Reflections on Early Christianity

The main theme of this book is that beautiful letter which we call 1 John. We do not know who wrote it, or exactly when it was written. But scholars have a theory that it was written by members of a group of Christians whom they call, "The Johannine School". These were Christian thinkers who gathered around the Apostle John, some of whom wrote the Gospel of John and Revelation, and others of whom wrote this beautiful, mystical letter. It opens with a prologue much like the prologue of the Gospel of John, which also has its roots in Genesis: "We declare to you what was from the beginning,What we have heard,What we have seen with our eyes,What we have looked at and touched with our hands,Concerning the word of life-- This life was revealed,And we have seen it and testify to it,And declare to you the eternal lifeThat was with the Father,And was revealed to us-- We declare to you what we have seen and heardSo that you also may have fellowship with us;And truly our fellowship is with the FatherAnd with his son Jesus Christ. We are writing these thingsSo that our joy may be complete." (1 Jn 1:1)