Apostolic Tradition A New Commentary

Building upon the joint 1992 Hermeneia Commentary on the so-called Apostolic Tradition by Paul Bradshaw, L. Edward Phillips, and me, together with updated scholarship and the addition of the new Ethiopic version by Alessandro Bausi, Bradshaw’s excellent study will surely become the standard English text for students and scholars alike. I welcome its publication and the contribution it will make to the field of liturgical history and to the study of early Christianity in general.

Modern scholarship on the Apostolic Tradition is intimately connected with the work of Paul Bradshaw. This latest book demonstrates Bradshaw's gifts both as a scholar and a teacher. Scholarly and informed, yet clearly articulated and straightforward, it appeals both to the scholar and the non-scholar. This commentary, presenting Bradshaw's interpretation of the Apostolic Tradition in a very accessible way, is a must read. This book will definitely energize the scholarly debate around the important Church Order known as the Apostolic Tradition.

This edition deserves to become the first place scholars and students look to engage this enormously important but still misunderstood text. Taking the latest discoveries and scholarly developments into full consideration, it offers a reliable text and authoritative notes. As usual, Bradshaw's enormous erudition is clothed in an accessible and straightforward presentation that will become the standard reference for many.