Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul and His Letters.

Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul and His Letters. By Michael J. Gorman. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2004. xiii and 610 pages, Paper. $39.00.

Gorman's introduction to Paul concentrates interest on the thought of Paul while paying some attention to the historical and social context. He alerts readers in the introduction that he regards all the letters as authentic, written by Paul, except for 1 Timothy and Titus--though he allows for some liberty to the scribes who actually wrote the letters. And he says that six key terms "describe the frame of reference within which Paul is understood:" Jewish, covenantal, narrative, countercultural, trinitarian, and (above all) cruciform (p. xi).

His first six chapters describe Paul's world, recreate an outline of his life, describe his missionary activity, his letter-writing style, and his gospel, spirituality, and theology. He then discusses each letter using the same format: "The Story behind the Letter (history of Paul's missionary activity and subsequent relations with the church, situation addressed, with critical issues), "The Story within the Letter" (a running short interpretation of the letter), and "The Story in Front of the Letter" (citations about the letter by later writers, issues and questions for reflection, and a bibliography of commentaries). There are useful maps and illustrations in the text, though the significance of the pictures is not described.

While Gorman is clear about his own opinions as to the historical situation around each letter, he presents alternative views without naming those who hold them. Gorman's views on historical matters and origins will disturb no one; the major contribution of the work is the careful attention to the content of each letter. It will prove a useful addition to parish libraries. I would not use it as an academic resource or a seminary textbook, as it lacks much of the detail that I desire.