A Story from the New Testament World - The Lost Letters of Pergamum

This book was recommended as a look into the ancient life of the early Christians. It was a ridiculous farce of 'letters' written between men that would never have happened. The letters were very short and superficial whereas any effort to communicate in writing in ancient times would have been worthy of the effort to deliver the letter, not trivia bouncing back and forth.

This book is a compelling demonstration of what a fertile and well-cultivated imagination can do to advance our understanding of the New Testament world. Packaged as a compilation of New Testament-style fictional letters revolving around the faith journey of Roman nobleman Antipas towards becoming a Christian and then offering himself as a martyr (cf. Revelation 2:13), the book aims both to entertain and educate its readers through a story set in the historical context of the early church.

To this end, the book brings to life the actual world of the New Testament in a way that an academic treatise could probably never do; much like how a good period drama might educate a given audience better than a documentary. We are offered a rigorous yet accessible commentary on the historical context to the gospels, particularly the pervasive undercurrents of social honour codes and bonds of patronage and benefaction, as well as extreme segregation between social classes, that lay beneath the gospel narratives. While many of these historical details are alluded to in the letters, Longenecker also finds ways to give certain key issues explicit and lengthier treatment, through Antipas' "historical reconstructions" on issues of interest like the Samaritans, or more in-depth responses from Luke on topics such as the Pharisees, Pontius Pilate or the great fire in Rome. This background information serves as a powerful antidote against anachronistic projections of modern perspectives into the first century world.

Also valuable are Antipas' periodic digests of Luke's gospel after he starts corresponding with Luke. Through these digests, he interacts closely with the scriptural text and wrestles with the implications of Jesus' teachings in his context, as a first century Roman aristocrat. We quickly learn that the "empire of the Jewish God" that Jesus proclaimed was diametrically opposed to the existing social order. His actions of eating with tax collectors and sinners broke radically with social codes of honour and shame. His chastisement of the Jewish leaders stemmed from their self-serving alignment with these codes. Yet the manner of his death (e.g. Pilate's treatment of him) suggests that he was not a social revolutionary. These points overturn one-dimensional modern stereotypes of "gentle Jesus meek and mild" and tease out the complexity of Jesus' identity and ministry, while also offering useful insights on how Christians should live counter-culturally today.

It is in the area of storytelling that Longenecker's work is found slightly wanting. The book is not always a page-turner, and certain didactic portions of the letters are contrived. This is especially the case when Luke goes into encyclopedic detail on historical minutiae in response to factual questions posed by Antipas. Other portions of the letters just seem unnatural in to the flow of normal correspondence. Antipas' and Calpurnius' discussion on the pros and cons of gladiatorial games, informative as it is, seems out of place in an introductory exchange of letters. Hence the 4 stars instead of 5 for this review.

To be fair, these quibbles pertain only to isolated portions of the book. On the whole, Longenecker does a great job of constructing a believable, historically-accurate narrative that traces Antipas' personal transformation and eventual conversion to Christianity. As such, I very much recommend this book.

