What a joy to read Flessen's creative and poetic work! There is nothing like this book--beautifully evocative and fully grounded historical fiction in the first-century Roman Empire. Flessen invites readers into a richly detailed world down to the kind of glue that holds a broken jar together. At the same time, she tells a great story! Her characters sparkle with humanity as they grow in the face of the adversities of that time. By creatively exploring the legend of Kainis/Kaineus, she helps us better know the complexity of the ancient world and address our own complicated times, too. I hope Flessen writes more like this!
Peter S. Perry, affiliate associate professor of New Testament, Fuller Seminary
Bonnie Flessen has penned a fascinating and engaging story! A trio of unlikely compatriots, fleeing from family and evading Roman troops, journey across Asia Minor as nascent followers of Jesus wanting to meet the Apostle Paul. They travel through rough country and encounter many dangers, escaping in part by a kind of underground network of followers of Jesus. Along the way they use troubadour plays to express their radical understanding of a crucified Messiah. Frontier Man is good historical fiction that will be of interest to any who study the New Testament period.
David Rhoads, emeritus professor of New Testament
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
A compelling study about men during the Roman Empire that does not reinforce male dominance and androcentric reading habits. It skillfully fuses historical-literary methodologies with a hermeneutic of masculinity and presents Cornelius, the male centurion in Acts 10, as a model man whose 'alternative' way of being masculine challenged men of the early Christian communities to relinquish androcentric domination, authority, and power. Of course, this challenge does not merely belong to the first century but has urgent relevance today!
Susanne Scholz
Associate Professor of Old Testament
Perkins School of Theology