The study of the evolution of church structure and order has been subject to considerable research and debate, often with theological presuppositions determining the direction taken. In this highly original work, Bengt Holmberg separates historical groundwork from theological analysis by reviewing the issues from a sociological point of view. What emerges is an unusually lucid study of the network of power relationships which can be traced in the decades of St. Paul's ministry. The principal actors and situations in the Pauline Epistles suggest what the organizational and leadership realities of the times were like and how Paul, his co-workers, and his churches related to one another. In Part One, Holmberg provides a historical description of the distribution of power at three levels in the primitive church: that between the church in Jerusalem and the apostle Paul; at the regional level where Paul operates in local churches personally, through co-workers and by letters; and at the local intrachurch level. In Part Two, Holmberg develops a sociological analysis of the shape and location of authority in the church. He examines the New Testament literature for evidence and then interprets it in terms of categories derived from modern theoretical sociology, and in particular from Max Weber's sociology of authority. Holmberg describes the nature of authority in the early church and concludes that a charismatic authority was continuously reinstitutionalized through interaction of persons, institutions, and social forces within the church. This persuasive and provocative study combines serious New Testament interpretation with sociological analysis of a crucial issue in earliest Christianity. It advances the case of sociological exegesis by offering a model for further investigations of the entire structure of church leadership and authority in emergent Christianity.

What happened to Paul after Paul? This book examines the relationships between Paul's undisputed writings, the Pastoral Epistles, and the Pauline legacy adopted and adapted by the early church. Book jacket.

The conception of “powers” and “principalities” in Paul’s thought has been amply explored—but how did the powers “work” in the Pauline community? Robert Ewusie Moses argues that Paul's conception of the powers is best understood through examining the practices he advocates for the early believers. In this detailed study, Moses shows that Paul believed certain practices guarded believers from the dominion of the powers while others exposed humans to the work of powers of darkness. Moses traces the distinct function of “power-practices” in each of Paul’s letters and draws illuminating comparisons with traditional African religious practices.

The concept of God's power is a leading motif in Pauline theology. It functions in key passages of Paul's letters and is intrinsically linked to his theology of the cross and its soteriological explication in the message of justification. Because this concept is so closely related to the message of the cross, Paul often speaks of 'power' in a paradoxical context. Although 'power' is generally assumed to be an important motif in Pauline theology, the concept has not yet been fully explored.Petrus J. Grabe investigates the concept of God's power in Paul's letters. He also gives an overview of God's power in the broader New Testament context in order to distinguish more clearly the specific Pauline interpretation of the power of God. The investigation comprises three sections: A lexico- and conceptual-historical overview of the concept of power, an exegetical investigation of the concept of God's power in Paul's letters and a theological scope of the concept of God's power in the Pauline letters. In the last section Petrus J. Grabe distinguishes between a theological-christological and a pneumatological emphasis. The concept of God's power plays an important role in the way Paul views his apostolic ministry . In the concluding chapter the author therefore deals with Paul's ministry within the christological perspective on weakness and power.The work is an important contribution to Pauline studies and is a well-researched, thorough, and scholarly study.Jeffrey R. Asher in The Catholic Biblical Quarterly vol. 64. (2002), page 762This book is a useful refresher course on Paul, with a valuable dialogue with the most recent monographs and commentaries on his letters.Benedict T. Viviano in Zeitschrift fur Missions- und Religionswissenschaft Jahrgang 86 (2002), p. 74

A renowned scholar calls for a change of direction for the study of Jesus in the 21st century.

A landmark study of the apostle's writings by one of the world's leading Pauline scholars Winner of the 2022 ECPA Christian Book Award for Bible Reference Works This highly anticipated volume gives pastors, scholars, and all serious students of the New Testament exactly what they need for in-depth study and engagement with one of Christian history's most formative thinkers and writers. A Theology of Paul and His Letters is a landmark study of the apostle's writings by one of the world's leading Pauline scholars Douglas J. Moo. Fifteen years in the making, this groundbreaking work is organized into three major sections: Part 1 provides an overview of the issues involved in doing biblical theology in general and a Pauline theology in particular. Here Moo also sets out the methodological issues, formative influences, and conceptual categories of Paul's thought. Part 2 moves on to Paul's New Testament writings, where Moo describes each Pauline letter with particular relevance to its theology. Part 3 offers a masterful synthesis of Paul’s theology under the overarching theme of the gift of the new realm in Christ. Engaging, insightful, and wise, this substantive, evangelical treatment of Paul's theology offers extensive engagement with the latest Pauline scholarship without sacrificing its readability. This volume brings insights from over thirty years of experience studying, teaching, and writing about Paul into one comprehensive guide that will serve readers as a go-to resource for decades to come. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Biblical Theology of the New Testament (BTNT) series provides upper college and seminary-level textbooks for students of New Testament theology, interpretation, and exegesis. Pastors and discerning theology readers alike will also benefit from this series. Written at the highest level of academic excellence by recognized experts in the field, the BTNT series not only offers a comprehensive exploration of the theology of every book of the New Testament, including introductory issues and major themes, but also shows how each book relates to the broad picture of New Testament Theology.