b'BIBLICAL STUDIES AND THEOLOGYTHE ICHTHUS CHRISTOGRAM AND OTHER EARLY CHRISTIAN SYMBOLSJ. DANIEL HAYSAttentive modern-day visitors to the Mediterranean world will notice a symbol depicting an eight-spoked wheel carved into stone walls, floors, and funerary art. This symbol has long been considered the remnant of an ancient game or the work of vandals, but author J. Daniel Hays argues its proliferation was the work of the early church, and it should be included in the greater corpus of Christian art, iconography, and symbolism. In The Ichthus Christogram and Other Early Christian Symbols, Dr. J. Daniel Hays examines the early churchs visual symbolic world and its history following the acts of the apostlesfrom the Great Persecution to the Christianization of the pagan world. Along the way, he takes the reader to key cities of ancient Turkey, Greece, and Israel to explore the political, architectural, and religious backgrounds of local churches and how such contexts informed their use of the eight-spoked Ichthus Christogram to teach orthodoxy and combat heresies, to remind illiterate believers of the basic tenets of the faith, and to declare victory over demonic forces. This is a must-read for students of church history and ancient Christian art.Notjustabookaboutpicturesandsymbols,thisbeautifully engrossing study uses the Ichthus Christogram to induct readers into the lived reality of early Christians over the first several centuries. As Hays narrates the Christian focus on Jesus, he provides engaging historical vignettes that really help one get a sense of the local fla-vor of the places where Christianity grew and flourished. This book achieves the rare feat of being a true advance in scholarship that will also captivate those considering these topics for the first time.Ben C. Blackwell,Professor of Early Christianity, Westminster Theological CentreHe demonstrates the transition of this eight-spoked wheel from Christian graffiti in a pagan world to a common Christian symbol in churches by the sixth century. The book is richly illustrated with recent photographs from Hayss exploration of ancient sites.Philip J. Long,Professor of Biblical Studies, Grace Christian UniversityJ. Daniel Hays (PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at Ouachita Baptist University. He is the author, coauthor, or coeditor of seventeen books, including The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary, Grasping Gods Word, Gods Relational Presence, and The Temple and The Tabernacle. He has led a number of Biblical Studies trips to the Holy Land.KREGELA C A D E M I C RELATED TITLES978-0-8254-4821-8$29.99 The Prophets ofThe Genuine Jesus: Paperback6 x 9336 pages Israel: Walking theFresh Evidence Ancient Paths from History and RELIGION / Antiquities & Archaeology Archaeology978-0-8254-4572-9 Kregel AcademicRights: World $47.99 978-0-8254-4688-7 February 11, 2025 $34.9910kregel.com/academic'