****CONTAINS SPOILERS****

The book “The Lost Letters of Pergamum” details a journey of religious transformation through an exchange of letters between Antipas, a loyal Roman citizen and nobleman, and Luke, a devout Christian and biblical author. I myself was not very familiar with the content in the New Testament, but this book introduced the many ideas and topics in the New Testament in a very imaginative way, and thus would rate the book four out of five stars.
Set about 2000 years ago and during the reign of the Roman empire, the principles of an honor-shame society was very prevalent. Antipas was an esteemed benefactor of the cities, which implied wealth and a high status in society. It was very important to Antipas to maintain a good reputation in the Roman society, which means interacting only with those of equal and worthy statuses, as is shown with his friendship with Rufius. Throughout the beginning of the book, Antipas struggles with these societal norms being broken once he begins to meet with the Christians gatherers at Antonius’ house. At Antonius’ house, Antipas discovers a group of worshippers with vastly different backgrounds and ethnicities coming together as one and fighting every single honor custom Antipas has ever known. For example, Antipas was dismayed by the fact that Antonius, an honorable civic leader, would compromise his honor by lending a helping hand to a diseased beggar. What Antipas came to realize, as he continually tended to gather at Antonius’ house, was that the service the Christian gatherers partook in was not to elevate their social reputation, but rather because it was naturally right for them, “No bonds of patronage were established or implied…and those who do so do not expect to receive personal gain in return” (Longenecker 113). These new ideas and principles strike Antipas as unnatural and impractical at first, but slowly over time, Antipas begins to see them in a new light.
It is evident in the beginning of the book that Antipas is loyal to the customs of the Roman empire and its emperor, as is seen in his letters when he refers to himself as “worshipper of Jupiter, Zeus Olympios the Savior” and “loyal subject of the emperor” (Longenecker 19,41). However, as he begins a correspondence with Luke, a biblical author of the life of Jesus Christ, his ideologies began to change. Luke introduces ideas of the Christian faith that Antipas had never been exposed to, but more importantly, Luke introduces Antipas to the Christian gatherers at Antonius’ house, where they welcome Antipas. Antipas at first, scrutinizes the principles and teachings of Jesus and deems them impractical and naïve. Antipas is offended by Jesus’ disapproval of the rich elite and disagrees with the altruistic ideas of Jesus. Slowly but surely, however, Antipas’ skepticism begins to fade through discussions with both Luke and the Christian gatherers. This is seen mostly through Antipas’ behavior and actions. Antipas, through selflessness, financially supports a lost orphan girl named Nouna. No longer worried about social class distinctions, Antipas befriends Simon, his former poor tenant farmer. Finally, in the pivotal ending of Antipas’ transformational journey, Antipas proclaims his faith in the Lord and sacrifices his life to save that of a fellow Christian, Demetrius, who faced a brutal execution for vocalizing his devotion to the Lord. The journey Antipas went through is similar to the religious epiphanies people have today. Like Antipas, people are attracted to and influenced by the compassionate, selfless, and respectable ideals the Christian faith holds.

The Lost Letters of Pergamum by Bruce W. Longenecker is a narrative composed of fictional letters that were exchanged between a businessman from Pergamum, Antipas, and a well-known man who has written the Gospel of Luke and book of Acts, Luke in Ephesus (14). Antipas and Luke’s writings well capture the true context of the New Testament “world” and attention of spiritual significance in ancient life.
In the first century world, social class defined a person’s well being. According to the multiple letter introductions, Luke writes, “To Antipas, esteemed benefactor and patron of the people… revered citizen and nobleman” (43). From said letters, an individual’s social rank can be easily identified. In Antipas’ case, he is seen to be a literate and recognized man to many people. Throughout the novel, continuous acknowledgment and appreciation is written to the many letter recipients in order to display respect and honor to their social ranking. Although social class may have been important, the Christian community perceives individuals by their character and humanity, which was a concern to many people in the first century. Based on Antipas’ Digest 1 in his letter to Luke, Antipas seemed perplexed on the variety of social class Christians and their values of “standard living”. Antipas states, “[Jesus] simply did not understand how this world works. To lend without expecting repayment would only undermine the reputation of efficient householders, leaving them vulnerable… leading to financial ruin” (78). In response, Antipas continues to read Luke’s monographs and attend Christian meetings for his own curiosity and understanding. He learns the perspective of Christians and their respect to all people despite their social ranking or honor.
Furthermore, as Antipas uncovers more knowledge of the Christian community, he starts to ask Luke more questions about significant followers of Christ, faith, and Jesus. Antipas’ questions and the Christian community were huge factors in his conversion to Christianity. As he writes to Luke and talks to more Christians with a great passion for their faith, he recognizes the path he wants to take. Consequently, Antipas’ curiosity many have strayed him away from his near thought of conversion. In a modern context, factors that persuaded Antipas to choose and reject Christianity can be consistent to new or considering believers.
By the end of the narrative, some circumstances shifted my thinking of possible New Testament events. As a Christian born and raised in a faith bound household, many of Antipas’ encounters seemed strange, and almost bizarre. His amazing use of detail explained his insensitivity for Christians and their faith before his sudden interest.
All in all, the compilation of letters in the narrative was intriguing and eye-opening. I would have never understood the culture of the first century world without Bruce W. Longenecker’s precise writing. In general, The Lost Letters of Pergamum, is a great read. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone interested in history, early culture, and/or the start of Christianity because of its incredible detail and accuracy.

