The Gospel and Ignatius of Antioch" by Charles Thomas Brown, part of the Studies in Biblical Literature series, is a scholarly work based on Brown's dissertation. The book studies Ignatius's usage and understanding of the term "gospel" (εὐαγγέλιον) within his letters and the early Christian literature context. Brown argues that Ignatius's reference to the gospel is primarily about the oral, preached message centered on the passion and resurrection of Jesus rather than a fixed written text.
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The book explores how the term "gospel" functioned to define boundaries of belief and practice in Ignatius's time, acting as a marker of Christian identity that included insiders and excluded outsiders. Brown's analysis focuses on the exegetical and Christological dimensions of Ignatius's thought, especially how he emphasizes the unity of the Church and the fight against heresy. The book provides an accessible introduction to Ignatius's theology of the gospel and its role in early Christian identity and practice.