2 Peter and the Expansion of Petrine Tradition

What is it about?

2 Peter is an early Christian work widely recognized to carry the name of the Apostle Peter but not historically written by Peter -- this is known as pseudepigraphy, or "false ascription." While many early Christian writers demonstrate a concern over pseudepigraphy, including over 2 Peter's authorship specifically, 2 Peter nevertheless becomes incorporated into the New Testament collection. This article shows how new texts attributed to famous figures from the past, like Peter, are sometimes successful in eventually being perceived as truly apostolic and thus take on scriptural and sometimes canonical authority.

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Photo by Ben Tofan on Unsplash

Photo by Ben Tofan on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Pseudepigraphy is often denigrated as a fundamentally deceptive practice, but this article demonstrates how the practice of writing in the name of a famous figure from the past is a method for continuing tradition surrounding beloved figures.