This book examines the long-debated issue of the relationship between the Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern myths. Using an innovative, interdisciplinary methodology that combines theories of metaphor and narrative, Paul Cho argues that the Hebrew Bible is more deeply mythological than previously recognized. Because the Hebrew Bible contains fragments of the sea myth but no continuous narrative, the study of myth in the Hebrew Bible is usually circumscribed to the level of motifs and themes. Cho challenges this practice and demonstrates that the Hebrew Bible contains shorter and longer compositions studded with imagery that are structured by the plot of sea myths. Through close analysis of key Near Eastern myths and biblical texts, Cho shows that myth had a more fundamental influence on the plot structure and conceptual framework of the Hebrew Bible than has been recognized.
In this expanded and updated third edition of an important work, respected Pauline scholar Victor Paul Furnish presents an analysis of some of Paul's most famous yet often misunderstood ethical teachings. Dr. Furnish enriches his discussion of key Pauline topics including: sex, marriage, divorce, homosexuality, women in the church, and the Church in the world. He pays particular attention to the socio-cultural context of Paul's ministry, the complexity of his thought, the character of his moral reasoning, and the way his thought and reasoning may inform and challenge us today. Victor Paul Furnish is University Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Emeritus at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, and general editor of the Abingdon New Testament Commentaries.
One particularly challenging aspect of the Hebrew Bible is its treatment of various forms of voluntary death: suicide, suicide attack, martyrdom, and self-sacrifice. How can people of faith make sense of the ways biblical literature at times valorizes these sensitive and painful topics? Willingness to Die and the Gift of Life surveys a diverse selection of Hebrew Bible narratives that feature characters who express a willingness to die, including Moses, Judah, Samson, Esther, Job, Daniel, and the “suffering servant” of Isaiah 53. The challenging truth uncovered is that the Hebrew Bible, while taking seriously the darker aspects of voluntary death, nevertheless time and again valorizes the willingness to die—particularly when it is for the sake of the group or in faithful commitment to God. Many biblical authors go so far as to suggest that death willingly embraced can unlock immense power: endowing the willing with the charism necessary to lead, opening the possibility of salvation, and even paving the way for resurrection into a new, more glorious life. Paul K.-K. Cho’s unflinching analysis raises and wrestles with provocative questions about religious extremism, violent terrorism, and suicidal ideation —all of which carry significant implications for the biblically grounded life of faith today. Cho carefully situates the surveyed texts in their original cultural context, discussing relevant topics such the shame and honor culture of ancient Israel and the importance attached to the group over the individual. Closing with an epilogue that reflects on the surprising issue of whether biblical authors considered God to be capable of dying or being willing to die, Cho’s fascinating study showcases the multifaceted relationship between death and life in the Hebrew Bible.
Across the history of Christianity, Paul’s letters have been mined for doctrines like original sin and the “Fall” of Adam or for arguing that justification is by faith, not by works. J. Paul Sampley’s concern is not first with doctrines but with how Paul instructed, encouraged, built up—and, at times, chided—the followers who trekked behind him in “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” (Phil. 3:14). Sampley writes particularly for readers today who seek insight into the spiritual and moral life but are perplexed by the apostle. While taking seriously the distance between Paul and our time, he also understands Paul’s relevance for those seeking to live responsibly in a broken and alienated world. Sampley articulates how important themes in his letters—the grand narrative of God’s action, the new creation, the power of baptism and of the Lord’s Supper—serve the basic goal of calling people to faithful living and to “walking in love,” for God and for each other. Walking in Love is a clear exposition of the ethical dimension of Paul’s complex theology.
The evidence in the New Testament is clear: the church, from its beginning, faced problems of division and disunity, with the result that such unity still remains a goal to be achieved in the life of the visible body of Christ. Only a clear, hard-eyed view of the kind of problems that have beset the Christian community from its beginning will enable that community to move forward, under the guidance of God's Spirit, to that unity to which it is called. - From the Introduction
First published in 1968--and out of print since the 1980s--Victor Paul Furnish's treatment of Paul's theology and ethics has long been regarded as the key scholarly statement and most useful textbook on Paul's thought. Now, Theology and Ethics in Paul is available once again as part of the Westminster John Knox Press New Testament Library. Featuring a new introduction from Richard Hays, this timeless volume is as relevant in this century as it was in the last. The New Testament Library offers authoritative commentary on every book and major aspect of the New Testament, as well as classic volumes of scholarship. The commentaries in this series provide fresh translations based on the best available ancient manuscripts, offer critical portrayals of the historical world in which the books were created, pay careful attention to their literary design, and present a theologically perceptive exposition of the text.
