In Sōtēria: Salvation in Early Christianity and Antiquity, an international team of scholars assembles to honour the distinguished academic career of New Testament scholar Cilliers Breytenbach. Colleagues and friends consider in which manner concepts of salvation were constructed in early Christianity and its Jewish and Graeco-Roman contexts. Studies on aspects of soteriology in the New Testament writings, such as in the narratives on Jesus’ life and work, and theological interpretations of his life and death in the epistolary literature, are supplemented by studies on salvation in the Apostolic Fathers, Marcion, early Christian inscriptions and Antiochian theology. The volume starts with some exemplary studies on salvation in the Hebrew Bible, the Dead Sea scrolls, the Septuagint, and popular Graeco-Roman literature and philosophy. Furthermore, some contributions shed light on the ancient cultural background of early Christian soteriological concepts.
David S. du Toit, Dr. theol. (Berlin 1996), Dr. theol. habil. (Berlin 2006), is Professor for New Testament, Friedrich-Alexander-University in Erlangen, Germany. His research focuses on the development of Christology, the Gospel of Mark, History of Jesus-Research, and the Greco-Roman Context of early Christianity.
Christine Gerber, Dr. theol. (Munich 1996), Dr. theol. habil. (Berlin 2005), is Professor for New Testament Studies, University of Hamburg, Germany. Her research focuses on Pauline and deutero-Pauline Literature, Hellenistic Judaism, pseudepigraphy, aspects of gender, and hermeneutics.
Christiane Zimmermann, Dr. phil. (Munich 1991), Dr. theol. habil. (Berlin 2006), is Professor for New Testament, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Germany. Her research focuses on metaphors of God in early Christianity and the history of early Pauline communities (Lycaonia, Corinth).
Contributors are: Harold W. Attridge, Silke-Petra Bergjan, Bärbel Bosenius, Jan N. Bremmer, Adela Yarbro Collins, Lutz Doering, Jonathan A. Draper, David S. du Toit, Christina Eschner, Christine Gerber, Rainer Hirsch-Luipold, Christina Hoegen-Rohls, Torsten Jantsch, Ursula Ulrike Kaiser, Martin Karrer, Matthias Köckert, Hermann Lichtenberger, Judith M. Lieu, Peter Müller, Julien M. Ogereau, Clare K. Rothschild, Jens Schröter, Gregory E. Sterling, Gert J. Steyn, Paul Trebilco, Johan C. Thom, Christopher M. Tuckett, Jan G. van der Watt, Joseph Verheyden, Markus Witte, Michael Wolter, Christiane Zimmermann
"The list of 153 publications by Cilliers Breytenbach at the end of this book is testimony both to his breadth of learning and the depth of his engagement with soteriological questions and, as such, this collection of 32 essays, half of which are in German, is a fitting tribute to him. (...) An index of ancient sources provides an invaluable way in for anyone looking to engage with a specific text" - Timothy Carter, in: Journal for the Study of the New Testament 42:5, 2020
Academic scholars, postgraduate und graduate students, pastors and educated laymen interested in the history of theology (particular concepts of salvation/soteriology) in Early Christianity.