The Theology of the Johannine Epistles (New Testament Theology)

The Johannine Epistles Have Long Been Recognized As Contributing A Vital Element To The Theology Of The New Testament. Usually It Is To The Gospel That The Reader Turns First In Order To Explore That Contribution; The First Epistle Is Treated As A Supplement, While 2 And 3 John--because Of Their Brevity--receive Little Attention. This Book Allows The Epistles To Speak For Themselves, And Shows That They Sound A Distinctive Note Within Johannine Theology, In Particular, And The Thought Of The New Testament, In General. Dr. Lieu Carefully Outlines Their Most Important Theological Themes Which, When Understood In Their Original Setting, Are Seen To Have Rich Potential For The Continuing Theology Of The Church. 1. Introduction. The Johannine Letters. Historical Setting. The Johannine Background -- 2. The Theology Of The Johannine Epistles. The Author And The Community. 'we Know': Confidence In The Life Of The Community. 'fellowship With Him': The Language Of Religious Experience. The Tests Of Life. Jesus In Tradition And Faith. God And The World: Election And Dualism. Past And Future. Theology In 2 And 3 John? -- 3. The Epistles Within The Johannine Tradition And The New Testament. The Johannine Tradition. The New Testament -- 4. The Significance Of The Johannine Epistles In The Church. The Epistles In The Church. The Contemporary Significance Of The Epistles. Judith M. Lieu. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 121-123) And Indexes. The Johannine Epistles have long been recognised as contributing a vital element to the theology of the New Testament. Usually it is to the Gospel that the reader turns first in order to explore that contribution; the First Epistle is treated as a supplement, while 2 and 3 John - on account of their brevity - receive little attention. This book allows the Epistles to speak for themselves, and shows that they sound a distinctive note within Johannine theology, in particular, and the thought of the New Testament, in general. Dr Lieu carefully outlines their most important theological themes (comprising, for example, tensions-in-unity between confidence and imperative, individual and community, and faith and tradition) which - when understood in their original setting - are seen to have rich potential for the continuing theology of the Church. By focusing on the Johannine Epistles in their proper context and in their own right, the author of this book thus provides a timely reassessment of the substantial theological contribution they have to make This book shows that the Johannine Epistles have a distinctive contribution to make both to the Johannine tradition and to the theology of the New Testament as a whole. Their importance within New Testament thought, complementary to the theology of the Fourth Gospel, is seen to be one of tensions-in-unity between, for example, confidence and imperative, individual and community, and faith and tradition. The author's timely survey shows that -- when understood against their original settings -- the Epistles have continuing relevance, and contain rich potential, for the theology of the church.