Printer Friendly
The Free Library
4,723,737 articles and books
Member login
User name  
Password 
 
Join us Forgot password?

Paul among the Postliberals: Pauline Theology beyond Christendom and Modernity.


Paul among the Postliberals: Pauline Theology beyond Christendom and Modernity. By Douglas Harink. Grand Rapids Grand Rapids, city (1990 pop. 189,126), seat of Kent co., SW central Mich., on the Grand River; inc. 1850. The second largest city in the state, it is a distribution, wholesale, and industrial center for an area that yields fruit, dairy products, farm produce, : Brazos Press, 2003. 283 pages. Paper. $23.99.

Harink is a theologian who argues passionately in this book that Paul's theology, as interpreted by recent scholarship, fits well with certain postliberal theologians, especially Karl Barth Noun 1. Karl Barth - Swiss Protestant theologian (1886-1968)
Barth
, John Howard Yoder John Howard Yoder (December 29 1927 – December 30, 1997) was a Christian theologian, ethicist, and Biblical scholar best known for his radical Christian pacifism, his mentoring of future theologians such as Stanley Hauerwas, his loyalty to his Mennonite faith, and his 1972 , and Stanley Hauerwas Stanley Hauerwas (b. July 24, 1940) is a United Methodist theologian, ethicist, and professor of law. He received a PhD from Yale University and a D.D. from University of Edinburgh, and he has taught at the University of Notre Dame and is currently the Gilbert T. . In five major chapters Harink covers developments in the study of Paul, mostly engendered by the "New Perspective" movement.

Chapter 1 deals with recent interpretation of Paul's teaching on justification, with an emphasis on cosmic and social aspects rather than individual faith. This fits with Barth's emphasis on the power and priority of God. Chapter 2 argues that an apocalyptic understanding of Paul's theology (following mostly J. Louis Martyn on Galatians) illuminates the theology of Hauerwas. Chapter 3 advances a political interpretation of Paul, as seen in the work of Yoder. In chapter 4 Harink criticizes all supercessionist readings of Paul on Israel, especially that of N. T. Wright, and argues that Paul saw a continuing role for Israel in God's plans. Chapter 5 deals with religion and culture, arguing that Paul sees not a new Christian
For other uses: see New Christian (Swedenborgian).


The term New Christian (cristianos nuevos in Spanish, cristãos novos
 religion distinct from Israel but rather a Jewish people of God called out from Gentiles as well as Jews to bring a cruciform cruciform /cru·ci·form/ (kroo´si-form) cross-shaped.

cruciform

cross-shaped.
 witness to the nations of the world.

Harink wants to update theologians and pastors on Pauline scholarship and to call them to abandon major elements of the standard Lutheran/Protestant reading of Paul. The book is sometimes exasperating, as Harink makes overly sharp contrasts between traditional and newer views. In his zeal to lift up his favorite interpreters of Paul he sometimes misses important aspects of Paul or areas of ongoing debate. If the measure of the value of a book is that it challenges you to rethink treasured ideas and send you back to the sources to check it out for yourself, then this book is a success.

David W. Kuck

United Theological College This article is about school in Bangalore. For school in Wales, see United Theological College Aberystwyth.

United Theological College (UTC) is a theological seminary situated in the southern city of Bangalore in the state of Karnataka in South India.
 

Kingston, Jamaica
COPYRIGHT 2004 Lutheran School of Theology and Mission
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2004, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

 Reader Opinion

Title:

Comment:



 

Article Details
Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Author:Kuck, David W.
Publication:Currents in Theology and Mission
Article Type:Book Review
Date:Oct 1, 2004
Words:333
Previous Article:One Gospel from Two: Mark's Use of Matthew and Luke.(Book Review)
Next Article:Reading Race, Reading the Bible.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
Topics:



Related Articles
I Am a Happy Theologian.(Brief Article)
The Resurrection of Jesus.
Postmodernity: Christian Identity in a Fragmented Age.
Finding our voice.(Review)
Saving Modernity.(John Thornhill, Modernity: Christianity's Estranged Child Reconstructed)(Review)
Texts in search of interpretation. (Featured Reviews).(Agape, Eros, Gender: Towards a Pauline Sexual Ethic)
Needed: mysticism & method.(Book Review)
Paul takes a first at Cambridge.("The Cambridge Companion to St. Paul")(Book Review)
New Testament Theology: Many Witnesses, One Gospel.(Book Review)
On the Letters of Paul.(Social-Science Commentary: On the Letters of Paul)(Brief article)(Book review)

Terms of use | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc. | Feedback | For webmasters | Submit articles