurrection in Early Christianity takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the wilderness of unorthodox perspectives in the breadth of early Christian writings. It is an eye-opening experience with insights into the craftsmanship of early Christianity - and the earliest existential debates about life and death, death and life - all centred on the cross, on suffering, enduring and sacrifice.

Markus Vinzent is Professor for the History of Theology at King's College London in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies. Prior to King's he was H.G. Wood Professor of Theology at Birmingham University (1999-2010) and Professor of Church History at the University of Cologne, Germany (1997-1999). In a series of monographs he has published on early Christian beliefs (Monarchianism, Trinity, Apostles' Creed) and their reception in the Middle Ages, the Enlightenment and in contemporary theology. Vinzent is one of the directors of the International Conference on Patristic Studies University of Oxford, editor of Studia Patristica and of Eckhart: Texts and Studies. This monograph has resulted from 'Early Christian Iconography and Epigraphy', a project generously funded by the British Academy (2011-12) and directed by the author.