I give The Lost Letters of Pergamum by Bruce Longenecker a rating of 5 out of 5 because I truly enjoyed reading the book, and I learned a lot from it. The book is a compilation of letters from the first century between Antipas in Pergamum and Luke, the writer of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament, on Christianity. Together, the letters give a good portrayal of Greco-Roman life in accordance with the new religion of Christianity as Antipas is slowly converted after seeing a new religious world.
The letters have an interesting dynamic that are able to show the importance of honor and patronage in daily life in the first century world. Antipas is an important figure in Pergamum with a lot of honor. He constantly seeks to complete civic works for the city in an effort to boost his standing in society. Through his letters, the reader is able to get a glimpse of the honor/shame society in Rome. For example, Antipas helped another important figure, Rufinus, in the beginning of the book in holding a gladiatorial event. In his letters to Calpurnius and later Luke, Antipas expresses how happy he was of his achievements. He constantly talked about banquets he attended to raise his status and other works he wanted to complete to achieve the same goal of gaining honor. Roman society was governed by the need of gaining honor through battle or civic works. Some people were born into high status families that already had honor, while others were born into low status families and could never dream of gaining honor because it was considered to be a scarce item. When one gained honor, it was thought that the honor was taken from someone else. In present time, it is easy to see the inequality in this system, but Antipas was only able to see this inequality when he began to visit the house of Antonius. Per request of Luke, Antipas began to visit the Christians that congregated in this house to better understand Luke’s book. In doing this, Antipas was able to understand that there are more important things in life than achieving honor. After meeting Simon, a peasant who was saved by the kindness of Antonius, Antipas realized that status meant nothing, especially in the eyes of God. Many different people from different social positions worshiped at Antonius’ house, and no one paid attention to status distinctions. It affected Antipas so much that he began to consider Simon a friend, and he even refused civic works that would have brought him honor because he realized that he could be doing other acts to actually benefit people.
Antipas’ upbringing in this honor/shame society held him back from embracing Christianity easily. Only after speaking to Simon and forming ties with people from different social classes, was he able to fully convert to Christianity. Some of the factors that held Antipas back also prevent people from converting today. There are many social structures in society that present Christianity in a bad light, such as the belief that science can prove all and that what science cannot prove does not exist. It is also not perceived to be intelligent or “cool” to be religious in our society. However, other factors like corruption are different barriers than those Antipas had to overcome.
In the end, I really enjoyed this book. It made me understand certain parts of the New Testament differently after reading how Antipas first interpreted Luke. I had to reason it for myself all over again, which made it beneficial to read. I also liked the approach to the story because by hearing how people came to terms with Christianity from the personal viewpoint of Antipas and others, the story was more relatable. I would definitely recommend it to others because it’s an easy read that will still get you to think about many topics in its short duration.

