An Introduction To The Study Of Luke Acts

An Introduction to the Study of Luke-Acts

V. George Shillington introduces readers to the text, texture and context of Luke-Acts in this tried and tested introduction, now in its second edition. Using various approaches currently practiced by biblical scholars Shillington outlines the methods of biblical interpretation and then shows how they might be applied to the texts in question. Through historical criticism Shillington looks at and explains questions of authorship, the time and setting of the composition, sources and historical background. Taking a social-science approach he examines the society and culture of the time. Literary readings include narrative, socio-rhetorical, and audience-response approaches, while a theological reading asks how the literary texture and themes of Luke-Acts shape the convictions of Christian communities, past and present. Incorporating modern approaches in the field, Shillington looks at postcolonial and feminist criticism and how they have changed our understanding of these books. Each chapter concludes with a list of further relevant resources, and pertinent review questions. The text is accompanied by charts and diagrams to illustrate key points of language and structure.

An Introduction to the Study of Luke-Acts

The Acts of The Apostles: An Introduction and Study Guide

The book of Acts opens with the dramatic story of tongues of flame descending upon believers at Pentecost and the prophecy of an egalitarian dispensation of the Spirit being fulfilled. Yet, as the narrative unfolds, we become aware of a tension between the socially egalitarian promise of the Pentecost story and the author's underlying concern to provide reassurance for his elite patron Theophilus that Jesus followers do not disturb the existing social order. In this guide, Acts is read as a struggle to tame the tongues of fire. Acts mutes the egalitarian promise of the Spirit through presenting an 'orderly account' (as its author calls it) of the Jesus movement that appeals to elite sensibilities. And, at the same time, the narrative contains contradictions, gaps and fissures that suggest the outlines of a more complex, and even subversive, religious movement.