The role and function of law in religious communities in the Roman period - especially in Judaism - has been a key issue among scholars in recent years. This thought-provoking work is the first full-scale attempt to write a historical assessment of the scholarly debate concerning this question.
``This work is characterized by comprehensiveness and clarity of presentation.... The book is presented as an insightful work, one which will serve as a critical point of reference for further discussion.'' -- The Catholic Biblical Quarterly
Peter Richardson taught religious studies at University College, University of Toronto.
Stephen Westerholm is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at McMaster University.