Paul In The Greco-Roman World: A Handbook

Paul In The Greco-Roman World: A Handbook

Within the flurry of scholarship on Paul in recent years, an area of significant interest has been the study of Paul within his particular context, the Greco-Roman world. This landmark handbook, written by distinguished Pauline scholars, is the first and only single volume to offer lucid and insightful examinations of Paul and his world. Each chapter explores a particular social convention, literary or rhetorical topos, social practice, or cultural mores of the world in which Paul and his audiences were at home. In addition, the sections use carefully chosen examples to demonstrate how particular features of Greco-Roman culture shed light on Paul?s letters and on his readers? possible perception of them. Contributors to the volume include Efram Agosto, Will Deming, David E. Fredrickson, Peter Lampe, L. Michael White, Stanley K. Stowers, Edgar Krentz, John T. Fitzgerald, Robert Jewett, James C. Walters, Troels Engberg-Pederson, Christopher Forbes, Duane F. Watson, Rollin A. Ramsaran, J. Albert Harrill, David L. Balch, Ronald F. Hock, O. Larry Yarbrough, Clarence E. Glad, J. Paul Sampley, and Benjamin Fiore.J. Paul Sampley is Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Christian Origins at Boston University and is the author of Pauline Parallels.Review"If you thought you didn't need another book on Paul in his Greco-Roman context, think again - this one is different! Paul Sampley has assembled a cracking team of scholars, all experts in their own field, to put together an original and insightful collection of essays on some of the key cultural issues in Paul's world - families, friendship, patrons, philosophy, slavery, honour and shame, and much more. And, equally important, he has forced us to think seriously about the relation between culture and context in Paul's presentation of the Gospel, in a way that does justice to the complexity of the issue. Not just a valuable research handbook, but an important book that deserves to be read as a serious contribution to Pauline studies in its own right."-Revd Dr Loveday Alexander, Professor of Biblical Studies, University of Sheffield. (Revd Dr Loveday Alexander)This splendid book will be consulted with great profit by persons interested in situating Paul in his world. The twenty one probes into such matters as social reality and social relations, law, education, literary and rhetorical conventions, and philosophy are more than mere handbook surveys. Written by experts on the topics they treat, the chapters do provide basic information to orient the reader, but escape handbook blandness by offering interesting and sometimes provocative personal views of the evidence. The book fully deserves the long and fruitful life it will enjoy. (Abraham J. Malherbe, Buckingham Professor Emeritus of New Testament Criticism and Interpretation, Yale Divinity School)?The 20 collaborators, chosen for their special expertise, treat Paul and adaptability, adoption and inheritance, boasting, commendation, rhetorical comparison, hardships and suffering, Greco-Roman education, exemplification and imitation, families and households, frank speech, friendship, games and the military, indifferent things, marriage and divorce, maxims, pater familias, patrons and clients, self-mastery, shame and honor, slavery, and virtues and vices. The articles have ample biography, and there are indexes of ancient sources and modern authors.? -Theology Digest, 51- 1, Spring 2004 (Theology Digest)?This excellent volume would be a significant acquisition for Christian congregational libraries?. Richly documented volume? This book is a valuable resource for those seeking to understand more fully the Pauline letters. It is scholarly but accessible. I recommend it highly for Christian libraries.? -Church & Synagogue Libraries, November/December 2004 (Church and Synagogue Libraries)?While interest over the last few decades has been placed on setting Paul?s letters in the Greco-Roman world, no single