The rise of early Christianity was accompanied by a period of impressive literary production. Early Christian authors combined literary forms from Greco-Roman writings with the style and content of Hellenistic Jewish literature to create a tertium quid. Their literary works are therefore comparable to both Jewish and Greco-Roman contemporary writings, but they adopt, modify and transform literary conventions according to their needs and interests to communicate their message showing signs of literary innovation and creativity. This volume shows the innovative aspect of early Christian literature, by integrating adjacent fields of research as ancient history, classical studies, Jewish studies, patristics and religious studies. The analyses explore how and why early Christian literature unexpectedly established itself as a literary force in the early imperium.

This volume brings together thirty experts that compare early Christian literature with a Jewish, Greek, Roman and Patristic context. The volume maps the different ways authors negotiate and develop existing literary conventions and contribute to the literary history of the early imperial period.