Over the past fity years the Roman Catholic Church’s understanding of the Bible opened up to modern scholarship in a way never before imaginable, and at the center of this shift is Raymond Brown. Today, both academic and general readers continue to find insight and inspiration in his publications.

New Testament Essays brings together fourteen of Brown’s early works on subjects ranging from the ecumenical possibilities raised by historical study of the Bible to the relationship between faith and biblical research to the theology and history of the Gospel of John, concisely capturing many of Brown’s major concerns in the clear and accessible voice for which he was so beloved. Brown had a gift for bringing insightful scholarship to a wide audience, as this collection makes clear, and his work ultimately shows that, rather than posing a challenge to faith, historical criticism of Scripture provides a path to deeper understanding of the Word of God and its implications for the modern world.

In this new edition of New Testament Essays, Father Ronald Witherup, Brown’s colleague, provides an introduction describing Brown’s life and work, his impact on biblical studies, and his powerful legacy.