"Biblical studies is a conservative field, for several reasons. Its focal texts are sacred to the faithful and canonical for personal faith and church doctrine.... Biblical literature is foundational for western culture more generally.... Innovation is not always welcome and is sometimes suspect. Yet innovation can bring excitement and insight that renew and enliven the field of New Testament studies, church communities, and personal faith...
"Werner Kelber was one of the first to explore the Gospel of Mark as a plotted narrative, and not a mere 'string of beads.' He was the first to recognize that the Gospels were composed and received in a world dominated by oral communication.... More recently he has demonstrated that the Gospel narratives were produced by and from cultural memory. [His] path-breaking work in all of these areas not only opened the eyes of others to their central importance for New Testament studies, but became formative for other attempts to question established assumptions, approaches, and interpretations in biblical studies. The resulting inquiries and reflections promise to change the landscape of Gospel study."
– From the Introduction
