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In Christianity , the good news or Gospel is the message of Jesus or the message about Jesus , specifically his Resurrection . More specifically it is the promise and hope of Salvation for peoples of all nations that Jesus provides. Good News is the English translation of the Koine Greek ευαγγέλιον (''euangelion'', "good message"). This word is sometimes also translated " Gospel ". Hence, the written accounts of the life and teaching of Jesus are generally known as " Gospels ". The Christian message of good news is described in the Bible . It relates to the saving acts of God, centred upon the person of Jesus and his resurrection. Its context is the storyline of the Christian Bible as a whole, which tells of the creation of humanity, humanity's rebellion against God, and how people from all nations are restored to relationship with God through the person of Jesus . A key theme of the Christian good news is that God offers a new life and forgiveness through Jesus. Jesus' teaching of the good news also relates to the coming of the Kingdom Of God ( Mark 1:14-15 ). A summary of the Good News by C. H. Dodd The good news can be summarized in many ways, reflecting various emphases. Cambridge New Testament scholar C.H. Dodd (1964 has summarized the Christian good news as taught by the apostle Peter in the Book of Acts (see Kerygma ; [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ac%202.14-41;&version=31; Acts 2:14-41 ; Acts 3:11-4:4 ; Acts 10:34-43 ): 1. The Age of Fulfillment has dawned, the "latter days" foretold by the prophets. Acts 3:18-26 2. This has taken place through the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:22-31 3. By virtue of the resurrection, Jesus has been exalted at the right hand of God as Messianic head of the new Israel. Acts 2:32-36 4. The Holy Spirit in the church is the sign of Christ's present power and glory. Acts 10:44-48 5. The Messianic Age will reach its consummation in the return of Christ. Acts 3:20-21 6. An appeal is made for repentance with the offer of forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, and salvation. Acts 2:37-41 THE CONTEXT OF THE CHRISTIAN GOOD NEWS WITHIN THE BIBLICAL STORYLINE Christian writers and teachers often present the Good News set within the context of the storyline of the whole Bible. This discipline, of understanding the Christian message in terms of Biblical salvation history, is known as Biblical Theology . This clarifies the connection between Old Testament and the Christian teachings of the good news about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. For example, the Roman Catholic church promotes the teaching of the good news in the context of Biblical salvation history as a "fundamental part of the content" of its instruction, ( General Directory for Catechesis 1997, paragraph108 ). There are numerous exponents of the Biblical Theology approach to understanding the Good News. Some Christian teachers and Biblical theologians who have published descriptions of the Bible Authors' message in terms of salvation history include Köstenberger and O'Brien (2001), who have published a biblical theology of mission; and Goldsworthy (1991), who writes from an evangelical Christian perspective. Many Bible scholars and Christian groups have placed similar descriptions on the internet (such as 'Biblical Theology' in Bakers Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology ). Because the good news is multifaceted, there is a degree of variation in perspective between such descriptions. However, the main focus is generally the same: the Bible storyline tells of God working throughout history to save a people for himself, and these saving acts are completed through the person and work of Jesus. A brief summary of the teachings of the Bible writers, might read as follows: ''The Book of John states that in the beginning, , Ex Nihilo , Creation ). The Book Of Genesis describes humanity, male and female, as created to be rulers of God's created world ( Genesis 1 , [http://www.biblicaltheology.com/gen/gen_01_26.html]). Humanity was given a perfect place in which to live in perfect relationship with God, dependent upon God for all his needs ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%202;&version=31; Genesis 2]). ''Mankind, however, disobeyed God's instructions. This resulted in the breaking of mankind's fellowship with God, leading to spiritual death ( Genesis 3 , see also Fall Of Man ) and spiritual and social depravity ( Genesis 4-11 ). '' Genesis describes how God scattered mankind over the face of the earth, forming the different nations and ethnic groups (Genesis 11). Beginning with the Prophet and Patriarch Avram (Abraham), God chose specific people to live in obedience and fellowship with him, and blessed them, their land, and their descendants. This was so that the different peoples of the world would receive God's blessing ( Genesis 12:1-3 ; Catholic Encyclopedia: Abraham ). ''The Old Testament writers describe how through the prophets, God revealed that he would send a person who would fulfil the role of prophet ( Deuteronomy 18:14-22 ), priest ( Psalm 110:1-4 ), and king ( Psalm 2 ), in restoring humanity to fellowship with God (see ; Catholic Encyclopedia: Messias ). ''The author of Luke in the describe Jesus performing signs and wonders in the power of God's Spirit. During his life in Palestine , Jesus called people to follow him as disciples. He taught them about the character of God's kingdom: that it was a kingdom characterized by humility, gentleness and peace ( Matthew 5:1-10 ; see also Catholic Encyclopedia: Kingdom of God ). ''The New Testament Gospels record the disciple claimed that he would suffer at the hands of the religious leaders and be killed; but would return to life on the third day of these events ( Matthew 16:21 ). He was put to death by being nailed to a cross, and was buried in a tomb cut into rock ( Matthew 27 ). ''The Gospel writers describe Jesus returning to life from the dead. On the morning after the day of rest (). ''The Book of Acts describes how Jesus' disciples took this message to peoples of many nations in the Ancient