Edgar Krentz

The Emergence of the Christian Religion

History & Biography

“Pearson writes about the New Testament in its historical context and Gnosticism (on which he is a leading authority) . . . The articles on Gnosticism set forth a rich feast . . . The introduction details the origins of each essay, while the epilogue, 'Some Personal Observations on Scholarly Method,' is a sober reflection back on the essays . . . Pearson calls for historical research that integrates social analysis, recognizes diversity in the sources, and does not use personal faith as an historian's methodological filter.”