WHO WERE THE FIRST CHRISTIANS?

A major work of historical and biblical scholarship that makes for challenging and riveting reading. Robinson tackles (and effectively critiques) the prevailing scholarly consensus that early Christianity was an almost exclusively urban religion for the first three hundred years. He cites clear evidence showing that there was in fact an early rural Christianity (and therefore also likely an early rural Christian mission). This monograph is demanding, but very important. It calls into question some of the claims commonly made by those within evangelicalism who urge the priority of city ministry.