On the Origin of Christian Scripture

David Trobisch is a signal figure in contemporary discussions of the Christian Bible’s origins. What he makes clear in this expansive sketch of the various phenomena that produced the Bible’s canonical edition is the interdependency of the second century’s social world, the developing technology that produced collections of related writings, the literary marks and peculiar network of ecclesiastical figures that produced–perhaps inevitably so–the first editions of the church’s biblical canon. Provocateur and poet, historian and hermeneut, Trobisch has drawn for us more a map than a monograph and one that promises to guide future quests of an ancient history and help plot the tellings of this fascinating story of the bible’s real beginnings. –Rob Wall, Seattle Pacific University

What is the Christian Bible, which books does it contain, and how, specifically, might one account for the formation of the New Testament? In his bold new book, On the Origin of Christian Scripture, David Trobisch engages these well-worn questions from a strikingly–and no doubt controversial–new perspective. Trobisch deftly articulates literary connections among what he thinks are several editorial interpolations throughout the New Testament all of which shed light on the overall editorial purpose of the “Canonical Edition” of the New Testament. Bristling with fascinating and contentious insights, Trobisch’s work will be sure to spark both conversation and intense debate. One thing is sure–his sweeping and unique synthesis of the New Testament canon cannot be ignored. –Darian Lockett, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

With historical precision, Trobisch extends his innovative challenge to long-rehearsed theories about the formation of the New Testament canon, assembling further evidence for an early four-volume canonical edition of the Christian scriptures. –Travis B. Williams, Tusculum University

David Trobisch taught New Testament at the University of Heidelberg and at Bangor Theological Seminary in Maine. As a scholar, he is recognized for his work on the letters of Paul, the formation of the Christian Bible, performance theory in antiquity, and biblical manuscripts.