Most narratives are written by someone for someone. Was that the case for the Fourth Gospel? This illuminating collection enables a number of newer perspectives in the search for the Gospel's presumed origins. Gifted authors challenge long-accepted historical paradigms, raising questions that shine fresh light upon why this Jesus-story was written, how it was written, and for whom it was written. The Johannine Community in Contemporary Debate should become an important point of reference for all future discussions of these major interpretative issues.

Francis J. Moloney, senior professorial fellow, University of Divinity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

This is a fascinating and timely volume of essays on the Johannine community theory. It explores the question of whether the theory has run its course or whether anything can be retrieved or revisioned from a previous generation of Johannine scholarship. It does so from several different angles: literary, sociological, historical and theological. The strength of this collection lies in its diversity of opinions and approaches, stimulating the reader to new ways of envisaging the origins, context and futuristic vision of the Johannine writings.

Dorothy A. Lee, Trinity College, University of Divinity