Metaphors and Social Identity Formation in Paul's Letters to the Corinthians PDF Download

Author: Kar Yong Lim
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 149828289X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 266

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Book Description
Why did Paul frequently employ a diverse range of metaphors in his letters to the Corinthians? Was the choice of these metaphors a random act or a carefully crafted rhetorical strategy? Did the use of metaphors shape the worldview and behavior of the Christ-followers? In this innovative work, Kar Yong Lim draws upon Conceptual Metaphor Theory and Social Identity Theory to answer these questions. Lim illustrates that Paul employs a cluster of metaphors--namely, sibling, familial, temple, and body metaphors--as cognitive tools that are central to how humans process information, construct reality, and shape group identity. Carefully chosen, these metaphors not only add colors to Paul's rhetorical strategy but also serve as a powerful tool of communication in shaping the thinking, governing the behavior, and constructing the social identity of the Corinthian Christ-followers.

Author: Philip Esler
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0567668746
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 441

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Book Description
Philip F. Esler provides a comprehensive coverage of the issues in 2 Corinthians from the perspective of social identity, with a focus on Paul's leadership. Esler enlists social identity theory-in critical dialogue with existing scholarship-to show how Paul sought to persuade the Corinthian Christ-followers to adopt certain views on four critical issues that had arisen in his relationship with them, with his discourse demonstrably reflecting the ancient Mediterranean culture they shared. Two introductory chapters set out those four issues, summarise the events reflected in 1 and 2 Corinthians, make an initial case for the integrity of the letter against partition theories, explain and defend the use of social identity theory in biblical interpretation, and describe the social identity approach to leadership. In the commentary, Esler explores how Paul re-establishes his leadership role by reconnecting with the Corinthians, urges their participation in the collection for Jerusalem, and defends his position against recently arrived opponents, all the while reinforcing his addressees' social identity as Christ-followers. Prominent features of the commentary fostered by its social identity perspective include its cumulative case for the letter's unity, for Paul's opponents being similar to those in Galatia, and for the interweaving of social and theological dimensions in the text.

Author: J. Brian Tucker
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0567693317
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 841

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Book Description
The T & T Clark Social Identity Commentary on the New Testament is a one-of-a-kind comprehensive Bible resource that highlights the way the NT seeks to form the social identity of the members of the earliest Christ-movement. By drawing on the interpretive resources of social-scientific theories-especially those related to the formation of identity-interpreters generate new questions that open fruitful identity-related avenues into the text. It provides helpful introductions to each NT book that focus on various social dimensions of the text as well as a commentary structure that illuminates the text as a work of social influence. The commentary offers methodologically informed discussions of difficult and disputed passages and highlights cultural contexts in theoretically informed ways-drawing on resources from social anthropology, historical sociology, or social identity theory. The innovative but careful scholarship of these writers, most of whom have published monographs on some aspect of social identity within the New Testament, brings to the fore often overlooked social and communal aspects inherent in the NT discourse. The net result is a more concrete articulation of some of the every-day lived experiences of members of the Christ-movement within the Roman Empire, while also offering further insight into the relationship between existing and new identities that produced diverse expressions of the Christ-movement during the first century. The SICNT shows that identity-formation is at the heart of the NT and it offers insights for leaders of faith communities addressing these issues in contemporary contexts.

Author: Scot McKnight
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 083084936X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 1883

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Book Description
The Dictionary of Paul and His Letters is a one-of-a-kind reference work. No other resource presents as much information focused exclusively on Pauline theology, literature, background, and scholarship. This second edition is a thoroughly revised and updated version of the acclaimed 1993 publication. Since that groundbreaking volume was published, developments in Pauline studies have continued at a rapid pace, with diverse new scholars entering the conversation, new ideas and methods gaining attention, and fresh expressions of old topics shaping the present discussion. Those who enjoyed and benefited from the wealth in the first edition will find this new edition an equally indispensable and freshly up-to-date companion to study and research. Classic topics such as Christology, justification, hermeneutics, and book studies of individual epistles receive careful treatment by specialists in the field. Topics new to this edition—including Paul and politics, patronage, and interpretations from various historical and cultural perspectives—expand the volume's breadth and usefulness. Over 95% of the articles have been written specifically for this edition. This work bridges the gap between scholars and pastors, teachers and students, and all interested readers who want a thorough treatment of key topics in a summary format. In curating and compiling these articles, the editors have sought to make them comprehensive, accessible, and useful for those pursuing further research on particular subjects. Each article's bibliography, in addition, will serve a new generation of readers for years to come. The updated Dictionary of Paul and His Letters takes its place alongside the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 2nd ed., and the other volumes in the IVP Bible Dictionary Series as a unique presentation of the fruit of biblical studies—committed to Scripture, using the best of critical methods, and maintaining dialogue with both contemporary scholarship and the challenges facing the church. The reference volumes in the series provide in-depth treatment of biblical and theological topics in an accessible encyclopedia format, including cross-sectional themes, methods of interpretation, significant historical or cultural background, and each Old and New Testament book as a whole.

