Quest for the Historical Apostles

By W. Brian Shelton

Subjects: Church history, Primitive and early church, Apostles

Description: The stories and contributions of the apostles provide an important entrée into church history. However, the legends of the apostles after the New Testament are confusing and steeped in myth. This historical and literary introduction uncovers the apostles' lives and legacies, underscoring their impact on the growth of the early church. While a good bit of the available information on the apostles comes from the biblical texts, there are important extrabiblical sources from the first and second centuries that have only recently emerged that shed light on these figures and their legacies. Quest for the Historical Apostles brings all of these sources together to offer a comprehensive analysis. This work explores biblical and apocryphal material, the witness of early church historians, the iconography of church art and liturgy, and contemporary scholarship to uncover the journey of each apostle, and it locates figures such as Paul, Peter, and John in the broader context of the history of the apostles. The author also explores the continuing story of the gospel mission and the twelve disciples beyond the New Testament, showing how their ministry encounters can provide inspiration for all students of the early church. - Publisher.