The Lost Letters of Pergamum by Bruce W. Longenecker was a very enlightening read that I would say earned four out of five stars. It is composed of fictional letters from the first-century sent between Antipas, Calpurnius, and Luke discussing Christianity and history. In the book, Antipas is a Roman citizen and a nobleman of Pergamum, Calpurnius is a nobleman of Ephesus, and Luke is a scholar and friend of Calpurnius. Throughout the book, Antipas is slowly converted to Christ after being very critical and discussing valuable points with Luke throughout the letters. In the book, distinctions in social class affect daily life in the first-century world tremendously. Throughout the book, Antipas refers to many different social classes including imperial cults to distinguish between different types of people and how they are treated. At the beginning of the book, Antipas says, “ Euphemos and I wonder, however, whether you might be somewhat uncomfortable in your association with Christians”(Longenecker 41). Therefore, making a point that there are very prominent distinctions between social classes and a person may be treated great or horrible depending on their class. For example, the author briefly mentions how Christians were treated during the reign of Nero, and how they were tortured, publically killed by dogs, and burned alive. But on the other hand, less violent punishments would also be used to distinguish between classes such as being excluded from many opportunities depending on the social class that defined them. Also, the pursuit of honor, patronage, and reciprocity seemed to have great importance on the daily life in the first-century world as well. For example, there were large events called gladiatorials where men would be thrown to wild beasts or they would kill each other in combat in order to restore honor to their shamed name. Another pursuit of honor with a twist of patronage would be when hosts would invite significant people to prestigious events to bring honor and support to the event and themselves. Reciprocity was very significant too in that it was common between noblemen from different cities to pursue it in order to deepen relationships between them. An example from the book is when Antipas is asking Calpurnius to come to the gladiatorial because doing so would mutually benefit both of them. In the light of joining a Christian Community however, Antipas is able to see different perspectives on life from other classes. He also begins to honor Christ, and isn’t perusing honor for himself or honoring other people/ Gods. Antipas decides to give his patronage to Christ and pursue other supporters patronage for Christ as well and both Luke’s and Antipas’s pursuit for reciprocity is fulfilled as they both mutually benefit in light of Antipas joining a Christian community. This book was a good read as it encouraged critical thinking and it answered logical questions while being informative and giving different perspectives on situations. It could have been improved by making the content/ wording seem a little more dated to go along with the time period that it was supposedly from. I would definitely recommend it to others because it really puts everything into perspective because it ties in history with the gospel and it can fill in some blanks/ answer some questions.

In the book The Lost Letters of Pergamum, author Bruce Longenecker transports the reader to the time of early Christianity under the reign of Domitian in the Roman Empire through a series of letters. A new wealthy resident of Pergumum, Antipas, through a series of events, comes into correspondence with Luke and ultimately is able to study Luke’s gospel and interact with Luke with his interpretations and responses.
The novel thoroughly interprets the social code of the time, putting a heavy emphasis on honor and social class. It is clear that although Antipas is a wealthy man, his honor is derived from using his wealth to benefit the cities he moves to by sponsoring statues, buildings, and other monuments and participating in scholarly pursuits. It is this desire that leads him to Luke and the studying of his texts with others. Antipas’ intellectual curiosity also leads him to attend Christian meetings where he reads from Luke’s text and fellowships with them.
Antipas’ perception on social hierarchy and honor is challenged as the book goes on from a combination of Luke’s writings on Jesus and observing the way the Christians go about their life. He observes that although the Christians come from all different backgrounds, they make a point to serve one another, servant or master, on these Sunday meetings. Antipas is challenged by this but finds the ability to shift his generous spirit towards his efforts for honor to the benefit of serving others- particularly his new Christian community through efforts such as supporting an orphan girl and proving support to an ill artisan.
His whole concept clearly completely shifts when he sacrifices the Roman perception of honor when he gives up his own honorable reputation at the end of the book for the benefit of his Christian brother. This book is an engaging, enjoyable, and enlightening depiction of early Christian culture.

This is an innovative work both of historical fiction as well as biblical scholarship. The Lost Letters of Pergamum are in fact pure fiction, but the underlying truth is that there were far more letters going around the ancient world than we often realise. To think that Paul and the other apostles only wrote the handful we still have stretches credulity.

This is also an interesting and creative way of introducing biblical issues of interpretation. We take for granted the histories written based upon letters in the New Testament and other similar writings - actual history texts were few and far between, particularly when it comes to early Christianity. The few references in major historians of the time show how seemingly insignificant the original Christian community was in context of the time.

Longenecker begins in earnest with the idea that there has been a discovery of lost letters (akin to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls - indeed, the discovery of New Testament writings would be a major event). Antipas, who is mentioned in the book of the Revelation to John, died as a martyr in the city of Peramum, in Asia Minor, but not before being subject of a good volume of correspondence. Antipas is a correspondent with the gospel writer Luke, and also keeps his own sort of journal or record of events. These are laid out in an interesting development that shows the growth of faith, practice, and ultimate call to martyrdom, as was not uncommon in the early church.

Longenecker introduces interesting historical items in the course of the correspondence and journals. For example, one of the charges against Christians by the Romans was that they were atheists - while this may seem a strange thing to charge Christian believers with today, in fact what the Roman authorities meant by this was that the Christians didn't honour the Roman gods. While the Jews had a special dispensation to permit them not to worship Roman gods, this was not a general trend (and caused suspicion against the Jews, too). When the gods include the ruling elite of the empire, to refuse to worship them borders on treasonous activity.

Longenecker borrows from the scholarship of Ben Witherington III, prolific writer and New Testament scholar, to flesh out some of the details. There is an appendix at the end of the volume that organises the facts from the fictional aspects, so that the careful reader can be certain as to what was wholly created for this narrative, and what has a stronger basis in fact. Descriptions of urban life, rural life, economic situations, political figures and more are all drawn from historical documents and analyses.

This is a fascinating book, done in a style so as to enhance the appreciation of the reader of biblical texts for the kind of material that he or she is reading. This is good for the general reader as well as for study groups, youth groups, and classroom texts.

These epistles bring to life the times of the New Testament and early Church like nothing else I've ever read. Longenecker has done intensive research into the history and culture of the period, and it is truly historical fiction with the emphasis on history. Had he not been upfront in the forward, he could have passed this off as a completely believable hoax, but for the lack of document provenance.

This is a story that will delight and engross. I learned so much more of First Century life, and the doings of the early Church. Longenecker writes in a style that seems to channel Luke, and fills every letter with nuances to truly represent the worldviews of the respective author-characters. We see, letter by letter, the slow change in Antipas, from a striver after attention and public honor, to a man of true honor. We see in Luke a man who truly sees the Gospel through Greek eyes.

I would heartally recommend this work for anyone interested in the history of the period, or interested in seeing the New Testament come alive again.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It gives great perspective on the ancient Roman empire, as well as the power that the stories of Jesus Christ had on major figures who once denied Him and His name. The story of how the exchanging of letters between Luke, the author of two pivotal books in the New Testament, and Antipas, a prominent figure who once worshipped his own god shows an important tale of conversion, passion, and eventually martyrdom. Additionally, The Lost Letters of Pergamum reveals what gladiatorial ceremonies and practices meant to ancient civilizations. Initially focused on self-honor and the honor and title of his valued cities in which he gave money to, Antipas is later humbled by the tales and testimonies of Jesus Christ's legacy expressed in Luke's letters to him. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction in a Biblical context.

Bruce Longenecker's "The Lost Letters of Pergamum" takes as its premise the discovery of ancient letters buried for almost two millennia in the lost city of Pergamum. These letters contain correspondence between Antipas (the martyr mentioned in Revelation 2:13 from the city of Pergamum) and Calpurnius (resident of neighboring Ephesus and son of Theophilus). Through that correspondence Antipas is introduced to Calpurnius's friend and house guest Luke. Luke is, of course, the author of the Gospel of Luke as well as the Acts of the Apostles, both dedicated to the inquisitive Theophilus, and is happy to take up the correspondence with Antipas as well as present him with a copy of the Gospel.

The discovery of the letters and correspondence is, of course, pure fiction but the dialogue is intriguing, illuminating and also a unique manner of acquiring a basic understanding of Roman culture, society and the background for the New Testament world. The description of the gladiatorial contests is almost unbelievable given the carnage described and the bloodlust of the audience. One excerpt from Antipas' description to Luke of these contests will suffice to underscore this: "The slaves....many of their hands already amputated, were torn to bits one at a time by lions, bears, or panthers while chained to chariots or hanging from crucifixes" p. 66. All the while the crowd yelled for more. The reader will also learn about ancient practices such as house rules and the strata of Greco-Roman society in which in almost a caste-like manner people are hobbled in advancement simply due to their family ancestry. Antipas, in fact, marvels that during the gatherings of these house churches that societal hierarchies are discarded and prominent high-ranking socialites serve the peasants. Antipas, being a member of aristocracy/ruling class is privilege but as his faith awakes these seemingly important pedigrees begin to lessen in relevance.

This is a quick read but one that will profit one's understanding of the New Testament world tremendously. The book is divided into letter collections compromised of an average of two or three individual letters. These letter collections are brief (10 pages average) and can be read in one setting. I would recommend that you first read the corresponding passages in Luke's Gospel (the author lists the text under discussion). Then read the entire "Letter Collection" that discusses that passage, that way the content of the letters and the issues involved can more readily understood. The appendices give further useful information including a listing of the main characters. This is especially helpful to keep track of who's who. Take some time to read this book, you will be enlighten in your understand of the culture and times of which inhabit the New Testament world.

When judged by the standards of general fiction, this book isn't very good. Better than most non-Lewis Christian fiction, sure, but that bar is so low that the comparison means nothing. A reader interested in this work should approach it as a more engaging way for an historian to flesh out the cultural context of the early church in the Roman Empire, and it succeeds at that task. The structure of this book is certainly intriguing, as Longenecker writes a series of fictional letters that chronicle a nobleman of Pergamum as he begins a friendship with Luke (author of Luke and Acts, from the Bible) and seriously examines the question of who Jesus is. The letter-writers in this book deal with problems of the exclusivity of Christ, as well as church/state issues and basic questions about the divinity of Jesus and the literal nature of the Gospel of Luke. The story builds to a foregone conclusion (I have seen other reviews that treat the ending as a big spoiler, which I think misses the point, since the introductory pages give the one Bible verse mentioning Antipas, in the context of where his story ends, but I will respect other reviewers by adopting a similar stance to spoiling the ending).

My main problem with this book is that the first two-thirds (if not more) are so exposition-heavy that they completely lack a believable voice. The letters, rather than being real conversations, are along the lines of, "Perhaps you don't know what a gladiator contest is like. Let me explain it in detail." "Thank you, perhaps you don't know anything about your emperor, let me explain him for you." "Thank you, perhaps you don't understand our polytheistic system or how honor functions within it, let me explain it for you." It goes so far that Luke writes letters that are the equivalent of, "I know that you're an employee of the Democratic Party, and we don't know each other, so let me begin our relationship with multiple insults about President Obama" - not believable in the slightest. Part of this quality makes sense, as two strangers will likely write about less personal matters in the early days of their friendship, but mostly it feels like Longenecker just wants readers to learn. For that reason, I think this book works best as a supplement to a study of Luke, Acts, or Revelation. On its own, it's not good enough for a casual read by someone interested in fiction.

The world of Christian fiction isn't typically filled with a host of substantive, biblical, and obedience-provoking titles these days, at least so far as my impression of the landscape goes. If a book isn't about the Amish, it might as well stay off the fiction racks. Sadly, theology and a compelling story rarely seem to have a place together in the Christian publishing world. Reading through Bruce Longenecker's book The Lost Letters of Pergamum, however, proves to be an exception. Here's why:

The book, while not strictly "fictional," is historical fiction - which basically means that the license taken to put words in the mouths of characters is a license taken with great attention to the probability that such characters would say what the author has them say. In the case of Longenecker's book, the dialogue mainly consists of a series of fictional letters sent back and forth between Antipas of Pergamum and Luke the Physician (and chronicler of Luke-Acts). What's fascinating about the interchange is that the characters are based on real men, with good biblical scholarship informing the content and style of their correspondence. It's not an historical stab in the dark, but a very real presentation of what an interaction between a first century Christian and pagan may have looked like, particularly those in the higher ranks of society. While the book is clearly fictional, nothing in it reads anachronistically. This needs to be done well for a book written as historical fiction and Longenecker does an excellent job of it.

The attention to historical accuracy sets up the characters in a compelling way. Though I knew these letters were fictional, I remained interested to find out what would happen to the characters (some of whom, like the main characters themselves, were very real people in the first century).

The evangelistic tone of Luke's letters to Antipas and the church's relationship to Antipas both made a significant impression on me. The way in which Luke respectfully and clearly engaged the pagan Antipas is a model for the kind of evangelism that usually happens in the workplace. Luke persisted in holding the truth before a man whom he initially knew through "professional" channels in a way that is highly instructive for those tempted to neglect speaking Scripture truth in favor of aimless "relationship building." Equally instructive is the way in which the church at Pegamum (at the fictional Antonius' house) openly received Antipas, while displaying genuine Christian living in their interactions. Both serve to convince Antipas of the truth of the gospel. I would not hesitate to suggest that Longenecker intentionally designed these interactions to instruct, which they do well.

The first and twenty-first century risk of compromising the gospel is clearly in view, as one church shows a preference for comfort at the expense of their faithfulness to the Lord Jesus. It should not be overlooked that this was a real temptation for the apostolic church facing increasing persecution and lingers today. This, along with Antipas' eventual martyrdom, provide a sobering tone to the book that could otherwise be avoided in a fictional account. Those, along with other sobering moments, provide depth to the book.

If you're looking to get a better picture of life in the first century church and don't care to read "textbook" type books, The Lost Letters of Pergamum is a sure choice to inform and entertain. It's relatively short at under 200 pages and reads very quickly. I would also recommend the book as a supplement to any Early Church History course, from Sunday School to seminary level. It does a very good job of bringing facts about the first century church together in a way that those familiar with that period of history can generally agree with and those wanting to be familiar can receive a helpful guide.

(The folks at Baker Academic kindly supplied me with a complimentary copy for review. I was not required to provide a positive review of the book.)

The Lost Letters of Pergamum is an interesting piece of fictional writing in which the author has interwoven historical and biblical facts and ideas. The story revolves around a man named Antipas who is an aging nobleman and freeborn citizen of the Roman Empire. The story progresses as the reader is presented with correspondence between Antipas and the gospel writer Luke. In the beginning Antipas becomes acquainted with Luke through Calpurnius, the son of Theophilus (Luke 1:4, Acts 1:1). As the book progresses, Antipas begins to interact with other Christians who live in Pergamum, and as the book draws closer and closer to the end a progressive change is seen in the life of Antipas.

There are various aspects interwoven into The Lost Letters of Pergamum which make it more than just a fictional piece of literature. The value of this is not simply in the fact that this book makes for a great story which is easy to read and enjoy because it seems so real. The value comes in that when one reads this book, he or she is learning historical and biblical truths at the same time, and is gaining a clearer understanding of the world in which the New Testament took place. It is often so difficult for Western Christian to be able to picture and understand the "world" in which Christ lived and the context in which the New Testament books were written. This book is enjoyable and refreshing because it allows for a brief glimpse into that world, and is well worth the short investment of time to read it.

For more in depth view on this book please visit the Book Review section of my blog.