What type of relationship did New Testament churches have with one another? Was it a relationship of conflict and competition? Or was it a loose aggregation of individual churches scattered across the Roman Empire? Or can it be described as a cohesive partnership for the common cause of the gospel of Christ? Most New Testament church activities are recorded in connection with Paul's ministry. In this sense, the present study started on the premise that close attention to Paul's partnership ministry would offer a richer understanding of New Testament church relationships. By exploring some ministry areas--such as Paul's coworkers, financial assistance, and communicative activities--this book demonstrates that Paul's churches, occasioned and mediated by Paul's partnership ministry, were engaged in networking and collaboration far more closely than has generally been assumed, not only among themselves but also with non-Pauline churches. Paul's partnership ministry significantly contributed to the relationship of New Testament churches.
What motivated the apostle Paul from his Damascus road experience through to the end of his life? That is the question driving this powerfully argued work by leading New Testament scholar Paul Barnett. Dr Barnett proposes that an understanding of Paul's years in Syria-Cilicia is critical for understanding his visit to Jerusalem, the mission to Galatia, the counter-mission of the 'agitators', the dispute with Cephas in Antioch and the implied dispute with James. Read this work and see Galatians in a different light. COMMENDATIONS "If you are remotely interested in New Testament Studies, especially the writings of Paul, this is an outstanding book to read. Paul Barnett does an excellent job in casting light on the lengthy period of time the Apostle spent in Syria and Cicilia. While in Syria, Paul formed his theology, which Barnett brings out extremely informatively. Barnett reflects on how Paul would have influenced the writings of Peter and James. This book is stimulating, informative and an invaluable resource. For anyone who takes the New Testament writings of Paul seriously, this book brings it all together and is a must-read." - Peter Christofides, Dean of Students, Lecturer in New Testament, Vose Seminary, Perth, Western Australia
What type of relationship did New Testament churches have with one another? Was it a relationship of conflict and competition? Or was it a loose aggregation of individual churches scattered across the Roman Empire? Or can it be described as a cohesive partnership for the common cause of the gospel of Christ? Most New Testament church activities are recorded in connection with Paul’s ministry. In this sense, the present study started on the premise that close attention to Paul’s partnership ministry would offer a richer understanding of New Testament church relationships. By exploring some ministry areas—such as Paul’s coworkers, financial assistance, and communicative activities—this book demonstrates that Paul’s churches, occasioned and mediated by Paul’s partnership ministry, were engaged in networking and collaboration far more closely than has generally been assumed, not only among themselves but also with non-Pauline churches. Paul’s partnership ministry significantly contributed to the relationship of New Testament churches.
Paul's letters are the earliest surviving Christian writings and therefore the earliest documentary evidence for what Jesus's followers knew and said about him. The present volume deals with questions frequently asked about Paul. Did he know Jesus personally? If not, then how much did Paul know about Jesus, and how did this information come to him? Where in his letters does Paul make use of Jesus's teachings, how does he employ them, and what kind of authority does he accord them? Above all, why does Paul place so much emphasis on Jesus' death and resurrection? How is he able to proclaim these as saving events? Finally, a closing chapter considers how several writings in the Pauline tradition variously continued and altered the apostle's own interpretation of Jesus. Because these Pauline understandings of Jesus have remained so influential across twenty centuries, the more fully they are appreciated the more one is helped in understanding Jesus today.
In this book, Paul Moser explains how self-sacrificial righteousness of a reparative kind is at the heart of Paul's gospel of God. He also shows how divine self-sacrifice authenticates that gospel via human reciprocity toward God in reconciliation. A basis for this reciprocity lies in a teaching of ancient Judaism that humans are to reciprocate toward God for the sake of an interpersonal relationship that is righteous and reconciled through voluntary self-sacrifice to God. Moser demonstrates that Paul's gospel calls for faith, including trust, in God as reciprocity in human self-sacrifice toward God. Although widely neglected by interpreters, this theme brings moral and evidential depth to Paul's good news of reparative redemption from God. Moser's study thus enables a new understanding of some of the controversial matters regarding Paul's message in a way that highlights the coherence and profundity of his message.
The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and Dr. Scott Hahn present the eleventh annual edition of Letter & Spirit with the theme "Our Beloved Brother Paul." The articles, while academic in nature, are easily accessible to the average reader and can be read with great profit, both spiritually and in coming to learn the truths of the Catholic faith more deeply.
This book examines the long-debated issue of the relationship between the Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern myths. Using an innovative, interdisciplinary methodology that combines theories of metaphor and narrative, Paul Cho argues that the Hebrew Bible is more deeply mythological than previously recognized. Because the Hebrew Bible contains fragments of the sea myth but no continuous narrative, the study of myth in the Hebrew Bible is usually circumscribed to the level of motifs and themes. Cho challenges this practice and demonstrates that the Hebrew Bible contains shorter and longer compositions studded with imagery that are structured by the plot of sea myths. Through close analysis of key Near Eastern myths and biblical texts, Cho shows that myth had a more fundamental influence on the plot structure and conceptual framework of the Hebrew Bible than has been recognized.
