The Variety and Unity of the Apostolic Witness to Christ

This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. This volume, the second of a two-volume work by Leonhard Goppelt, represents the most mature and comprehensive thought of this German New Testament scholar. Among German-speaking scholars it is distinguished as rivaling, if not replacing, the monumental work on New Testament theology by Rudolf Bultmann. One reason for this fundamental significance is that it attempts to reclaim a biblical theology that comprehends both Old and New Testaments. As in the first volume, Goppelt makes a thoroughgoing application of the most reliable tools and insights of New Testament scholarship. And while he views his work as "instructive dialogue between exegetical and systematic theology" and seeks always to maintain a balance between historical research and theological understanding, his goal is not simply to come to terms with the intent of the New Testament authors but to apply that knowledge in the context of present-day realities. Volume II treats a variety of apostolic witnesses to Christ (the primitive Christian community, Paul, and the post-Pauline writers). Yet, as the title indicates, with all the richness and variety of the New Testament proclamation, each of the witnesses expresses in various ways the apostolic kerygma. That witness alone is the norm of Christian faith and life that is to be developed reflectively in the contemporary context. Adding to the volume's usefulness are detailed bibliographies for each chapter, subject indexes for both Volume I and II, a literature supplement, and a list of the publications of Leonhard Goppelt.