The Lost Letters of Pergamum introduces readers to the style of New Testament writings, the social and political world of Jesus and his first followers, and early Christian gatherings. Using the literary technique of correspondence through ancient letters, which comprise much of the New Testament, Longenecker mixes fact and fiction to paint an interesting and informative picture of the New Testament world and early Christianity.

Using the time-honored form of a collection of letters–one thinks of the collected letters of Pliny the Younger, many from the same area and roughly the same time as these fictive missives–Longenecker provides, by means of an informative and delightful fiction, a remarkably clear and accurate picture of Christian existence in the eastern Mediterranean world of the first century. One comes away from this book-a ‘historical novel’ in the best sense-both charmed and informed. It is a thoroughly delightful read, from which both beginners and experts will profit.-Paul J. Achtemeier, Herbert Worth and Anne H. Jackson Professor Emeritus of Biblical Interpretation, Union Theological Seminary in Virginia

Longenecker’s Letters present in a fascinating and compelling way the contexts of Second Temple Judaism and Greco-Roman urban life. And the narrative he weaves is not only believable but also engaging, both academically and personally. This untraditional presentation deserves a wide readership among all concerned more traditionally with the ethos of New Testament backgrounds.-Joel B. Green, Asbury Theological Seminary