Since 1963, substantial objections have been raised against the traditional view of the Pauline doctrine of justification, mainly by New Testament scholars such as Krister Stendahl, E. P. Sanders and James D. G. Dunn. This book evaluates the "New Perspective on Paul" and finds it wanting. With appreciation for the important critique already offered by Donald Hagner, which is included in this volume, Peter Stuhlmacher mounts a forthright and well-supported challenge based on established and more recent scholarship concerning Paul's understanding of justification. In particular he argues that the forensic and mystical elements of Paul's doctrine of justification should not be played off against one another. Rather Paul's understanding can be faithfully rendered only within the context of his apostolic mission to Jews and Gentiles and the expectation of the coming kingdom of God. This book will be of interest to students and teachers of biblical studies, biblical theology and systematic theology, and to those engaged in Jewish-Christian dialogue, Protestant-Roman Catholic conversation about the doctrine of justification, or discussions of rival views of justification within Protestantism.

Much has been written of late about what the apostle Paul really meant when he spoke of justification by faith, not the works of the law. This short study by Stephen Westerholm carefully examines proposals on the subject by Krister Stendahl, E. P. Sanders, Heikki Raisanen, N. T. Wright, James D. G. Dunn, and Douglas A. Campbell. In doing so, Westerholm notes weaknesses in traditional understandings that have provoked the more recent proposals, but he also points out areas in which the latter fail to do justice to the apostle. Readers of this book will gain not only a better grasp of the ongoing theological debate about justification but also a more nuanced overall understanding of Paul.

How far did Paul stray from the view of salvation handed down to him in the Jewish tradition? Following a hunch from E.P. Sanders's seminal book Paul and Palestinian Judaism,Preston Sprinkle finds buried in the Old Testament's Deuteronomic and prophetic perspectives a key that starts to turn the rusted lock on Paul's critique of Judaism.

Much has been written of late about what the apostle Paul really meant when he spoke of justification by faith, not the works of the law. This short study by Stephen Westerholm carefully examines proposals on the subject by Krister Stendahl, E. P. Sanders, Heikki Raisanen, N. T. Wright, James D. G. Dunn, and Douglas A. Campbell. In doing so, Westerholm notes weaknesses in traditional understandings that have provoked the more recent proposals, but he also points out areas in which the latter fail to do justice to the apostle. Readers of this book will gain not only a better grasp of the ongoing theological debate about justification but also a more nuanced overall understanding of Paul.

For generations, scholars who study the letters of St. Paul have argued about “being-in-Christ” and “justification by faith” as though they were competing theologies. They have argued about faith as divine gift or human work, and more recently the faith of Jesus Christ has been called into question. Harrisville proposes a provocative and simple solution to these issues by examining scholarly assumptions and presenting the faith of St. Paul as a dynamic and life-changing power. Participation in Christ and righteousness by faith are actually complimentary expressions for the same concept. The apostle’s faith was not self-engendered but a gift that transformed him into a believer. Taking a more organic approach to understanding the faith of St. Paul, this book provides a path toward reconciling entrenched positions and providing a fresh perspective by presenting the apostle’s concept of faith as a transformative gift of divine power.

This collection of essays follows upon its predecessor, originally entitled In Defense of the New Perspective on Paul: Essays and Reviews (Wipf and Stock, 2005). This second edition differs from the first in that five new chapters have been added and one review article has been deleted. The change of the main title to Studies in the New Perspective on Paul is due to the conviction that the "New Perspective on Paul" actually represents a return to the original context in which Paul proclaimed the gospel of Christ. Therefore, it is not something to be "defended," but propounded in the most positive terms possible.