A continuation and alternative to a "Theology of the New Testament." The dynamics of early Christian faith are rooted in the dynamics of life. In this book, Gerd Theissen reveals what moved the first Christians at their core. His work is a scholarly description and analysis of early Christian faith. It aims neither to merely describe the theology of the New Testament in a purely descriptive manner nor to confessionalize their faith through repetition, but rather to make the power of this faith understandable. Theissen pursues two goals: on one hand, he examines the lives of the early Christians and places their theological statements in semiotic, psychological, and historical contexts. In this way, using religious studies categories, the faith, cult, and ethos of the early church become visible. On the other hand, he shows how early Christianity developed.