Heikki Räisänen Books

Heikki Risnen offers a historical survey of the "roots and first growth" of the thoughts, values, and practices of the early Christians and explains the evolution of Christian belief in terms of vital adaptations to specific challenges. An ideal textbook for university introductory courses on the New Testament and Early Christianity, The Rise of Christian Beliefs offers chapters discussing "paradigmatic events" -the life and death of Jesus and experiences of Easter, principal figures and groups, last things and afterlife, savior figures and the human condition, ethnicity, identity, and morality, and ritual community life.

Raisanen explores the complexities of Paul's perspective on the law, highlighting its unique and radical nature compared to both the New Testament and Jewish thought. Through careful examination of various contexts, he reveals Paul's oscillating and sometimes inconsistent views, encouraging readers to move beyond preconceived notions. The book is noted for its clarity and accessibility, making it a valuable resource for serious students of Paul's theology, as it allows the apostle's voice to emerge authentically.

The essays by Heikki Räisänen (1941-2015) collected in this volume deal with a broad array of topics, ranging from early Christian identities to bibliodrama and other modern-day approaches to the scriptures. The exegetical studies in the first part explore issues related to early Christian eschatology, virginal conception, and Paul's complex argumentation about the Jews and their salvation in Romans 9-11. The essays on ancient and modern interpretations of the Bible in the second part pay special attention to ethical issues, address the „dark sides“ of its reception, and discuss the biblical interpretations of Marcion and Joseph Smith. The third section comprises studies on the Bible and Qur'an, while the concluding chapter provides a comprehensive description of the Bible as scripture from a comparative perspective.

The book offers a selection of the author's seminal recent articles, focusing on Jesus, Paul, and questions of principle. It contributes to the Jesus quest by questioning the authenticity of some sayings and stories usually counted to the "bedrock" of the tradition. It analyses the ambiguous relationship of early Christians, especially Paul, to their Jewish heritage. It suggests new ways of handling fundamental questions of principle in biblical interpretation.The book is likely to stimulate thought and discussion, challenging widely held views. The author reflects on the use of New Testament in responsible modern theology, defending classical historical criticism against recent challenges. The emphasis put on the role of experience in the formation of early Christian thought and on the significance of the "effective history" of the Bible is especially helpful.