Author: Siu Fung Wu
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532611781
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 235

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Book Description
One can hardly ignore the significance of suffering in Paul's letters. Respected scholars (e.g., Scott Hafemann, Christiaan Beker, and Ann Jervis) have demonstrated the indispensable role of suffering in Paul's teaching. Despite that, the topic does not often "hit the headlines" in Pauline studies. Meanwhile, Christians around the world testify to the encouragement and comfort Paul gives them in times of pain and distress. The purpose of this book is to arouse interest in Pauline scholarship on the topic and provide a resource for educators, theological students, and thoughtful pastors. New Testament scholars in five countries across three continents contribute to this volume. They study the texts, intertexts, and the language of suffering in Paul. They explore the notion of participation in Christ's suffering and glory, and examine the significance of identity formation and solidarity in the Christ community. In addition, the authors reflect on the implications for the church today from different social locations and cultural backgrounds. The result is an exegetical and critical reflection that invites the church to seriously engage with Paul on the topic. Contributors: Sunny Chen, Roy Ciampa, Timothy Gombis, Sanyu Iralu, Haley Goranson Jacob, Kar Yong Lim, David Starling, Sean Winter, Siu Fung Wu, and Xiaxia Xue.

Author: Andrew M. King
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0567695301
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 169

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Book Description
What, according to the Book of Amos, does it mean to be the people of God? In this book, Andrew M. King employs a Social Identity Approach (SIA), comprised of Social Identity Theory and Self-Categorization Theory, to explore the relationship between identity formation and the biblical text. Specifically, he examines the identity-forming strategies embedded in the Book of Amos. King begins by outlining the Social Identity Approach, especially its use in Hebrew Bible scholarship. Turning to the Book of Amos, he analyzes group dynamics and intergroup conflicts (national and interpersonal), as well as Amos's presentation of Israel's history and Israel's future. King provides extensive insight into the rhetorical strategies in Amos that shape the trans-temporal audience's sense of self. To live as the people of God, according to Amos, readers and hearers must adopt norms defined by a proper relationship to God that results in the proper treatment of others.

Author: Scott Goode
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1666771783
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 117

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Book Description
There are few matters more important than God's mission in the world. This book offers a fresh contribution to a long-standing debate in Pauline and missional studies regarding the apparent absence of a missionary mandate for the churches of the New Testament. Through a literary and socio-rhetorical study of 1 Corinthians, and in conversation with the emerging discipline of social identity theory, this book invites the reader to consider how Paul's missional expectations may have been received and put into practice in first-century Corinth by the first readers. Along the way some new lines of inquiry are opened for certain texts which have remained for a long time in a state of scholarly stalemate. But these technical discussions give way to a larger goal: to offer a missiology in action, in all its Corinthian complexity. Could such an approach inform a robust missional identity for the church of today? As the Western church searches for a new self-understanding in an increasingly post-Christian culture, the intention of this book is to cultivate the missional imagination of contemporary believers for their ongoing participation in God's mission in the world.

Author: Craig L. Blomberg
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
ISBN: 1535940425
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 681

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Book Description
Pairing depth of scholarship with contemporary application, the authors of From Pentecost to Patmos have produced a unique introductory New Testament textbook. Craig Blomberg and Darlene Seal provide the context and clarity that readers need to better understand Acts through Revelation, showcasing the historical, linguistic, and theological implications found in each book. This second edition includes expanded footnotes and a lengthier, up-to-date introduction to Paul. Newly added review questions, maps, and diagrams enhance the scholarship and make the resource truly user-friendly.

Author: Susan R. