{"title":"Books by Reverend Doctor Lee Martin McDonald","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9780567717207","title":"The Formation of the Biblical Canon: Volume 1","description":"\u003cp\u003eLee Martin McDonald provides a magisterial overview of the development of the biblical canon\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe emergence of the list of individual texts that constitutes the Christian bible. In these two volumes -- in sum more than double the length of his previous works -- McDonald presents his most in-depth overview to date. McDonald shows students and researchers how the list of texts that constitute 'the bible' was once far more fluid than it is today and guides readers through the minefield of different texts, different versions, and the different lists of texts considered 'canonical' that abounded in antiquity. Questions of the origin and transmission of texts are introduced as well as consideration of innovations in the presentation of texts, collections of documents, archaeological finds and Church councils.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this first volume McDonald reexamines issues of canon formation once considered settled, and sets the range of texts that make up the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament) in their broader context. Each indidvidual text is discussed, as are the cultural, political and historical situations surrounding them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe second volume considers the New Testament, and the range of so-called 'apocryphal' gospels that were written in early centuries, and used by many Christian groups before the canon was closed. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlso included are comprehensive appendices which show various canon lists for both Old and New Testaments and for the bible as a whole.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56292357177717,"sku":"9780567717207","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780567717207_bd2e6f0d-68d5-461d-ab51-b4507ede7b15.jpg?v=1786014164"},{"product_id":"9780567705785","title":"Before There Was a Bible","description":"\u003cp\u003eHow did authority function before the bible as we know it emerged? Lee Martin McDonald examines the authorities that existed from the Church’s beginning: the appeal to the texts containing the words of Jesus, and that would become the New Testament, the not yet finalized Hebrew Scriptures (referred to mostly in Greek) and the apostolic leadership of the churches.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMcDonald traces several sacred core traditions that broadly identified the essence of Christianity \u003ci\u003ebefore there was a bible \u003c\/i\u003esummarized in early creeds, hymns and spiritual songs, baptismal and Eucharistic affirmations, and in lectionaries and catalogues from the fourth century and following. McDonald shows how those traditions were included in the early Christian writings later recognized as the New Testament. He also shows how Christians were never fully agreed on the scope of their Old Testament canon (Hebrew scriptures) and that it took centuries before there was universal acceptance of all of the books now included in the Christian bible. Further, McDonald shows that whilst writings such as the canonical gospels were read as authoritative texts likely from their beginning, they were not yet called or cited as scripture. What was cited in an authoritative manner were the words of Jesus in those texts, alongside the multiple affirmations and creeds that were circulated in the early Church and formed its key authorities and core sacred traditions.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56292373463413,"sku":"9780567705785","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780567705785_c727f2c9-c8d4-4c39-8607-135658ef82ba.jpg?v=1786014130"},{"product_id":"9780567717214","title":"The Formation of the Biblical Canon: Volume 2","description":"\u003cp\u003eLee Martin McDonald provides a magisterial overview of the development of the biblical canon\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe emergence of the list of individual texts that constitutes the Christian bible. In these two volumes -- in sum more than double the length of his previous works -- McDonald presents his most in-depth overview to date. McDonald shows students and researchers how the list of texts that constitute 'the bible' was once far more fluid than it is today and guides readers through the minefield of different texts, different versions, and the different lists of texts considered 'canonical' that abounded in antiquity. Questions of the origin and transmission of texts are introduced as well as consideration of innovations in the presentation of texts, collections of documents, archaeological finds and Church councils.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the first volume McDonald reexamines issues of canon formation once considered settled, and sets the range of texts that make up the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament) in their broader context. Each indidvidual text is discussed, as are the cultural, political and historical situations surrounding them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis second volume considers the New Testament, and the range of so-called 'apocryphal' gospels that were written in early centuries, and used by many Christian groups before the canon was closed. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlso included are comprehensive appendices which show various canon lists for both Old and New Testaments and for the bible as a whole.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56292373791093,"sku":"9780567717214","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780567717214_67d45ce5-215e-411f-bccf-677a0ce4a490.jpg?v=1786014165"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-reverend-doctor-lee-martin-mcdonald.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}