THE FOUR GOSPELS: An Historical Introduction

One of the world's foremost Biblical Scholars, Canon Lucien Cerfaux, looks at the Gospels in the same way as the people of the early Church in his excellent book, The Four Gospels -- An Historical Introduction translated by Patrick Hepburne-Scott. Throughout the book he demonstrates that the Gospels are the foundation of the Church's faith, the living voice of Christ, and explains their meaning and value as well as their historical significance. At this particular time when the ""Kerygmatic"" approach to the teaching of Catholicism on all levels, including the elementary schools, is getting more and more attention, Canon Cerfaux points up the value of presenting the ""Good News"" which the Apostles preached. He describes St. Matthew's Gospel as ""The Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven"". St. Mark's, he feels, is the ""Gospel of Dogma"", while St. Luke writes as an ""Historian of Christianity"". St. John, he says, wrote the ""Spiritual Gospel"" which is our guide to the deepest interpretation of the teaching of Christ. This book will provide important reading for students of Scripture, but will also be valuable to the average layman who desires a good documentary on the New Testament.