Author Description

Through the lens of the paradoxical statement in Phil 1:18 ("only that in every way, whether by pretext or by truth, Christ is preached and in this I rejoice"), this book understands Paul's texts as ancient writings that adhere to and are confined by a specific set of social codes. The author locates these texts within the context of the writing practices of ancient moral philosophers, who on the one hand eschewed rhetorical convention and on the other were bound by it. Contemporary critical theory is used to investigate and critique previous approaches to Paul and to present viable alternatives. In particular, the book advocates that Paul is far more "earthy" than Pauline theology typically allows him to be and that his rhetoric is a lateral, "logocentric" expression of his beliefs, rather than a vertical metaphysical construction. --From publisher's description.