Hartmut Leppin is a Professor of Ancient History at Goethe University, Frankfurt. His research focuses on early Christianity and he has been awarded Germany's highest science prize, the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, as well as the Erwin Stein Prize for interdisciplinary work that is also relevant to the present. His publications have been translated into six languages.

'Leppin's The Early Christians is a monumental attempt at conceptualising the development of one of the most influential religious movements in history through, and in open acknowledgment of, its rather messy origins. The lively narrative gives centre stage to individual historical actors to open a refreshingly human perspective on the world of the early Christians. The book's English translation will facilitate renewed engagement with this important topic across the wide readership that it deserves.' Ulrike Roth, University of Edinburgh

• Introduction; Prologue: a dead body is lost to the world; 1. Neither Jewish nor pagan?; 2. Christian authorities; 3. (Not) of this world: caring for self and others; 4. Citizens of two worlds; Looking back and ahead; Postscript.

Hartmut Leppin is a Professor of Ancient History at Goethe University, Frankfurt. His research focuses on early Christianity and he has been awarded Germany's highest science prize, the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, as well as the Erwin Stein Prize for interdisciplinary work that is also relevant to the present. His publications have been translated into six languages.

'Leppin's The Early Christians is a monumental attempt at conceptualising the development of one of the most influential religious movements in history through, and in open acknowledgment of, its rather messy origins. The lively narrative gives centre stage to individual historical actors to open a refreshingly human perspective on the world of the early Christians. The book's English translation will facilitate renewed engagement with this important topic across the wide readership that it deserves.' Ulrike Roth, University of Edinburgh

• Introduction; Prologue: a dead body is lost to the world; 1. Neither Jewish nor pagan?; 2. Christian authorities; 3. (Not) of this world: caring for self and others; 4. Citizens of two worlds; Looking back and ahead; Postscript.