Demonstrates the importance of social location and cultural presuppositions in the interpretation of cultic texts and acts.

Michael Brown's book helps to explain why Christians throughout the ages have interpreted texts differently, especially cultic texts. Beginning with an imagined Greco-Roman auditor of the Lord's Prayer, Brown demonstrates how a Greco-Roman's understanding of the prayer would have been different from that of a Hellenized Jew in Palestine. Brown takes the reader into discussions of early Greco-Roman Christians regarding prayer in general and the Lord's Prayer in particular. Focusing on cultic didachai of Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian of Carthage, The Lord's Prayer through North African Eyes is a window into the turbulent and sometimes confusing world of second century Christianity in Africa.

"'The book is fascinating...It has extensive notes and excellent bibliography which the reader would find very helpful for further research into the topic.' ~ Elsie Maxwell, ANVIL, Vol 32, No 2" - ANVIL

"The Lord's Prayer Through North African Eyes is an original and important contribution to schlaroship on early Christian prayer. Brown's thorough reconstruction of the social context of early Christian teachers like Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian of Carthage, as well as of their distinct appreciations of the Lord's Prayer, is a model of scholarly precision and imagination." - LukeTimothy Johnson, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins, Emory University. - Blurb from reviewer

"Michael Brown is one of the most creative scholars of early Christian studies around. His book opens new and profound perspectives on the most famous Christian prayer." - Blurb from reviewer

"Michael Brown is one of the most creative scholars of early Christian studies around. His book The Lord's Prayer through North African Eyes opens new and profound perspectives on the most famous Christian prayer." -Adela Yarbro Colling, Yale University Divinity School - Blurb from reviewer

"The Lord's Prayer Through North African Eyes is an original an important contribution to scholarship on early Christian prayer. Brown's thorough reconstruction of the social context of early Christian teachers like Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian of Carthage as well as of their distinct appreciation of the Lord's Prayer is a model of scholarly precision and imagination." -Luke Timothy Johnson, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins, Emory University - Blurb from reviewer

"This laudable effort shows how complicated and difficult some contextualizing can be...Brown provides such extensive background material." -The Catholic Biblical Quarterly - Catholic Biblical Quarterly

"Review (German)" - Theologische Literaturzeitung

"Exceptional!" -Today's Books, May 2005 - Today's Books