Out of the Shadows, the Acts of Paul and Thecla

“B. Brandon Scott and Perry Kea have indeed drawn Thecla out of the shadows with this highly readable and engaging translation and commentary. Their balance between critical and explanatory tones helps modern readers make sense of a romance novel set in the context of antiquity. Thecla’s attraction to Paul in Part 1 and her fierce authority in Part 2 humanize her as she demonstrates a radical commitment to the divine powers of Christ.”
—Shirley Paulson, founder and producer, Early Christian Texts: The Bible and Beyond

“B. Brandon Scott and Perry Kea’s new translation and commentary offers a rigorous and balanced reading of the Acts of [Paul and] Thecla. Scott and Kea’s approach to this remarkable story rightfully emphasizes the centrality of the female body to contests for community identities in the Roman Empire, a feat yet to be accomplished in translation. For readers interested in glimpsing the popular imagination of the earliest generations of Jesus communities, this writing—made newly accessible through this translation—is as close as you can get.”
—Erin K. Vearncombe, assistant professor, Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy, University of Toronto Mississauga