Mündliche und schriftliche Autorität im frühen Christentum

The New Testament canon originated in a long procedure which is very difficult to trace, especially the period before 200 AD. It is Jürgen Becker's intention to throw more light on this period by dealing with aspects which had previously been given little attention. Among these is the indication of various turning points in this procedure, the observance of cultural and institutional standpoints and the evaluation of the enduring esteem in which the oral tradition was held in the entire period. In addition the author analyzes the setting in which the literature originated and the way it was dealt with. His principal finding is that the first preliminary decisions regarding a New Testament canon were not made until the end of the 2nd century.The early church services did not have any readings at all, but there was an oral recollection of the Jesus tradition. This consisted not of elusive moments in time but of structured units which became part of the gospel literature that originated at the beginning of the post-apostolic period.