Books in the Core Biblical Studies series

Every significant layer of the New Testament features the distinctiveconcerns of apocalyptic literature, including the expectation of amessiah, hope for a resurrection, expectation of a final judgment, and aspiritual world that includes angels and demons. Yet many contemporaryreaders shy away from things apocalyptic, especially the book ofRevelation. This introduction considers the influence ofapocalyptic literature throughout the Gospels and Acts, Paul's letters,and Revelation. It argues that early Christian authors drew uponapocalyptic topics to address an impressive array of situations andconcerns, and it demonstratesexample after examplehow apocalypticdiscourse contributed to their ongoing work of contextual theology.

Author Warren Carter addresses the ways in which New Testament writings present Godby asking four questions about how God relates to others: How is Godpresented in relation to Israel? How is God presented in relation toJesus and the Spirit? How is God presented in relation tobelievers/disciples/the church? How is God presented in relation to ';theworld'? Carter uses these questions to help draw out the most importantfactors in each of the New Testament writings discussed."e;Rarelydoes one exclaim, ';This is a real page-turner!' when describing a bookon the New Testamentbut I must say it. With his characteristicconcision and clarity, not to mention wit and conversational style,Carter leads us on a tour of ';God-at-Work' in fifteen closely-readtexts. What claims do the various texts make about God? What questionsor ';red flags' do these texts raise? What effect do or should thesetexts have upon us as readers today?Carter intrepidly takes up someof the more challenging and cryptic NT texts and asks aloud many of theuncomfortable questions we've wondered about but might not have voicedso pointedly. He does not provide tidy answers, but his approach enticesus not to give up, but rather to dive even deeper into the texts, theirworld, and ours. In reading this book, I was variously educated,entertained, challenged, and even moved."e; -Jaime Clark-SolesProfessor of New Testament and Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor,Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas