There are many books which claim to be based on the New Testament, but often they tell us more about their author's piety than about the text itself. There are also many books which, while they devote rigorous critical attention to the original text, are far too technical for the non-specialist. Beginning New Testament Study aims to overcome these problems. It explains, in a clear and highly readable way, what the New Testament is, how it was formed and the various methods we may use to understand it. Valuable guidance is also given on the cultural world of the original writers, and on the key issues of interpretation that arise when we try to relate their words to the world of today. The closing chapter provides a balanced discussion on the place of the New Testament in modern theology.