Destroyer of the Gods

Larry W. Hurtado is Emeritus Professor of New Testament Language, Literature & Theology in the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Born in Kansas City (Missouri), he now lives in Edinburgh.

Preface Introduction Chapter 1. Early Christians and Christianity in the Eyes of Non-Christians Chapter 2. A New Kind of Faith Chapter 3. A Different Identity Chapter 4. A ""Bookish"" Religion Chapter 5. A New Way to Live Conclusion Appendix Notes Index of Ancient Sources Index of Subjects and Modern Authors

Hurtado, emeritus professor of New Testament language, literature, and theology in the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh, discusses the history and evolution of ecumenical Christian practices in this elegantly straightforward book...Hurtado does an excellent job of walking readers through...how very odd early Christianity was for its place and time and how it came to overturn and replace ancient systems and beliefs. Hurtado writes with a measured tone and learned authority. Those wishing to know more about early Christianity will find much here. -- Publishers Weekly An important scholarly look at the birth of Christianity within the Roman embrace. -- Library Journal ...An admirable discussion of early Christianity partly directed towards an educated lay readership, and one that will invite reactions from scholars of the ancient world and the early church. In moving away from looking simply at Constantine and the victory of Christianity, Hurtado is encouraging us to look deeper and to return to those early writings that shape the Christian faith. -- Anthony Smart -- Vigilae Christianae Valuable reading at any level of education. -- Edwin Judge -- Ancient History: Resources for Teachers Destroyer of the gods is a welcome and important book as it challenges what seems by now have become the mainstream, at least in late antique studies, namely highlighting the similarities between Christianity and other ancient religions and stressing the embeddedness of Christians in the Greco-Roman world. -- Maijastina Kahlos -- PLEKOS In Destroyer of the Gods: Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World, Larry W. Hurtado provides an in-depth survey of the features that made early Christianity unusual in the Roman world. Hurtado's exploration of the distinctive features of early Christianity is informative, exciting to read, and enlightening. -- Steven Shisley -- Reading Religion Destroyer of the Gods i s an intriguing and wide-ranging examination of several key features of Christianity that distinguished it from the various religious beliefs and practices common in Greco-Roman society... Given its effectiveness in introducing readers to the distinct aspects of the Christian faith, the volume would serve as a valuable supplementary text for undergraduate or graduate courses in either New Testament or Church History. -- Benjamin Laird -- Southeastern Theological Review The volume is well written, contains extensive endnotes, and avoids jargon. Hurtado's erudition will reward the reader, especially undergraduates and scholars with little or no previous knowledge of scholarship on early Christianity. -- Nickolas P. Roubekas -- Religious Studies Review Clearly argued and carefully researched. -- George Leonidas Parsenios -- Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology