Abstract
Burke commences the introduction with the declaration that ‘when work began on the More New Testament Apocrypha project (MNTA), there were no plans for a third volume’ (p. xiii). However, since the contents of volume 2 had grown so large five entries were removed and became the basis for this third volume. This latest volume also extends the temporal horizon to the late medieval period by including texts that date as late as the eleventh or twelfth centuries. While Burke acknowledges that other even latter texts could be selected for publication, his comment that ‘those texts are best left for another project in another time’ (p. xiii) suggests this will be the final volume in this trilogy of exemplary and scholarly books.
In line with previous volumes, the texts are arranged in four broad categories. These are: (i) Gospels and related traditions of New Testament figures – eight texts; (ii) Apocryphal Acts and related traditions – thirteen texts; (iii) Epistles – three texts; and (iv) Apocalypses – five texts. One might quibble about some of the texts selected for inclusion. For instance, is the correspondence of Ignatius with John the Evangelist and the Virgin Mary truly New Testament apocrypha, or should these letters be seen as pseudepigraphical patristic writings. No doubt the rationale for inclusion is that John and Mary are both figures in the New Testament. Hence, the basis for selection is obviously broad and inclusive. The format of presentation for each text has remained fairly stable across the three volumes, but there is no slavish adherence. Instead the content of each individual text dictates what is included for discussion. Taking for example the entry by James Toma on ‘The Gospel of the Twelve Apostles,’ the following arrangement occurs. After a brief introductory paragraph, Toma outlines the contents of the text, discusses the single manuscript attestation dated ca. 750, provides information on possible original language, date, and provenance, as well an extended consideration of historical and literary contexts, before turning to the theological considerations, and concluding the introductory material with a helpful bibliography (pp. 12-23). There then follows the English language translation (pp. 24-35) with some brief accompanying notes. By contrast, some of the emphases are slightly different with other texts. For instance, ‘The Acts of Christ and Peter in Rome’ occurs in two recensions – Greek and Church Slavic (the latter appears to be the preferred terminology throughout the volume rather than the previous description as Church Slavonic). Julia Snyder provides the introduction and the translation of the Greek text (pp. 435-455), while Slavomír Čéplö translates the Church Slavic recension (pp. 456-464). Unsurprisingly, this entry devotes more space to discussing the manuscript attestation for the two recensions of this text.
As with previous volumes, the current volume is a reference work and a splendid one at that. Burke has exercised meticulous and judicious oversight, which results in a fine balance between consistency between entries while allowing authors the freedom to emphasize the distinctive and significant features of each writing. At the end of this decade long project the editors and the contributors deserve to be duly satisfied. They have broken new ground, they have made better known and widely available texts that were largely neglected, and they have done so with incisive intellectual acumen and scholarly verve. Volume three maintains the exemplary high standards set by the previous volumes and it provides a resource that facilitates further research. No doubt it will serve as a standard reference work for many decades to come.