William L. Petersen

Tatian's Diatessaron: Its Creation, Dissemination, Significance, and History in Scholarship (Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae, Vol 25) William L. Petersen

A gospel harmony composed circa 172 AD, the "Diatessaron" is one of the earliest witnesses to the gospels. Regarded as the first version of the gospels in Latin, Syriac and Armenian, the "Diatessaron" was used by Encratites, Judaic-Christians and "Great Church" Christians alike. This study is a comprehensive treatment of the "Diatessaron". After sketching the 2nd-century setting and Tatian's biography, it describes virtually every Diatessaronic witness and provides a scholar-by-scholar summary of research from 546 to the present. Criteria for reconstructing Diatessaronic readings are developed and numerous examples offer the reader first-hand experience with the witnesses. The text also contains a bibliography of research on the "Diatessaron" (over 600 titles) and a "Catalogue of Manuscripts of Diatessaronic Witnesses and Related Works".