Klauck describes the religious world into whichChristianity was born, by looking at it from the many experiences of the firstChristians as recorded in Acts. For example: Peter encounters Simon themagician, the people of Lystra want to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas,and a soothsaying slave-girl is the occasion for conflict in Philippi. We cometo Athens where Paul finds the city full of idols but also discovers an altar"to an unknown god" and delivers the famous Areopagus speech, and to Ephesus,where some burn their books of magic formulae, while others provoke a riot inthe name of Artemis. "Magic and Paganism in Early Christianity" makesfor a fascinating account of these phenomena and their significance forChristianity historically and today. Features: A fresh treatment of the Book of Acts in light of Greco-Roman religions Extensive bibliography Multiple indexes "Klauck examines major texts in Acts to reveal how its irenic author shows at once what Christianity shared with and in what ways it differed from its cultural environment. Much in its world was humane, rational, and religious in a way that required the Christian message to accommodate itself to its audience's expectations without being drawn into patterns and categories of thought foreign to its own. A stimulating read indeed." Hans-Josef Klauck is Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Literature at the University of Chicago. He has published commentaries and monographs on 1 Corinthians, the Johannine epistles, New Testament theology, noncanonical gospels, and the history of religion in the Graeco-Roman world. Brian McNeil has been translator of many books on the history of Christianity and biblical studies. Among his credits are two Fortress Press titles by Hans-Josef Klauck, The Religious Context of Early Christianity (2003) and Magic and Paganism in Early Christianity (2003). Used Book in Good Condition