Download or read book The Earliest Christian Artifacts written by Larry W. Hurtado and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2006-11-02 with total page 263 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Review: "Much attention has been paid to the words of the earliest Christian canonical and extracanonical texts, yet Larry Hurtado points out that an even more telling story is being overlooked - the story of the physical texts themselves. He introduces readers to the staurogram, possibly the first representation of the cross, the nomina sacra, a textual abbreviation system, and the puzzling Christian preference for book-like texts over scrolls." "Drawing on studies by papyrologists and palaeographers as well as New Testament scholars - and including photographic plates of selected manuscripts - The Earliest Christian Artifacts examines the distinctive physical features of early Christian manuscripts, illustrating their relevance for wider inquiry into the complex origins of Christianity." -- book jacket.