Thinking about Religion
2 total works
To complement their highly successful study of Mark's gospel, Witness in a Pagan World, Eric Johns and David Major have now turned their attention to Luke, the first century chronicler of the Christian message, and once again demonstrate how our understanding of this most accessible of the gospel writers is enhanced by placing him within the context of the age in which he lived. As with their earlier volume, Witness in a Gentile World has been developed for students studying for GCSE. Written with the requirements of the National Criteria for Religious Studies in mind, the books has sections which focus on the relevance of Luke's gospel to contemporary Christianity, with many of Luke's concerns - the meaning of discipleship, wealth, and the role of women in the Church - still central to the debate within the Church today. The illustrations, and the questions at the end of every chapter, have been designed to extend the reader's knowledge, and together encourage an understanding of the issues raised by Luke's writing and of the influences that acted upon him.
To make a success of studying Mark's gospel, you have to be a detective. That is the judgement of Eric Johns and David Major, who begin by setting out the clues, and then go on to examine the evidence. The result is a pleasing commentary on the earliest of the four gospels, written in a language ideally suited to the non-specialist and in a style designed to help the beginner. It is particularly suited to those preparing for GCSE. But the simplicity does not detract from the quality or depth of the scholarship. The authors explain the text. They provide insight into the miracles, demon possession, baptism and the concept of Messiahship. They give us information about the Scribes, the Pharisees and the Sadducees to help us understand their place on the New Testament scene. And they present Jesus in such a way as to invite us to make up our own minds about him. Being teachers, these authors seem to know exactly where most of us are in our understanding of the New Testament, and so are able to serve the needs of preachers, teachers and Bible students who look to Mark for a picture of what it was like to be a Witness in a Pagan World. This revised edition is enlarged to provide for the present requirements of the National Criteria for Religious Studies. There are now sections which focus particularly on the relevance of Mark's gospel to Christians confronted with the issues of today's world. The illustrations direct the reader's attention outwards to the activities of the church throughout the world. There are also questions aimed to encourage responses in the areas of knowledge, understanding, and evaluation.