Recently I reviewed the new Cambridge Companion to St. Paul (July 2021; ed. Bruce Longenecker). Now, we are anticipating the publication of the second edition of the Cambridge Companion to the Gospels, edited by Stephen Barton and Todd Brewer (Feb 2021).

I recall how helpful the first edition was for my own understanding of the gospels and the state of scholarship at an accessible level (2006). The editor of the first edition—and one of the co-editors of the second edition—Stephen Barton, was my primary doctoral advisor at Durham. Stephen’s work has been wide-ranging, but he made a name for himself in the UK as an efficient and collegial editor of many books. Here, well into his retire, he has taken up the editor’s role again with the help of Durham grad Todd Brewer.

I emailed Stephen to ask for a sneak peek, and he was kind enough to pass along to me the cover image (which is nicely done) and the ToC—Many of the original contributors reprising their role, but a few new names in the mix. Check it out.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

STEPHEN C. BARTON and TODD BREWER

Part I Approaching the gospels: context and method

What is a gospel?

LOVEDAY ALEXANDER

The fourfold gospel

FRANCIS WATSON

Gospel sources and inter-relations

TODD BREWER

The scriptural matrix of the gospels

RICHARD B. HAYS and CHRISTOPHER BLUMHOFER

The gospels and ‘the historical Jesus’

STEPHEN E. FOWL

The gospels and the reader

SANDRA M. SCHNEIDERS

Part II The gospels as witnesses to Christ: content and interpretation

The Gospel according to Matthew

ROLAND DEINES

The Gospel according to Mark

ELIZABETH E. SHIVELY

The Gospel according to Luke

JOHN T. SQUIRES

The Gospel according to John

CHRISTOPHER W. SKINNER

Non-canonical gospels as witnesses to Christ

SIMON GATHERCOLE

God and the knowledge of God in the gospels 

STEPHEN C. BARTON

Part III The afterlife of the gospels: impact on church and society

The gospels and doctrine

FRANCES YOUNG

Reception history of the gospels

CHRISTINE JOYNES

Praying the gospels: spirituality and worship

GORDON MURSELL

The gospels embodied: the lives of saints and martyrs

DAVID MATZKO MCCARTHY

Living the gospels: morality and politics

SCOTT BADER-SAYE

The gospels for the life of the world

BEN QUASH