Winrich Löhr

Marcion

History & Biography

“In the last four or five decades, Marcion has been the focus of much innovative and intense research that has challenged many of the assumptions of previous scholarship, in particular that of Adolf von Harnack. David Litwa's new book is a welcome and bold attempt at formulating a new interpretation of Marcion for the twenty-first century. It is comprehensive and circumspect in its handling of the sources, well informed in its critical dialogue with the whole range of previous scholarship, cautious regarding the many methodical problems besetting its subject matter, and precise in its proposals of new interpretations. Readers--be they experts on the topic or new to it--will find their views of Marcion and the theological and philosophical context of the second century enriched and challenged at every turn. Moreover, Litwa's perceptive exploration of Marcion's theology and the ancient controversies triggered by it is constantly alive to their modern resonance. This monograph will surely inform future debates on the shape of early Christian theological discourse and one of its most controversial protagonists.”