Letters for the Church: Reading James, 1–2 Peter, 1–3 John, and Jude as Canon

Lockett (An Introduction to the Catholic Epistles), a Biola University professor of New Testament, presents a forceful case for reading James, 1–2 Peter, 1–3 John, and Jude as a distinct canon within the New Testament. Rather than being “one-off writings to disconnected communities,” Lockett argues that these “letters” together focus on “the connection between orthodox teaching and moral living” more than any other books in the New Testament. He contends that reading them in concert confers a number of practical and theological benefits, as they explicate the core Christian doctrines of “self-sacrifice, generosity, humility, and love.” His insights come through focusing on such shared themes as “the love command,” “enduring trial,” “God and the world as incompatible allegiances,” and “protecting the church from false teaching,” concluding that the “letters hold together in their concern for correct doctrine and living and, more importantly, in their concern for the peace and purity of the church.” Each chapter opens with a short summary of connections to the previous letter followed by a brief outline detailing the probable letter writer, occasion, setting, genre, and structure. Christians seeking fresh perspective on the New Testament will love this. [em](Apr.) [/em]