An urbane Roman landowner and merchant is intrigued by the Christian faith—but is he willing to give up his status and lifestyle to join the church? Meanwhile his young client, a catechumen in the church at Rome, is beginning to see just how much his newfound faith will require of him.
Acknowledgments
The Main Characters
1 The Day of the Moon
2 The Day of Mars
3 The Day of Mercury
4 The Day of Jupiter
5 The Day of Venus
6 The Day of Saturn
7 The Day of the Sun
Map of First-Century Rome
"James L. Papandrea's imaginative narrative builds on a substantial amount of strong historical scholarship, yet it is presented in a fresh and unique way. Contemporary readers will sense both continuity and discontinuity between the earliest church and their own lives. When looking back at first-century Christians in Rome, current practices of the faith amid modern cultural challenges appear both familiar and strange at the same time. One does not need to agree with every aspect of Papandrea's imaginative narrative to benefit greatly from his historical recreation. I occasionally teach a course in Rome and this is now a required textbook; any Christian visiting this great city should read this book before they go!"
Kelly M. Kapic, professor of theological studies, Covenant College
