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{en} Patrick J. Hartin, James of Jerusalem: Heir to Jesus of Nazareth (2004)

Abstract

"Through the world of James of Jerusalem we discover the development of Christianity and its struggle for self-definition amidst Jewish roots and a rising congregation of newly converted Gentiles. In this time of early Christianity, James' presence testified to the church’s diversity and he influenced Christianity beyond the literature of the New Testament. Patrick J. Hartin studies the character of James in his various life-roles: as a member of Jesus’ family, as a leader and spokesperson of Jerusalem, and as an important figure in early Christian writing, including that of Paul, and the Acts of the Apostles. The use of historical critical method illustrates for students the growth of traditions and the sources behind the texts."--Publisher description

"In James of Jerusalem: Heir to Jesus of Nazareth, Patrick J. Hartin provides a detailed scholarly portrait of James, the brother of Jesus, highlighting his central role as leader of the Jerusalem church and as the principal figure continuing Jesus’s mission after his death. Hartin reconstructs James’s life, beliefs, and practices using New Testament writings, non-canonical sources, and Jewish traditions, emphasizing James’s unique position at the intersection of Judaism and Christianity. Through careful textual analysis, the book explores the Epistle of James, showing its roots in Jewish wisdom literature and its ethical teachings that mirror those of Jesus. Hartin argues that James’s leadership was instrumental in shaping the earliest forms of Christianity, advocating for a faith deeply rooted in Jewish practice but transformed by the experience of Jesus. The volume illuminates James’s legacy as a unifying figure—a mediator between Jewish and Gentile believers—and as a moral exemplar for subsequent generations."-- U-M GPT

Contents

Introduction : through the looking glass -- Who is James? : the family of Jesus in the Gospels -- Leader of the Jerusalem community : James in the Acts of the Apostles and Letters of Paul -- Wisdom teacher : the letter of James -- The tradition develops : James outside the canonical writings -- The legacy of James of Jerusalem.

External links

• [ Google Books]