New Testament and Early Christianity

The study of New Testament and Early Christianity involves the multidisciplinary exploration of Christian literature from the first to the fourth centuries  (within and beyond the canon), as well as history, religion, and theology within the broader context of the ancient Mediterranean world.  Within Trinity’s Centre for Biblical Studies, research interests and activities in New Testament and Early Christianity are focused in a variety of areas:

Dr Daniele Pevarello

My main publications have focused on the redaction and interpretation of the Gospel of John, the reception of Paul in the second and third century, Second Temple Judaism and the role of Graeco-Roman moral philosophy in the development of early Christian asceticism. His main research interests lie in the study of devotion and religious identity in the Graeco-Roman world, Greek language, the interpretation of the New Testament and its reception, the use of pagan sources in Jewish and early Christian literature and early Christian art. Dr Pevarello is currently working on a monograph on the development of the theme of friendship in the Bible and researching early Christian attitudes towards heroes and heroisation (in particular the cult of Heracles) in relation to the development of Christological discourses in the New Testament and early Christian literature. For more information or to get in touch visit my staff page.

Dr Benjamin Wold

My key interests are in the interaction between religious traditions in ancient Jewish thought and practice from the second century BCE to the second century CE and how they contribute to our understanding of the cultural contexts that exerted influence on emerging Christianity.  Approaches to this topic are particularly focused on languages, literature, material culture, and archaeology from the period.  In addition to my publications on the Dead Sea Scrolls, I have also work on the synoptic gospels and the book of Revelation.   Proposals for doctoral supervision in these and related areas are welcome. For more information or to get in touch visit my staff page.

Dr Wenhua Shi:

The research focus of my first two monographs is, broadly speaking, the Apostle Paul. My first book, written in English, is interested in how Paul's message of the cross, particularly in the Corinthian correspondence, resonated within the rhetorical world of the ancient Mediterranean. My new book, authored in Mandarin language, is now in press with Zhejiang University Press in Hanzhou, China; this is a comprehensive historical treatment of the historical figure of Paul as well as introduction to his letters. In 2012-13, I was the recipient of a Noble Group fellowship at the Albright Institute for Archaeological Research in Jerusalem and in 2014 I was visiting lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.  For more information or to get in touch please contact Dr Shi.