Carmen Christi (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph)

Carmen Christi was published in 1967 as part of the Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series by Cambridge University Press. The work serves as a critical scholarly investigation into the Christological hymn found in Philippians 2:5–11, a passage central to Pauline theology. James D. Martin crafted this study to analyze the structural, linguistic, and theological nuances of the hymn, situating it within the broader intellectual debates of mid-twentieth-century biblical criticism regarding the pre-existence of Christ and early Christian liturgical traditions.

The monograph reflects the rigorous academic standards of the Cambridge series, which aimed to provide definitive, specialized research for the theological community. Designed as a foundational resource for scholars and advanced students, the text focuses on the exegesis of the Greek text and the historical-critical context of the New Testament era. Upon its release, it was received as a focused, technical contribution to New Testament studies, consistently cited by academics for its structural analysis of one of Christianity's most significant poetic fragments.