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Longenecker uses a "sanctified" and informed imagination to recreate a possible correspondence between Luke (of Gospel fame) and Antipas (Rev 2:12-13). Using historical fiction, this work introduces the reader to the way in which Christianity would have been perceived in a 1st century world dominated by Roman culture. Longenecker creates a scenario where ancient letters are discovered in an archeological dig in the city of Pergamum. These letters reveal a correspondence between Antipas, a nobleman originally from Tyre and Cesarea, with first Calpurnius, the son of Theophilus (Luke 1:3), and then Luke himself. The result is the introduction of Antipas to Christianity and a house church that is meeting in Pergamum. The result for the reader is that she will be introduced to not only the way in which Roman noblemen perceived Christianity, but also some possible apologetic reasons that occasioned Luke to write the Gospel that bears his name.
This book would be a good resource for a pastor to recommend to his congregation in order to help them connect the New Testament to its historical setting (Along with "The Shadow of the Galilean" by Theissen). Unlike much Christian fiction that has two dimensional characters involved in predictable plots, Longenecker has created a scenario that accurately immerses the reader into the 1st century Roman world by way of an intriguing plot with believable characters. As Longenecker writes in his introduction, "this account probably did not happen, but it could have."

The basis of the story is the fictional discovery of a correspondence between gospel author Luke and Antipas (the martyr referenced in Revelation 2:13). The recovered letters unfold the account of how Antipas, a highly respectable Roman citizen and businessman, came to salvation and martyrdom.

The main weakness of the novel is its epistolary format. While this device sets up the original basis for Luke's connection with Antipas, it severely limits the action of the story and the development of secondary characters. By telling the story exclusively through the letters, historical details are only presented as a report and sometimes reads more like a history textbook than a historical novel.

Although this story provides excellent insight into early Christian history and the perception of Christians in ancient Roman culture, I believe this story would be more appealing to New Testament students or those attracted mostly to history. For readers of other Christian historical fiction, such as the writings of Francine Rivers or Tim LaHaye, I think this story would prove less engaging.

As the description will tell you; this is a fictional piece, but based on the history and culture of the Roman Empire and Jerusalem/Judea just after the death of Jesus. The story unfolds through a series of letter exchanges (like one of my favorite books, "The Screwtape Letters") between a Roman imperialist and Luke (from the Gospel of Luke). The book manages to gets really deep into the Roman culture (without being boring)and I believe, how the Gospel was or would've been taken by someone loyal to the Roman cause. While the fictional elements are predictable at times, the historical insight has made it worth the read completely .

This book is just wonderful. It was recommended by a Christian friend who studies with the author at the University of Aberdeen. The fiction drew me in so that I had trouble putting the book down.

This was a marvelous way to be presented a perspective on the life of the early church and with a way of interpreting various parts of the book of Luke. I wish that all exposition could be presented in such a wonderful and enjoyable manner.

Longenecker certainly came up with a creative idea when he wrote this book. Two New Testament figures predominate - Luke the famous (at least in our day) physician and author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles exchanges correspondence with a lesser known NT individual Antipas (the faithful witness of Revelation Chapter 2).

The only perhaps more creative "what if and maybe so" story would be a 12 year-old Paul and Jesus (they were about the same age) discussing theology together in the temple together -perhaps at Gamaliel's feet.

Buy this - it is fascinating

This is an excellent book, well-written and interesting. I read it for my New Testament class and it really made the New Testament world come alive. The traditions are well-related. I highly recommend this book to readers of historical fiction, particularly those interested in the biblical era.

Thought the style may occasionally be anachronistic, the frame of using correspondence to explore the world of early Christianity covers any problems. Thought provoking, insightful and a good read on top of it all.

Pretty good read. Great from a historical standpoint with regard to Ancient Rome. I would have given it 3 stars but the kindle version is missing pages/content with regard to the first edition that released in 2002. I had to seek a refund because the content that was missing was needed for a class assignment I was given.