Paul Revisited Paper

Introduction

1) Video Reassessment

What did I know about Paul:

I knew about his hostility towards Christians, about his experience on his way to damascus, his role in spreading the gospel to jews and gentiles, that he was a man changed by grace.

What changed:

One example of a perspective the course gave me:

Why was this important and how learning more can help the reader:

2) Current Perspective on Paul

Hook the reader by asking them something meaningful

Link to the following:

Life

What are the main differences between the “Paul” of Acts and the “Paul” of the Letters; that is, the biographical “Paul” vs. the autobiographical “Paul”? Example: Luke calls Paul “Saul” in Acts 7 – 13, but Paul never refers to himself as “Saul.”

Would you say the Paul revealed in the Epistles is more “Jewish” or “Greek” in his thinking and writing? Why do you think so?

Was Paul’s Damascus Road experience more calling or conversion? If the latter, from what to what did he convert?

Is your “Paul” more derived from Luke’s Acts or Paul’s Epistles?

Letters

Note well: Do not summarize each letter; instead, discuss the following:

Paul’s missionary strategy

Characteristics of a typical Pauline congregation, i.e., Greek or Jewish, white or blue collar, mostly male or female, community insiders or outsiders, etc.

Paul’s letter-writing ministry

Basic form of Pauline letters, including Paul’s style of argumentation and use of ancient Greek rhetoric

Theology

Basic character of Paul’s theologizing (theoretical and systematic or occasional and pastoral?)

Is Paul’s theology a truncated Gospel, focusing only on the Cross and Resurrection with little or no interest in Jesus’ life and teaching? If not, what is the evidence that Paul is interested in Jesus’ life and teaching? If so, does that mean that Paul’s gospel is “sub-Christian?”

Is there a theological metanarrative (subplot) running through Paul’s writings, and if so, what is it?

Is “justification by faith” vs. “justification by Law-keeping” the theological center of Paul’s writings if we exempt Galatians and Romans? Is it fair, or accurate, to define entire Paul’s theology from only two of his letters?

Be sure to discuss the Reformation vs New Perspective debate regarding Paul’s view of the Law.

Significance

Is the church today more a “Pauline” church than a “Jesus” church? What are your reasons for answering as you did?

Does Paul still have relevance in a post-modern world that no longer shares his convictions about things such as gender, marriage, ethics, and eschatology?

Citations:

Minimum of 5.

Interaction with, and understanding of, course Learn materials, including both course textbooks and presentations, is required and must be demonstrated and documented (via footnotes and bibliography) in the student’s paper.