Paul on Identity: Theology as Politics
Digital Verbum Edition
Overview
Paul on Identity shows the inner connection in Paul's view of three distinct issues that all focus on identity: What defines the fundamental "Christ identity" for which Paul argues? How is it related to all other identities--of being a Jew or a non-Jew, a man or a woman, a master or a slave? How does Paul's understanding of the Christ identity inform his own way of writing to his addressees? The book raises the question of which among Paul's many teachings we may or may not accept. Finally, the book directly addresses the political relevance of Paul's thought for an American audience. Paul on Identity is written for non-experts and experts alike. By quoting liberally from Paul himself, Engberg-Pedersen brings him to life in the twenty-first century.
- Focuses on the topic of identity in all its complexity
- Explores how Paul's view informs his letter writing and his theology
- Quotes liberally from the Pauline letters themselves in order to let the reader savor the incredible richness of Paul's writing
- Paul's Agenda: The New Creation
- Paul's Agenda: Community in Love and Freedom
- The Opposition: Christ Believers, Jews, and Pagans
- The Opposition: Masters and Slaves, Men and Women, Sex, and the Rest of the World
- The Persuasion: Integration
- The Persuasion: Exclusion
Not since Rudolf Bultmann, and never with such historical seriousness, has anyone so brilliantly realized the task of translating Paul's thought into a message for moderns, and with a focus on contemporary issues of identity.
Stanley Stowers, professor emeritus, Brown University
A probing, provocative reading that captures Paul's affinities with ancient Stoic philosophy while also exploring the nuances of his Jewish self-understanding as redefined by a distinctive form of 'Christ faith'—all this viewed through the interpretive lens of identity, both ancient and modern. A thoughtful contribution to the current debate about identity politics.
Carl R. Holladay, Charles Howard Candler Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Candler School of Theology; Emory University
Can Paul speak today to a world that does not share his original theological framework? In this bold and engaging book, Troels Engberg-Pedersen answers 'yes,' offering an original analysis of Paul's two-level notion of identity that resolves an impasse in Pauline studies and at the same time offers resources to address the identity dilemmas of the modern West. Clear, accessible, and provocative, this is a timely book that invites and deserves a wide readership.
John M. G. Barclay, Lightfoot Professor of Divinity, Durham University