Reflections on Power and Authority in Early Christian Communities

This edited collection considers the concept of power in the New Testament and early Christian writings.

Ron Clark, Anne Moore, and Stan Helton and their contributors contend that Power in the Ancient Near East was not only a desired commodity, but an important tool to navigate the ancient Honor/Shame climate. Bringing together both early career and established scholars with ministry leaders, the essays herein explore the positive uses of power to foster peace and shalom in Early Christian communities. Spanning across the New Testament and early Christian writings, the contributors address family leadership, apostleship, and authorial power as a means to guide the community to live counter-culturally in Roman occupied Palestine.