Matthew J. Marohl is an Assistant Professor of religion at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.

There has been much debate and no consensus about to whom the New Testament epistle was addressed or why, and Marohl offers some fresh answers by using that branch of social psychology known as social identity theory.'

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 The Historical Critical Investigation of the Identity of the Addressees of Hebrews: An Overview and Critique2 The Historical Critical Investigation of the Purpose of Hebrews: An Overview and Critique3 Social Identity Theory and Hebrews4 Social Identity Theory and First-Century Mediterranean Culture5 "Us" and "Them": the "Faithful" and the "Unfaithful"6 The Faithfulness of Jesus in Hebrews7 Present Temporal Orientation and Faithfulness in Hebrews8 Faithfulness and the Purpose of HebrewsBibliography

Matthew J. Marohl is an Assistant Professor of religion at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.

There has been much debate and no consensus about to whom the New Testament epistle was addressed or why, and Marohl offers some fresh answers by using that branch of social psychology known as social identity theory.'

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 The Historical Critical Investigation of the Identity of the Addressees of Hebrews: An Overview and Critique2 The Historical Critical Investigation of the Purpose of Hebrews: An Overview and Critique3 Social Identity Theory and Hebrews4 Social Identity Theory and First-Century Mediterranean Culture5 "Us" and "Them": the "Faithful" and the "Unfaithful"6 The Faithfulness of Jesus in Hebrews7 Present Temporal Orientation and Faithfulness in Hebrews8 Faithfulness and the Purpose of HebrewsBibliography

Matthew J. Marohl is an Assistant Professor of religion at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.

There has been much debate and no consensus about to whom the New Testament epistle was addressed or why, and Marohl offers some fresh answers by using that branch of social psychology known as social identity theory.'

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 The Historical Critical Investigation of the Identity of the Addressees of Hebrews: An Overview and Critique2 The Historical Critical Investigation of the Purpose of Hebrews: An Overview and Critique3 Social Identity Theory and Hebrews4 Social Identity Theory and First-Century Mediterranean Culture5 "Us" and "Them": the "Faithful" and the "Unfaithful"6 The Faithfulness of Jesus in Hebrews7 Present Temporal Orientation and Faithfulness in Hebrews8 Faithfulness and the Purpose of HebrewsBibliography