One particularly challenging aspect of the Hebrew Bible is its treatment of various forms of voluntary death: suicide, suicide attack, martyrdom, and self-sacrifice. How can people of faith make sense of the ways biblical literature at times valorizes these sensitive and painful topics? Willingness to Die and the Gift of Life surveys a diverse selection of Hebrew Bible narratives that feature characters who express a willingness to die, including Moses, Judah, Samson, Esther, Job, Daniel, and the “suffering servant” of Isaiah 53. The challenging truth uncovered is that the Hebrew Bible, while taking seriously the darker aspects of voluntary death, nevertheless time and again valorizes the willingness to die—particularly when it is for the sake of the group or in faithful commitment to God. Many biblical authors go so far as to suggest that death willingly embraced can unlock immense power: endowing the willing with the charism necessary to lead, opening the possibility of salvation, and even paving the way for resurrection into a new, more glorious life. Paul K.-K. Cho’s unflinching analysis raises and wrestles with provocative questions about religious extremism, violent terrorism, and suicidal ideation —all of which carry significant implications for the biblically grounded life of faith today. Cho carefully situates the surveyed texts in their original cultural context, discussing relevant topics such the shame and honor culture of ancient Israel and the importance attached to the group over the individual. Closing with an epilogue that reflects on the surprising issue of whether biblical authors considered God to be capable of dying or being willing to die, Cho’s fascinating study showcases the multifaceted relationship between death and life in the Hebrew Bible.
Good Day! , the critically-acclaimed biography about the legendary Paul Harvey, is now in paperback! In this heartwarming book, author Paul J. Batura tells the all-American story of one of the best-known radio voices in history. From his humble beginnings to his unparalleled career of more than 50 years with ABC radio, Paul Harvey narrated America's story day by day, through wars and peace, through the threat of communism and the crumbling of old colonial powers, through consumer booms and eventual busts.
Jerusalem to Illyricum is the geographical space and ca. AD 34 to 57 the time frame for Paul’s church planting mission. Acts includes this within its meta-narrative, and while historically accurate, it is not raw history like Paul’s letters. In this study Barnett is seeking references to Paul’s initial missionary “arrival” (eisodos) and the local cultural pushback. Of particular interest for history and theology is his encyclical to the Galatians and his account of the dispute with Cephas in Antioch. Paul’s success in his mission to the gentiles in Syria and Cilicia provoked the rise within the Jerusalem Church of those he calls “false brothers” whose colleagues travelled to “agitate” the Galatian believers and to drive the gentile believers in Antioch from the common meal. Some years later a band of preachers from Jerusalem sought to capture the church in Corinth, intending to then capture other churches in Macedonia and Asia. Paul’s missions and writings have been the subject of numerous large studies which, however, unintentionally imply that Paul’s mission years were longer than they were and that his mission writing occupied a lengthy time space. His nine missionary letters were written ca. AD 48 to 57, a mere decade, and all of which point to Paul’s astonishing energy and drive.
In this candid and sometimes controversial autobiography, the late former SEnator Paul Simon sheares his insights into the activities of President Clinton and other politicians as well as his views on international affairs.
The apostle Paul's known mission years were only ten, around AD 47-57. The years before are relatively unknown and the years after were mostly spent in prison. The missionary decade changed the course of history as Paul brought the message of the Messiah of the Jews to the Gentile world. Strikingly, however, of those ten years, seven (AD 50-57) were occupied with the church in Corinth, especially AD 55-57. During the initial period there is no hint of difficulty between Paul and the church. After his departure, however, relationships began to deteriorate, especially from the time Paul wrote 1 Corinthians (AD 55), and reached a crisis point when he wrote 2 Corinthians (AD 56). The 'Corinthian question is: why did the church come to oppose her founder Paul, almost to the point of rejecting him? In this stimulating and helpful study, Paul Barnett searches for the answer by following Paul's relationships with the turbulent Corinthian church through a chronological, sequential study of his letters. He shows how understanding may profitably begin within the text, rather than outside it in Corinth's cultural and historical background. The Corinthian correspondence provides a remarkable window into the heart of Paul the missionary and pastor and his dealings with the church. Book jacket.
This book opens from the viewpoint of a four year old child who sees his father leave to fight in World War II and how it affects him. After the war our family moves into a new subdivision made up of all manner of WW II vets. Our house neighbored a five acre dairy farm. When the farm owner dies, the widow makes a bad decision that causes an invasion of rats. After a battle with the rats, the widow begins boarding horses which we were allowed to ride in exchange for caring for them. Our family fell into hard times in the mid-50's, the house was sold, and a move took place to a rural town (Arnold, Mo). The move occurred at a time which placed the author in a unique historical event, the graduation of Fox High School's very first senior class. After Graduation the author served three years in the U.S. Army, twenty six months of it in Germany. He was in Germany when the Berlin Wall was built It was also while the author was in Germany that the he received Jesus Christ as Savior. This book goes on to show what a Radical and beautiful change that Jesus makes in the Author's life to give it meaning and purpose.
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