Archaeology and Galilean Jesus: A Re-examination of Evidence, by Jonathan L. Reed. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 2000. Pp. xiii + 253. $30.00. Crossing Galilee: Architectures of Contact in Occupied Land of Jesus, by Marianne Sawicki. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 2000. Pp. vii + 260. $23.00. Jesus and Village Scribes: Galilean Conflicts and Setting of Q, by William E. Arnal. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2001. Pp. xiv + 290. $26.00. This review examines three books in field of Christian origins that employ recent archaeological discoveries and modern sociological theories in their respective historical reconstructions of setting of Jesus. Integral to each book is common interest in ways in which Herodian building projects, especially establishment of cities of Sepphoris and Tiberias in Galilee, could have impacted Jesus and his movement in region. Based on work of Reed, Sawicki, and Arnal, scholars interested in questions related to historical Jesus studies are compelled to be as aware of material culture of Roman Galilee as textual remains of Gospels, Josephus, and Mishnah. Each volume makes a persuasive argument for necessity of integrating archaeological and literary studies and illustrates role that anthropological and sociological theories play in this process. The authors provide a multitude of compelling, sometimes contentious analyses of setting of Jesus that demonstrate indispensable role that interdisciplinary studies will play in any serious attempt to reconstruct earliest phase of Christian origins. Owing in part to his extensive field experience at Capernaum and Sepphoris, Jonathan L. Reed's Archaeology and Galilean Jesus demonstrates contribution archaeology has made to our reconstructions of setting of Jesus. By beginning with questions generated from Galilean archaeology, rather than starting with questions that arise from textual material, Reed often provides innovative and insightful reconstructions of setting of Jesus. Except for introductory and concluding chapters, each chapter integrates textual studies with material culture remains excavated in Galilee in order to answer specific questions about setting of Jesus. Reed deliberately and unabashedly favors archaeological data and describes basic pattern of each chapter as first examining archaeological profile before sketching the implications for Gospel and historical Jesus research (p. 20). Reed's conscious attempt to begin with questions that derive from archaeology makes this book an important contribution to historical Jesus studies. Chapter 1 serves as introduction and provides an excursus on how archaeological material from early Roman Galilee has potential further to impact our reconstructions of historical Jesus. After examining earlier quests, Reed situates his project clearly within bounds of third wave of Jesus research, in which sociopolitical environment of Galilee is central to interpretation of Jesus. Owing to inability of ancient texts to provide a reliable picture of early Roman Galilean context, archaeological evidence must be used to fill in our reconstruction of everyday life in antiquity. Chapters 2 and 3 comprise largest section of book and establish Reed's position regarding several contentious issues about demography of Galilee. In ch. 2, Reed begins his more detailed analysis of setting of Jesus with questions about ethnic and religious identity of Galileans. By observing settlement patterns and specific elements from material culture that suggest links to Judea (especially Jerusalem), he argues that Judean colonizers who moved to Galilee during early Roman period were primary occupants of Galilee. Relying heavily on archaeological survey of Lower Galilee conducted by Zvi Gal (The Lower Galilee during Iron Age, 1992), he shows that Galilee was virtually abandoned during seventh and sixth centuries B. …