Cambridge Companion To St. Paul, The

Description:
The apostle Paul has been justifiably described as the first and greatest Christian theologian. His letters were among the earliest documents to be included in the New Testament and, as such, they shaped Christian thinking from the beginning. As a missionary, theologian and pastor Paul's own wrestling with theological and ethical questions of his day is paradigmatic for Christian theology, not least for Christianity's own identity and continuing relationship with Judaism. The Cambridge Companion to St Paul provides an important assessment of this apostle and a fresh appreciation of his continuing significance today. With eighteen chapters written by a team of leading international specialists on Paul, the Companion provides a sympathetic and critical overview of the apostle, covering his life and work, his letters and his theology. The volume will provide an invaluable starting point and helpful cross check for subsequent studies.

Review:
'The Cambridge Companion is a most effective series of 18 essays ... [and] has the advantage of diverse, and eloquent, voices, heard one after another in quick succession. In Paul, the student is led by a single, sure-footed and lively figure through every thicket of Pauline thought.' Robin Griffith-Jones, Church Times '... a good introduction to the mainstream of Pauline scholarship ...' Religion & Theology '... a good textbook, presenting all the main views of present day Pauline scholarship. ... The excellent Cambridge Companion series of the recent years has been enriched by a new volume on the apostle Paul ... A Glossary explaining the main notions used in the book ... as well as the clear presentation of the chapters ensure that interested lay readership and beginning students will find a good introduction into Pauline scholarship in this work. It is a good summary about the present day status of research, but accessible to non-specialists as well.' European Journal of Theology '... this is a convenient summary of much contemporary work on Paul that draws attention to major developments and areas of ongoing discussion. The 'new readers and non-specialists' who are prepared for serious work will come away better informed about what scholars have been saying about Paul and why they should care about it.' Patricia M. McDonald, Scripture Bulletin 'This tenth volume of the Cambridge Companions to Religion enhances an already impressive series. While accessible to the relative beginner, it is capable of challenging the more experienced student of Paul to think again. The editor's survey of Pauline scholarship in the last 150 years whets the appetite for what follows ... I shall use it and recommend it with enthusiasm.' Anvil 'This volume belongs on the reading list of any introductory course on Pauline studies, and may serve well as a textbook in itself; scholars will find it a useful and up-to-date survey on topics outside their areas of specialization.' Journal for the Study of the New Testament '... a good introduction to the mainstream of Pauline scholarship and could serve as a textbook for (undergraduate) students in courses on the Life and Letters of Paul, for NT survey courses, or as prolegomena to the theology of Paul.' The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology '... a fine volume by recognised specialists ... it must have a reserved place in all undergraduate libraries.' Heythrop Journal

Table of Contents:
Introduction James D. G. Dunn; Part I. Paul's Life and Work: 1. Paul's life Klaus Haacker; 2. Paul as missionary and pastor Stephen C. Barton; Part II. Paul's Letters: 3. 1 and 2 Thessalonians Margaret M. Mitchell; 4. Galatians Bruce Longenecker; 5. 1 and 2 Corinthians Jerome Murphy-O'Connor; 6. Romans Robert Jewett; 7. Philippians Morna Hooker; 8. Colossians and Philemon Loren Stuckenbruck; 9. Ephesians Andrew T. Lincoln; 10. The pastoral epistles Arland J. Hultgren; Part III. Paul's Theology: 11. Paul's Jewish presuppositions Alan F. Segal; 12. Paul's gospel Graham N. Stanton; 13. Paul's christology L. W. Hurtado; 14. Paul's ecclesiology Luke Timothy Johnson; 15. Paul's ethics Brian Rosner; Part IV. St. Paul: 16. Paul in the second century Calvin J. Roetzel; 17. Paul's enduring legacy Robert Morgan; 18. Contemporary perspectives on Paul Ben Witherington III; Chronology; Select bibliography.

Author Biography:
JAMES D. G. DUNN is Lightfoot Professor of Divinity at the University of Durham, where his research interests cover the evolution of the historical critical method, the third quest for the historical Jesus, the relation between Christianity and Judaism in the first century, and the theology of the New Testament. Professor Dunn's recent publications have included The Partings of the Ways between Christianity and Judaism, commentaries on several New Testament books, and The Theology of Paul the Apostle. He is General Editor of Cambridge's New Testament Theology series, in which he authored The Theology of Paul's Letter to the Galatians (1993).