Drawing upon the concepts of cultural and linguistic hybridity developed by Homi Bhabha, Salman Rushdie, Mikhail Bakhtin, and others, Garroway suggests that the first generation of Gentile converts were uncertain whether they had become Jews or remained Gentiles in the wake of their baptism into Christ.

Originally presented as the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oxford, 1984. Includes bibliographical references (pages 232-244) and index.

"The Jewish Apostle Paul" sheds significant new light on the life and teaching of one of the greatest and most misunderstood Jews that ever lived - the Apostle Paul. This book courageously, yet responsibly, deals with one important matter that has not been settled: What is the relationship of Christ-followers among the nations to the Torah of Israel? In order to provide solid answers to this question, we must first deal with other basic questions.For example, how can we explain a thoroughly pro-Jewish Paul as he appears in his letter to the Romans and in the book of Acts; while he seemingly displays anti-Jewish or anti-Torah attitudes in his letters to non-Jewish Christ-followers in the Roman provinces of Galatia and the city of Philippi. The standard questions that are being asked today, although frightening to many, are indeed relevant and demand responsible, theologically balanced and historically accurate treatment.

In this book, Eung Chun Park reconstructs a focused and coherent narrative of the last two decades of the life of Paul as it revolved around the Gentile mission. The result is a detailed and thorough analysis of the Pauline letters that demonstrates how Paul's theology changed over the course of his life as a consequence of his struggle to defend the gospel against the attacks from people who advocated a different kind of gospel. This book traces the development of the two gospels (one that advocated freedom from circumcision and one that advocated observance of circumcision) as they encountered such landmark events as the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem, the Antioch incident, the Galatian incident, the Corinthian incident, and Paul's last visit to Jerusalem.

Decades ago, Werner G. Kummel described the historical problem of Romans as its “double character”: concerned with issues of Torah and the destiny of Israel, the letter is explicitly addressed not to Jews but to Gentiles. At stake in the numerous answers given to that question is nothing less than the purpose of Paul’s most important letter. In The So-Called Jew in Romans, nine Pauline scholars focus their attention on the rhetoric of diatribe and characterization in the opening argumentation that figure appears or is implied. Each component of Paul’s argument is closely examined with particular attention to the theological problems that arise in each. In addition to the editors, chapters of the letter, asking what Paul means by the “so-called Jew” in Romans 2 and where else in the letter’s contributors are Runar M. Thorsteinsson, Magnus Zetterholm, Joshua D. Garroway, Matthew V. Novenson, and Michele Murraywith a response by Joshua W. Jipp.

Paul's letter to the Romans, says Nanos, is an example of Jewish correspondence, addressing believers in Jesus who are steeped in Jewish ways-whether of Jewish or gentile origin. Arguing against those who think Paul was an apostate from Judaism, Nanos maintains Paul's continuity with his Jewish heritage. Several key arguments here are: Those addressed in Paul's letter were still an integral part of the Roman synagogue communities. The "weak" are non- Christian Jews, while the "strong" included both Jewish and gentile converts to belief in Jesus. Paul as a practicing devout Jew insists on the rules of behavior for "the righteous gentiles." Christian subordination to authorities (Romans 13:1-7) is intended to enforce submission to leaders of the synagogues, not Roman government officials. Paul behaves in a way to confirm the very Jewish portrait of him in Acts: going first to the synagogues.

The author presents new arguments which support the view that Paul, not Jesus, was the founder of Christianity. He argues that Jesus and also his immediate disciples James and Peter were life-long adherents of Pharisaic Judaism. Paul, however, was not, as he claimed, a native-born Jew of Pharisee upbringing, but came in fact from a Gentile background. He maintains that it was Paul alone who created a new religion by his vision of Jesus as a Divine Saviour who died to save humanity. This concept, which went far beyond the messianic claims of Jesus, was an amalgamation of ideas derived from Hellenistic religion, especially from Gnosticism and the mystery cults. Paul played a devious and adventurous political game with Jesus' followers of the so-called Jerusalem Church, who eventually disowned him. The conclusions of this historical and psychological study will come as a shock to many readers, but it is nevertheless a book which cannot be ignored by anyone concerned with the foundations of our culture and society. -- Book jacket.