Near East. They taught that Jesus' return to life showed that he was in fact the ). ''The Bible closes with images in the Book of Revelation of the future destiny of humanity: a great crowd of people, from all nations, tribes, people and languages, stands worshipping before the throne of Jesus ( Revelation 7:9-17 ). They are made clean and holy through the death of Jesus. There is a new created order, described as a great city, where God lives among his people, and there is no more crying, tears or pain ( Revelation 21:1-4 ). The section in italics above is simply a brief summary of the teachings of the Bible writers: it is not a quotation from a secondary source. THE MULTIFACETED NATURE OF THE GOOD NEWS The good news is described in many different ways in the Bible. Each one reflects different emphases, and describes part or all of the Biblical narrative. Christian teaching of the good news — including the preaching of the Apostles in the Book of Acts — generally focusses upon the Resurrection Of Jesus and its implications. Sometimes in the Bible, the good news is described in other terms, but it still describes God's saving acts. For example, the Apostle Paul taught that the good news was announced to the patriarch Abraham in the words, "All nations will be blessed through you." ( Galatians 3:6-9 ; c.f. Genesis 12:1-3 ). Some Non-Western Perspectives on the Christian Good News The Christian good news was first taught in the ancient Near East. Recent years have seen a shift in the demographics of Christianity: there are now once again more non-western than western believers in Christianity (Johnstone 2001 p. 5). Broadly speaking, non-western cultures often may interpret the Christian good news in communal, rather than individualistic, terms. Liberation theology, articulated in the teachings of Latin American Catholic theologians Leonardo Boff and Gustavo Gutiérrez , emphasizes that Jesus came not only to save humanity, but also to liberate the poor and oppressed (see Liberation Theology ). A similar movement among the Latin American evangelical movement is ''Integral Mission'', where the church is seen as an agent for positively transforming the wider world, in response to the good news (Padilla 2004, p.20). Some Western Perspectives on the Christian Good News Westerners often tend to interpret – rightly or wrongly – the Christian good news as a message addressed to individual persons to consider and decide upon its truthfulness and relevance. In the twentieth century, pentecostal theology and the charismatic movement became widespread. These movements emphasize that the good news teaches the coming of the Kingdom of God, which also includes outworkings of God's Holy Spirit (such as healings, miracles and speaking in other tongues). The charismatic movement exists within all major branches of Christianity: Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant and Independent (see Pentecostalism , Charismatic Movement ). Another western school of thought is ''prosperity theology'', which teaches that the good news promises not only salvation, but also material and financial success (see Prosperity Theology ). Some Pan-Cultural Perspectives on the Christian Good News The Christian missions movement understands the Christian good news to be a message for all peoples, of all nations, tribes, cultures and languages. This movement teaches that it is through the good news of Jesus that the nations of humanity are restored to relationship with God; and that the destiny of the nations is related to this process. Missiology professor Howard A. Snyder writes, "God has chosen to place the Church with Christ at the very center of His plan to reconcile the world to himself ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201:20-23;&version=31; Ephesians 1:20-23 )," (Snyder 1999, p. 139). Another perspective is described in the writings of the Apostle Paul: is that it is through the good news of Jesus' death and resurrection, and the resulting worship of people from all nations, that evil is defeated on a cosmic scale. Reflecting on the third chapter of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, Howard A. Snyder writes, "God's plan for the Church extends to the fullest extent of the cosmos. By God's 'manifold wisdom' the [worldwide Church displays an early fullness of what Christ will accomplish at the conclusion of all the ages. The spectacle is to reach beyond the range of humanity, even to the angelic realms. The [worldwide] church is to be God's display of Christ's reconciling love," (Snyder 1999, p. 138). THE "GOOD NEWS" AND THE SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY The good news about Jesus and his Resurrection had a central place in the growth of Christianity. The Apostle Paul taught that if Jesus was not raised to life from the dead, his preaching is useless and he is a false witness (1 Corinthians 15:14-15; Resurrection ). In the early centuries after the time of Jesus, the good news spread from Judea to parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. ALTERNATE VIEWS Alternate views outside of Christianity Some people regard the good news as fictitious, inaccurate or simply irrelevant. Among the disputed issues are: the existence of the God; the theological claim s regarding the origins of the world and of mankind; and the claims that Jesus was divine in nature. Some scholars dispute the Historicity itself of Jesus. For a fuller discussion, see Criticism Of Christianity . Alternate views within Christianity While there are disputes between branches of Christianity concerning the theology of particular Bible texts, most branches of Christianity, Catholic and Non-Catholic, teach that God offers restored relationship with him, and forgiveness through the person of Jesus ( do not teach this (see Jehovah's Witnesses And Jesus ). In some schools of Christianity, the Bible is regarded as a spiritual myth or allegory. The Christian good news is often interpreted in terms of God's love for humankind, or in terms of specific parts of the Bible such as the Sermon On The Mount (Matthew 5-7) and Jesus' other teachings. SEE ALSO
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