The book deals with different sorts of authoritative sources, predominantly but not exclusively written ones, on which Christian communities have based their identity from the period of early Christianity to the twentieth century. Issues addressed are the processes leading to the development of authoritative traditions as well as the effects these have had on the identity of Christian churches or confessions. Special attention is paid to the crisis which the belief in authoritative sources has experienced since the rise of modernity.

Judith Frishman occupies the Chair of Jewish Studies at the Catholic Theological University at Utrecht as well as the Special Chair for the History of Jewish-Christian relations of the Theological Faculty at Leiden University. She has published on various subjects including Christian exegesis and modern Jewish history. Her main focus of interest is the emancipation period in a comparative perspective.
Willemien Otten holds the Chair in History of Christianity at Utrecht University. Her area of expertise is Early and Medieval Church History. She has published, among others, on Tertullian, Augustine, Eriugena and Peter Abelard.
Gerard Rouwhorst is Professor in the History of Liturgy in the Catholic Theological University at Utrecht. The subject of his doctoral dissertation were the Paschal Hymns of Ephrem the Syrian (Les hymnes pascales d'Ephrem de Nisibe, Brill, 1989). He has published numerous articles, mainly on early Christian liturgy.