New Testament Apocrypha: More Noncanonical Scriptures, Volume 3 by Tony Burke (review)

Reviewed by: New Testament Apocrypha: More Noncanonical Scriptures, Volume 3 by Tony Burke David Eastman tony burke (ed. ), New Testament Apocrypha: More Noncanonical Scriptures, Volume 3 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2023). Pp. xxix + 683. 85. With the addition of a third volume to the popular and useful New Testament Apocrypha series, Tony Burke has further solidified his place as one of the leading contributors to apocryphal studies over the past century. (Among other things, he has also helped spear-head the North American Society for the Study of Christian Apocryphal Literature, which is about to launch a journal. ) Like the previous volumes in the series, this book brings to our attention in excellent, modern English translations a number of texts that were important in Christian thought and practice but have never been given much attention or have largely fallen off the radar of scholars. These examples of biblical reception, biblical interpretation, and historical imagination shaped Christian perceptions of the past in formative ways that directly influenced Christian practice (liturgy, pilgrimage, etc. ). Any history of Christianity that ignores the significance of apocryphal texts is demonstrably incomplete, and the volumes in this series seek to rectify this gap. Burke intentionally leaves the chronological parameters open, which allows him to include influential texts from the later Middle Ages. He also resists any attempt to draw broad conclusions from texts that are so enigmatic and diverse chronologically, theologically, and geographically. The volume is divided into four sections. Each individual text is preceded by a scholarly introduction that addresses important literary and theological themes, the manuscript traditions, the contents of the text, and questions of provenance and date. The first section includes Gospels and Related Traditions of New Testament Figures. It begins with a peculiar text ("The Hospitality and Perfume of the Bandit, " by Mark G. Bilby, pp. 3–11) related to the good thief on the cross, who allegedly had shown the holy family hospitality years earlier in Egypt and had sold the alabaster bottle of perfume to Mary Magdalene that was used to anoint the feet of Jesus. The section also includes the following articles: James Toma, "The Gospel of the Twelve" (pp. 12–35) ; Chance E. Bonar and End Page 412 Slavomír Čéplö, "The Dialogue of Jesus and the Devil" (pp. 36–64; the dialogue allegedly occurred during the forty days of testing in the wilderness) ; Nathan J. Hardy, "The Story of the Image of Edessa" (pp. 65–109; this is an account of the travels of the Mandylion) ; Alexander D'Alisera and Samuel Osborn, "The Dream of the Rood" (pp. 110–29; in this popular Old English poem Jesus's cross recounts its perspective on the crucifixion) ; Brandon W. Hawk, "The Eremitic Life of Mary Magdalene" (pp. 130–39; this offers an account of Mary Magdalene's life as a hermit and her ascension into heaven) ; Tony Burke and Sarah Veale, "The Martyrdom of Zechariah" (pp. 140–57) ; and Tony Burke, "The Decapitation of John the Forerunner" (pp. 158–79; giving a patchwork life of John the Baptist). Section 2 is the most extensive in the volume and covers apocryphal acts and related traditions. It includes texts about Andrew ("The Acts of Andrew and Paul, " by Christian H. Bull and Alexander Kocar pp. 181–95; "The Acts of Andrew and Philemon, " by Ivan Miroshnikov pp. 196–230), Paul ("The History of Paul, " by Jacob A. Lollar pp. 393– 407; "The Passion of Peter and Paul, " by Carson Bay pp. 465–78), and Peter ("The Preaching of Simon Cephas in the city of Rome, " by J. Edward Walters pp. 408–23; "The Disputation of Peter and Nero, " by J. Edward Walters pp. 424–34; "The Acts of Christ and Peter in Rome, " by Julia A. Snyder and Slavomír Čéplö pp. 435–64; and the aforementioned "Passion of Peter and Paul"). The most significant contributions of this section, according to Burke, are two different versions of Acts of John, both introduced and translated by Janet Spittler: "The Acts of John in Rome" (pp. 241–61) and "The Acts of John by Prochorus" (pp. 262–361). Neither of these works should be confused with the more famous Acts of John, which is considered. . .