Studies in antiquity and Christianity

This provocative book, based on analyses of primary sources, examines the role of the feminine deity in religious piety. Goddess religion was widespread in the world of the Bible and is reflected in many biblical texts. With skill and insight, the field's finest scholars discuss such questions as: What is the relationship between goddesses, their appearances in myth and ritual, and the social roles and practices of women? How can such religious manifestations be understood?

"In this groundbreaking study, John Kloppenborg traces the literary evolution of Q as a document of primitive Christianity by considering it within the context of ancient literary genres. He argues that Q is composed of three compositional layers, or strata, each of which reflects certain stages of development in the Q community. The earliest formative layer reflects the influence of ancient sapiential sayings: the second layer suggests the influence of the prophetic literature of judgment and contains prophetic oracles and many Son-of-Man sayings. The third layer contains a temptation story, moving the document from a chriae collection in the direction of a biography."--Jacket.