Bibliography for New Testament Background and Cultural World
Here is a select list of books for learning about the ancient world of the Bible.
- Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture by David A. deSilva (InterVersity Press 2000)
- The World that Shaped the New Testament by Calvin J. Roetzel (Westminster/John Knox Press 2002)
- Christian Origin and Cultural Anthropology by Bruce J. Malina (John Knox Press 1986)
- The New Testament World: Insights from Cultural Anthropology by Bruce J. Malina (Westminster John Knox Press 2001)
- Portraits of Paul: An Archaeology of Ancient Personality by Bruce J. Malina and Jerome H. Neyrey (Westminster John Knox Press 1996)
- Purity and Danger: An Analysis of the Concepts of Pollution and Taboo by Mary Douglas (Routledge 1966)
- Leviticus As Literature by Mary Douglas (Oxford 2001)
- Paul in Other Words: A Cultural Reading of His Letters by Jerome H. Neyrey (Westminster/John Knox Press 1990)
- What is Social-Scientific Criticism (Guides to Biblical Scholarship, New Testament Series) by John H. Ellio (Fortress Press 1993)
- Paul’s Idea of Community: The Early House Churches in Their Cultural Setting by Robert J. Banks (Hendrickson 1994)
- Paul the Letter-Writer: His World, His Opinions, His Skills by Jerome Murphy-O’Connor (Liturgical Press 1995)
- The Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday, Cycle B by John J. Pilch (Liturgical Press 1996)
- The Cultural World of the Apostles: The Second Reading, Sunday by Sunday Year B by John J. Pilch (Liturgical Press 2002)
- Ancient Israelite Literature in Its Cultural Context by John H. Walton (Zondervan Publishing Company 1994)
- Jesus in Context: Background Readings for Gospel Study by Darrell L. Bock and Gregory J. Herrick (Backer Academic 2005)
- Exploring The New Testament World An Illustrated Guide To The World Of Jesus And The First Christians by Albert A. Bell (Nelson 1998)
- The Moral World of the First Christians by Wayne Meeks (Westminster John Knox Press 1988)
- The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul by Wayne Meeks (Yale University Press 2003)
- Backgrounds of Early Christianity by Everett Ferguson (Eerdmans 1993)
