J. Arthur Baird is the author of several important books in New Testament studies, his best known perhaps being his "Audience Criticism and the Historical Jesus". At his untimely death, he left a nearly complete manuscript which is reproduced in this book. In it Baird offers first a critical introduction to the historical paradigm, pointing out its limitations in terms of tracing the paradigm of New Testament formation. He then traces this development himself, beginning with the starting point of the Holy Word and noting its development through the context, theological interpretation and application, to its manifestation in the apostles, schools and fathers. He concludes with comments on its current implications. This book represents the last and lasting final thoughts of a scholar who was very much devoted to the importance of the Holy Word.

Author Biography

J. Arthur Baird was Synod Professor of Religion at Wooster College in Wooster, Ohio, where he taught from 1954 until his retirement. Professor Baird was well-known for his 'The Justice of God in the Teaching of Jesus' (1963) and his 'Audience Criticism and the Historical Jesus' (1969). He also published 'Rediscovering the Power of the Gospels' (1982) and 'A Comparative Analysis of the Gospel Genre' (1991). Professor Baird died in 1995 after a lengthy and distinguished career as a scholar and teacher.