Reading Acts Theologically

Steve Walton has consistently focused his research and scholarship upon the theological perspective of Acts, while considering the book's nature and focus, its portrait of the early Christian communities and their mission in the culturally varied first-century world, and its major theological themes. Walton now collects several of his key essays into an expansive and coherent perspective, bringing together studies published over nearly two decades during his time of study and reflection in the process of writing the Word Biblical Commentary on Acts.The collection begins with an exploration of what 'reading Acts theologically' means, the divine perspective of Acts, and how Luke theologizes through narrative. Walton presents analyses covering the nature of the early Church and the main terms used by the communities; the believers' sharing of possessions; early Christian attitudes to the Jewish temple; decision-making among the earliest Christians; and the church's engagement with the Roman empire and its representatives. This volume studies theological themes in Acts such as Jesus' role as a character in the text while also located in heaven, and the cosmology and anthropology communicated by Acts, thus providing a new reflection on the early Christian understanding of God, Jesus and humanity.

AcknowledgmentsList of AbbreviationsPart I: Looking at ActsChapter 1: Reading Acts TheologicallyChapter 2: The Acts-of God? What is the 'Acts of the Apostles' All About?Chapter 3: Doing Theology Lukewise: Luke as Theologian and StorytellerPart II: The Believing Communities and Their WorldChapter 4: Calling the Church Names: Learning about Christian Identity from ActsChapter 5: Primitive Communism in Acts? Does Acts Present the Community of Goods (2:44-45; 4:32-35) as Mistaken?Chapter 6: A Tale of Two Perspectives? The Temple in ActsChapter 7: Deciding about Deciding: Early Christian Communal Decision-Making in ActsChapter 8: Trying Paul or Trying Rome? Judges and Accused in the Roman Trials of Paul in ActsChapter 9: What Does 'Mission' in Acts Mean in Relation to the 'Powers That Be'?Part III Theological Themes in ActsChapter 10: Jesus Present and/or Absent? The Presence and Presentation of Jesus as a Character in the Book of ActsChapter 11: Identity and Christology: The Ascended Jesus in the Book of ActsChapter 12: 'The Heavens Opened': Cosmological and Theological Transformation in Luke and ActsChapter 13: Turning Anthropology Right Side Up: Seeing Human Life and Existence LukewiseBibliographyIndexes