Cities as more than "scenery" / the editors -- I. Early Christianity in its ancient urban setting(s). Complicating the category of ethnos toward poliscentrism : a possible way forward within Second Temple ethnography / Anthony Le Donne -- Paul, Pentecost, and the nomosphere : the final return to Jerusalem in the Acts of the Apostles / Matthew Sleeman -- Paul's Caesarea / Joan E. Taylor -- Early Christianity in its colonial contexts in the provinces of the eastern Empire / David W.J. Gill -- Diaspora Jewish attitudes to metropoleis : Philo and Paul on balanced personalities, split loyalties, Jerusalem, and Rome / Jutta Leonhardt-Balzer -- Paul's mission strategy in the urban landscape of the first-century Roman Empire / Volker Rabens -- "Outside the city gate" : center and periphery in Paul's preaching in Philippi / Cédric Brélaz -- The city as foil (not friend nor foe) : conformity and subversion in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 / Helen Morris -- Engaging--or not engaging--the city : reading 1 and 2 Timothy and the Johannine letters in the city of Ephesus / Paul R. Trebilco -- Urbanization and literate status in early Christian Rome : Hermas and Justin Martyr as examples / Chris Keith -- Alexandria ad Aegyptum : the city that inspired a polyphony of early Christian theologies / Piotr Ashwin-Siejkowski -- II. Early Christian thinking about cities. City of God or home of traitors and killers? : Jerusalem according to Matthew / Anders Runesson -- Heavenly citizenship and earthly authorities : Philippians 1:27 and 3:20 in dialogue with Acts 16:11-40 / Steve Walton -- Spiritual geographies of the city : exploring spiritual landscapes in Colossae / Paul Cloke -- Re-placing 1 Peter : from place of origin to constructions of space / David G. Horrell -- Repairing social vertigo : spatial production and belonging in 1 Peter / Wei Hsien Wan -- Cities of Revelation : a tale of two (kinds of) cities / Ian Paul -- Conclusion. Research on urban Christian communities : looking ahead / David W.J. Gill and Paul R. Trebilco.