Book Written: According to Baker, 57 A.D., according to HC, before 70 A.D.
Time Period/Setting: James is thought to be addressing a live audience if you will, thus this isn't really a letter in the literal sense. His audience is Jewish Christians.
Title: The author is considered to be James, "brother" of Jesus (not James, brother of John and sons of Zebedee, that James having been martyred in 42 A.D.). This James led a Christian church in Jerusalem.
In this book of the Bible James makes the "faith not works" argument which as Baker points out is only an apparent contradiction to Paul's message about faith in Romans Ch. 3, 19 to Ch. 5. As I understand it, Paul was admonishing the new Christians that their righteousness would not result from following every jot and tittle of Jewish law, but rather through their faith in Christ as the risen Messiah. James, it seems, is saying nothing that different. He admonishes his audience not to forget that their faith consists also of demonstrable acts based on love of God and trust in him, much as Abraham was willing to offer up Isaac (Ch.2, 21).
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