Jonathon Lookadoo guides readers through the early Christian apocalypse known as theShepherd of Hermas,providing a clear overview of the numerous literary, historical, and theological insights that this text contains for those researching early Christianity. Dividing his exploration into two sections, Lookadoo first introduces theShepherdby providing an overview of the text to those with limited familiarity, while also focusing on critical issues such as authorship, date, and theShepherd'scomplex manuscript tradition and reception history. He then moves to examine the interpretation of particular passages in detail, and by close exploration of theological and literary features he is able to contextualize theShepherdalongside contemporary contexts. This volume covers the important thematic issues in theShepherd, and also provides a fresh perspective that arises from a thoroughly textual focus; in so doing, Lookadoo enables readers to engage both with theShepherditself and the scholarship that surrounds the text.Acknowledgements List of AbbreviationsIntroductionPart 1-Introducing theShepherd of HermasChapter 1: An Overview of theShepherdChapter 2: How was theShepherdPreserved? Chapter 3: Who Read theShepherd? Chapter 4: Critical Questions for theShepherd: What, to Whom, Where, When, and Who?Part 2-Studying theShepherd of HermasChapter 5: Fasting and the Vineyard: Exegeting Similitude 5 Chapter 6: The Characters in theShepherdChapter 7: TheShepherdin its Greco-Roman and Early Jewish Settings Chapter 8: TheShepherdand Early Christian Literature in the First Two Centuries Chapter 9: God in theShepherdChapter 10: Sin and Repentance Chapter 11: Metaphors and Imagery in theShepherd: The Tower and the House Chapter 12: Spirit Language in Mandates 5-11: From Ancient Philosophy to Contemporary TheologyBibliography IndexJonathon Lookadooteaches at Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary, Seoul, South Korea.