historical narrative. For example, Paul’s epistles are usually put into a sequence
from 1 Thessalonians to Romans and the disputed letters, marking the stages
of Paul’s theological development as well as changing realities in the congre-
gations that he visited or to which he wrote. The question can be raised as to
how history as change across time arises. We expect historical events to follow
some logic—although at times randomness might play an important role. The
formation of the New Testament occurred against the background of one of
the most important historical changes in world history: the appearance of
Christianity and its survival unlike most other ancient religions. One way to
explain historical change is to attribute it to the impact of influential people.
On this account, John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul made Christianity happen,
and the emperors Constantine and Theodosius secured its role as the domin-
ant religion of European civilization. By an extension of this argument, the
prevailing theological views of Christianity have been explained by the perse-
cution of groups and individuals who held alternative views. Other approaches
to the emergence of Christianity invoke social, economic, and political factors.
On this account, the origin and success of Christianity can be traced back to
economic hardships in Galilee, the Roman oppression of the Jewish people,
the crisis of the provincial elites, or the decline of Rome’s power, among
others. While neither the importance of great historical figures nor the
Life historyIndividual cognitionCognitive structures Cultural patterns
Figure 10.1.How cognition, culture, and life history shape individuals.People in historyTe x tCognitive model Cultural modelFigure 10.2.Using cognitive models to study cultures and individuals behind the text.
Hermeneutical Reflections 209