Johannine

Johannine refers to John in Christian tradition and to a corpus of writings historically attributed to him. The core texts typically associated with the name are the Gospel of John and the three Epistles of John; Revelation is sometimes included because it is attributed to John, though its authorship is disputed and many scholars treat it separately from the other Johannine works.

Authorship is debated. The Gospel of John and 1-3 John are traditionally ascribed to John the Apostle, but modern scholarship often treats them as products of a Johannine community or school rather than a single author. Revelation is commonly attributed to John of Patmos; whether this is the same John as the Gospel writer remains uncertain.

Johannine writings share a distinctive theology and literary style. They feature a high Christology that presents Jesus as the pre-existent Logos who became flesh, with an emphasis on belief, eternal life, and revelation. The Gospel includes the “I am” sayings and a sequence of signs designed to reveal Jesus’ identity. The Epistles stress ethical conduct and love as criteria of genuine faith and warn against false teachings. The language across these works often foregrounds light versus darkness and a special relationship between the Father and the Son.

In scholarship, Johannine literature is viewed as a coherent strand within early Christianity, shaped by a particular community’s theology, worship, and interpretive traditions. Its influence extends through Christian theology, liturgy, and ecumenical discussions of the nature and mission of Jesus.