This book is introductory, but it is not an introduction to biblical content or to the history of early Christianity in the typical sense. Each of the chapters addresses a different aspect of the material and provides its own perspective on the origin of the church and early Christianity. The chapters begin with questions that in turn focus the discussions. The chapters can be read as independent, freestanding arguments and can be mixed and matched, enabling readers to investigate the respective topics independently. However, the chapters also follow a logical narrative line. In addition, images and diagrams are used to assist in making critical points and to enrich the visual sense of the material. The image of the window serves to give readers lines of sight into the material where historical intersections and patterns begin to emerge.

James W. Aageson is Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Early Christianity at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. His academic interests focus on the history and thought of early Judaism, Pauline studies, and early post-New Testament Christianity. His books include Written Also for Our Sake (1993), In the Beginning (2000), and Paul, the Pastoral Epistles and the Early Church (2008).