About the Author

Brent Nongbri is an Honorary Research Fellow at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and the author of Before Religion: A History of a Modern Concept and numerous articles on the paleography and codicology of early Christian manuscripts.

Reviews

“Captivating and clearly written book about, among other things, ancient manuscript production with focus on the Chester Beatty and Bodmer Papyri, but also discussing the Nag Hammadi and Medinet Madi codices and a recent find such as Codex Tchacos. With many illustrations and excellent indices.”—Johannes van Oort, Brill journal Vigiliae Christianae

“A stimulating introduction to working with early Christian manuscripts.”—Thomas Johann Bauer, Zeitschrift für Antikes Christentum

“Nongbri is to be congratulated for his ability to synthensize large amounts of data and present a clear and cogent picture of the issues in manuscript study.”—Sean A. Adams, Journal for the Study of the New Testament

“There is much to commend in this wonderful rich and informative book about books. Nongbri’s discussion should be of interest for all scholars of the New Testament writings.”—Paul Foster, Expository Times

Finalist for the 2019 PROSE awards, Theology and Religious Studies category

Winner of the 2019 Ramirez Family Award for Most Significant Scholarly Book, presented by the Texas Institute of Letters

Winner of the 2019 George A. and Jean S. DeLong History Book Prize sponsored by the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing (SHARP)

Winner of the 2019 Best Book Relating to the New Testament Award, sponsored by the Biblical Archaeology Society

“With a skeptical eye, a large amount of original archival research, a comprehensive command of the bibliography, and fine critical judgment, this essential book takes apart most of what has been claimed for generations about early Christian manuscripts. This is the best available broad treatment of its subject and is certain to have a wide audience.”—Roger S. Bagnall, New York University;

“Breath-taking. . . . With its spectacular archival research and clear, level-headed thinking, this book is a model of scholarship. As a result of Nongbri’s research, we know both more and less about these important early Christian books.”—AnneMarie Luijendijk, Princeton University

“Nongbri offers an engaging account of early Christian manuscripts and their modern discoverers, interpreters, and publicists. His lucid narrative offers useful guidance about what can and cannot be known about these important relics.”—Harold W. Attridge, Yale University

“In a study that is erudite, persuasive, and massively documented, Brent Nongbri explodes many of the dominant assumptions of early Christian textual scholars. This is a must read for anyone interested in the ‘archaeology’ of Christian manuscripts.”—Bart D. Ehrman, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill