The fourth gospel contains some of the best-known stories in the New Testament – the marriage at Cana, Jesus and the woman at the well, the raising of Lazarus, Mary Magdalene at the tomb, doubting Thomas – and among its verses are familiar statements that have always been central to Christian doctrine, such as ‘In the beginning was the Word’, ‘God so loved the world…’, ‘I am the true vine’ and ‘I am the resurrection and the life’. Whereas the three synoptic gospels read like prose narratives, the ‘gospel according to St John’ is more like a dramatic poem. At church services marking the great festivals of the Christian calendar, passages from John are generally chosen for readings, rather than from the other gospels. It is not difficult to see why the fourth gospel is often regarded by Christian readers as the most important book in the Bible. Yet questions surrounding its authorship and historical authenticity also make it problematic and enigmatic.

What did the Victorians make of John's gospel? There are really two questions here. First, how did several generations of theologians, preachers and biblical commentators interpret John, at a time when traditional ideas about its authorship and authenticity were being challenged by Strauss, Feuerbach and Renan, among others? Secondly, what kinds of work did the artists, writers and musicians create that was inspired by John? This book is a study of the cultural afterlife of the fourth gospel in Victorian Britain, in a context of historical change, exegetical innovation and liturgical continuity.