by Stuart F. Hayes (Author)
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, ordinary men and women burst into the world with a message of redemption and new life. In particular, the apostles Paul and Barnabas journeyed into the heart of the powerful Roman empire. They staked their lives on the authenticity of what they called Good News, and crossed difficult political boundaries, as well as cultural, social and economic. The fact that the message crossed those boundaries so fluidly suggests a level of magnitude and historical reliability. The New Testament book of Acts chronicles many of the early church's first, fragile steps. Does it read like a time-bound, ancient text? Or is it timeless? Do the characters appear human? Does it read like the unfiltered perspectives of eyewitnesses? Or is it "selling" a story? Is the text of Acts consistent with the content of the New Testament letters?