Contact: Paul N. Anderson, 503-554-2651, panderso@georgefox.edu

MEDIA ADVISORY, March 16, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Gospel of John has been called a stream in which a child can wade and an elephant can swim. It is a favorite among newcomers to faith, and yet it continues to be a storm center of biblical critical scholarship. Why is this so? The answer lies in understanding the riddles of the Fourth Gospel.

In his sixth book on the Gospel of John, noted expert in the field Paul N. Anderson not only outlines John's riddles (theological, historical, literary) but he also accounts for their character and origin as a guide to their interpretation. The Riddles of the Fourth Gospel; An Introduction to John is being released by Fortress Press, the flagship publisher of biblical studies in America, just in time for Easter!

According to Jaime Clark-Soles, "this is now the 'go-to' book for those undertaking a study of this powerful Gospel." The laying out of all the major issues in offset boxes, questions at the end of each chapter, a glossary explaining technical terms, and an annotated bibliography all make this a highly useful text for popular and serious readers of John. Clark-Soles continues:

"I LOVE this book!!!!"

"I regularly teach a seminar on the Gospel of John at Perkins School of Theology... and will, in fact, replace any material from Raymond Brown's Introduction that I used last time. To my mind, this book now constitutes THE Intro volume for serious students of the Fourth Gospel."

Critical acclaim from other experts also highlights the value of this new book!

"This is the most comprehensive introductory textbook yet for courses on the Gospel of John." -- R. Alan Culpepper, Dean, McAfee School of Theology

"John's gospel invites readers into a dialog that can last a lifetime. In this engaging introduction, Paul Anderson explores some of the most important aspects of the Fourth Gospel...helping contemporary readers encounter it in a multidimensional way." -- Craig Koester, Professor of New Testament, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

In preparation for Easter, Forty Days with John begins today:
nwfriends.org/media/Forty-Days-with-the-Gospel-of-John.pdf

For a short time the book is available at a 40% pre-publication discount, for $13.20: fortresspress.com/store/item.jsp?clsid=202564&productgroupid=0&isbn=080060427X

It is also available at local bookstores and for a limited time at a discount at Barnes & Noble's: search.barnesandnoble.com/Riddles-of-the-Fourth-Gospel/Paul-N-Anderson/e/9780800604271/?itm=1&USRI=riddles+of+the+fourth+gospel+by+paul+n.+anderson

For more information click here.