?The fourteen essays in this volume - in English, German and French - were originally presented as papers at a conference organized by the Dutch Foundation for Early Christian Studies in March 1996. As a conference volume, the book exhibits the usual characteristics of the genre. Some essays are quite technical, while others um up the scholarship of the last few decades on a particular topic. (?) There is much learning exhibited in the essays, and several of them provide useful guides to the ?state of the discussion? about particular topics. (?) Overall, the editors seem to show how Christianity?s notion of ?divine revelation? distinguished Christina interpretation from the interpretation of the so-called pagan classics. A. Hilhorst?s opening essay provides a brief overview of biblical scholarship in the early church and is noteworthy for addressing some less well known texts (?). Several essays are devoted to showing how Scripture was used to rationalize/justify various aspects of church life (?). Three of the essays (?) focus on various aspects of early Christian art. A few essays link particular patristic texts with events of the day (?). One essay constitutes a word study (?). The influence of pagan rhetoric and literature on early Christian texts is explored in I. Sluiter?s discussion of the role of the ?entertainment factor? in Augustine?s advice to Christin teachers in ?De doctrine Christiana? and in G. Partoens?s exploration pof how pagan literary/philosophical imagery is mixed with the interpretation of the New Testament Parable of the Sower in Prudentius?s ?Book Against Symmachus?.? (ELIZABETH A. CLARK in Church History, 2000, p.636)