The Foundations of New Testament Christology

by R. H. Fuller

Book cover: The Foundations of New Testament Christology

Extent: 272 pages

Publisher: James Clarke & Co

Subjects: Biblical Studies

Series: Foundations in New Testament Criticism

Language: English

Hardback (No longer our product)

(July 2022)

ISBN: 9780227178508

Price: $107.00

Out of stock

An enduring exposition of the classic ‘traditio-historical’ approach to New Testament criticism.


One of the key tasks of New Testament study is to construct a correct doctrine of the person of Jesus Christ, which is central to the Christian faith. In The Foundations of New Testament Christology, R.H. Fuller fulfils this task through a close examination of the first-century texts in both their Palestinian and Hellenistic contexts. An exponent of the neo-orthodox position that dominated post-war scholarship in the field, central to Fuller’s argument is the ‘traditio-historical’ approach to New Testament criticism. As Fuller sees it, ‘the Church’s Christology was a response to its total encounter with Jesus, not only in his earthly history but also in the Church’s continuing life’. By emphasising the continuity between the historical Jesus and the witness and message of the early post-resurrection church, he offers a comprehensive and thorough survey of this most important facet of exegesis.

  • By (author) R. H. Fuller

"The problems of understanding the categories used by the first Christians, and of unravelling the development of the various ways in which they came to speak of Christ, are under constant review. At the heart of the debate is the vital question of method: by what process does one separate Jesus' own understanding of his person from the beliefs of his followers, and how can one trace the various stages in the growth of their interpretation? Professor Fuller's ... is an important book, for it sets out clearly the principles by which many New Testament scholars today believe they must proceed in this vital task of evaluating the Christological material." Morna D. Hooker, Religious Studies, 1971