The rise of Liberation Theology has coincided with an increase in interest in Luke's concern for the poor. This theme has been the subject of a number of special studies, but Prior's wide-ranging and radical enterprise argues for an application of the spirit of the text to contemporary society, uniting a respect for the methods of New Testament study with a commitment to social change enlivened by its values.

This is the first monograph to deal with this major New Testament text. While it engages with the most recent New Testament scholarship, it is written with a wide readership in mind.

Prior examines the efforts to situate the traditions about Jesus and the evangelization of the poor in the life of Luke's community. He does not stop there, but insists that enquiry into the Gospel of Luke must concern itself with the place of the text in contemporary society. Sensitive to the concerns of biblical scholarship, this challenging exegesis respects the faith perspective that the Word of God is alive and active, and calls for a response in every generation.

Michael Prior is Head of the Department of Theology & Religious Studies at St Mary's University College, Strawberry Hill (University of Surrey).