The First Paul (Marcus Borg & John Crossan)

[struggle4progress]

Harper-Collins 2009 (paperback edition 2010)

As far as we can tell, the Pauline letters are some of the earliest known Christian texts, predating even the gospels

And for some of us, this presents an immediate problem: the Pauline letters contain not only some of the most beautiful passages in the Christian canon but also some of the most reactionary text, whence Borg and Crossan's first chapter title -- "Paul: appealing or appalling"

The authors want to distinguish here three groups of texts: the Radical texts of undisputed Pauline origin (Romans, First and Second Corinthians, First Thessalonians, Galatians, Philippians, Philemon), the Conservative texts of disputed Pauline origin (Ephesians, Colossians, Second Thessalonians), and the Reactionary texts which are undisputed forgeries (First and Second Timothy, Titus). With this separation of texts, Borg and Crossan see a gradual reworking of Pauline theology in the first decades after the undisputed letters, with an earlier assault on Roman imperial values being replaced by an accommodation to Roman values

Their view is exhibited in the second chapter -- "How to read a Pauline letter" -- in which they compare and contrast the attitudes towards slavery and patriarchy in the Radical, Conservative, and Reactionary texts. Counting Philemon as a Radical text, Borg and Crossan read it as a carefully structured public rebuke to Philemon to free Onesimus voluntarily. The Conservative texts, in contrast, emphasize the duty of slaves to submit, tempered somewhat by pleas to the masters to be nice, while the Reactionary texts concern the duties of the slaves without much attention to any reciprocal duties of the masters. A similar evolution appears in the texts regarding patriarchy

The volume subtitle briefly indicates their ultimate objective: "Reclaiming the Radical Visionary behind the Church's Conservative Icon." ... Before Jesus was born -- or even if he had never existed at all -- another human being was already proclaimed Son of God ... (Borg and Crossan write) ... Augustus was Divine, Son of God, God, and God from God. He was Lord, Liberator, Redeemer, and Savior of the World ... This begins the exposition of a (by now well-known) reading of early Christianity as a subversive assault on the ideology of the Roman empire. Borg and Crossan attribute the now commonplace substitutionary sacrifice theology of the crucifixion to Anselm in the eleventh century, hence irrelevant to an understanding of Paul's original intent

The text is carefully argued, considering that it is directed at a popular audience; it has a mere handful of footnotes

[meegbear]

1. But does it answer the big question ...

Did the Corinthians write back?

[AlecBGreen]

2. do you recommend it?

Money is tight these days but it sounds like a thought-provoking read.

[struggle4progress]

4. It might depend on your point-of-view. I do intend to reread the book, going through their

arguments more carefully, since I got something from it

[dimbear]

3. Paul had an enomous advantage over the immediate disciples.

He could read and write.

Nevertheless, (here and there) there still exist traces of what went before Paul. The hymn in Philippians, for instance. The core of the Didache. Alpha Christianity.

[angel2]

5. What 'really' happened on the road to Damascus?

I never 'brought' that story, did Paul see the 'light' or did he see a ground floor opportunity to get on the 'Christian wave'. He held a high position with the Romans, which tells me he loved to rule, perhaps a 'control freak' suddenly having never known Jesus, he is exalted to the head of the Christian church.

Jesus says "Judge not," Paul says to Timothy "Discern, reprove," and after all that is more fun! I read the old testament, and the 4 gospels, mostly follow the dictates of my heart, as a 'New Age Christian'.

If mankind can corrupt, and he can, he surly will! JMHO Darlene

http://dmloc.blogspot.com/