The Apostle and the Empire: Paul's Implicit and Explicit Criticism of Rome - Hardcover

Heilig, Christoph

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0802882234 ISBN 13: 9780802882233

Publisher: William B Eerdmans Publishing Co, 2022

Synopsis

Was Paul silent on the injustices of the Roman Empire? Or have his letters just been misread?

The inclusion of anti-imperial rhetoric in Paul's writings has come under scrutiny in recent years. Pressing questions about just how much Paul critiques Rome in his letters and how publicly critical he could have afforded to be have led to high-profile debates--most notably between N. T. Wright and John M. G. Barclay.

Having entered the conversation in 2015 with his book Hidden Criticism?, Christoph Heilig contributes further insight and new research in The Apostle and the Empire, reevaluating the case for Paul hiding his criticism of Rome in the subtext of his letters. Heilig argues that scholars have previously overlooked passages that openly denounce the empire--for instance, the "triumphal procession" in 2 Corinthians, which Heilig discusses in detail by drawing on a variety of archaeological data.

Furthermore, Heilig takes on larger issues of theory and methodology in biblical studies, raising significant questions about how interpreters can move beyond outdated methods of reading the New Testament toward more robust understandings of the ways ancient texts convey meaning. His groundbreaking work is a must-read for Pauline scholars and for anyone interested in how one of Christianity's most important teachers communicated his unease with the global superpower of his day.

About this title

About the Authors

Christoph Heilig leads a research group at the University of Munich that focuses on the intersection between literary studies and biblical exegesis. His books include The Apostle and the Empire (2022), Paul's Triumph (2017), and Hidden Criticism (2015). His previous book on narratives in Paul (Paulus als Erzähler, 2020) received a Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise.

John M. G. Barclay is Lightfoot Professor of Divinity at Durham University, England. His previous book Paul and the Gift was awarded Book of the Year by Jesus Creed in 2015. He was elected to the Fellowship of the British Academy in 2020.

Edition details

• Publisher: William B Eerdmans Publishing Co
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0802882234
• ISBN 13: 9780802882233
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 192