The Cambridge Companion to the Gospels

Stephen C. Barton is a theologian with a specialism in New Testament Studies. He was Reader in New Testament in the Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University (1988-2010). Currently, he is an Honorary Research Fellow of Durham and Manchester Universities. His publications include The Spirituality of the Gospels, Discipleship and Family Ties in Mark and Matthew, Invitation to the Bible, and Life Together. Family, Sexuality and Community in the New Testament and Today. Todd Brewer is a New Testament Studies scholar and holds a PhD from Durham University. He is the author of Hermeneutics and Early Christian Gospels. He is managing editor for the theology and culture site, mbird.com.

• Part I. Approaching the Gospels: Context and Method: 1. What is a gospel? Loveday Alexander; 2. The fourfold gospel Francis Watson; 3. Gospel sources and inter-relations Todd Brewer; 4. The scriptural matrix of the Gospels Richard B. Hays and Christopher Blumhofer; 5. The gospels and 'the historical Jesus' Stephen E. Fowl; 6. The gospels and the reader Sandra M. Schneiders; Part II. The Gospels as Witnesses to Christ: Content and Interpretation: 7. The Gospel according to Matthew Roland Deines; 8. The Gospel according to Mark Elizabeth E. Shively; 9. The Gospel according to Luke John T. Squires; 10. The Gospel according to John Christopher W. Skinner; 11. Gospels canonical and non-canonical as witnesses to Christ Simon Gathercole; 12. God and the knowledge of God in the gospels Stephen C. Barton; Part III. The Afterlife of the Gospels: Impact on Church and Society: 13. The gospels and doctrine Frances Young; 14. Reception history of the gospels Christine Joynes; 15. Praying the gospels: spirituality and worship Gordon Mursell; 16. The gospels embodied: the lives of saints and martyrs David Matzko Mccarthy; 17. The gospels in morality and politics Scott Bader-Saye; 18. The gospels for the life of the world Ben Quash.

'This is a most useful and attractive volume, not only for beginners, but for all interested in being stimulated by new slants on the evangelists, often characterized as the lion, the man, the ox, and the eagle.' Stephen Platten, The Living Church