Introduction to Acts of the Apostles
Author/Compiler: St. Luke is a companion of St. Paul on his missionary journeys. This comes explicitly clear in the "we" passages throughout the book of Acts.
Date of Composition: Acts' date of composition is under heavy dispute. Some believe it was written in 78 AD, being several years after St. Luke's Gospel. There is also some who believe that it was written in the late 90s to 100 AD (around the same time as St. John's Gospel). The majority of the opinion and the evidence points towards as being written in the mid-60s AD. This would be after St. Mark's Gospel (St. Peter's death) and before St. Paul's death. Since St. Peter was executed in 64 AD, St. Paul was executed in 67 AD and Acts ends with St. Paul still being imprisoned, Acts must have been written between 64 and 67.
Occasion/Purpose: Luke wrote this as a second volume to his Gospel. The major purpose of the book of Acts is as a continuation of Jesus' words in Luke 24:47: "repentance and forgiveness should be proclaimed in [Jesus'] name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem".
Major Theme: The major theme of the Acts of the Apostles is the progress of the proclamation of the Gospel by the early Church from Christ's Ascension until the end of St. Paul's ministry.
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