The Introduction addresses the persistent claim that darkness prevails in Alexandrian church history prior to about 180 ce. It treats the reception of Walter Bauer’s thesis that earliest Christianity in Alexandria was “gnostic.” Contra Bauer, the binary between “orthodoxy” vs. “heresy” is indefensible as an analytical framework for understanding first- and second-century Christianity. Nonetheless, critiques of Bauer’s position on the basis of papyrological deductions (mainly following Colin Roberts) are not cogent overall. Following these preliminary remarks comes a discussion of the book’s thesis and method. Six Alexandrian theological tendencies are outlined, along with a list of ancient works likely composed in Alexandria.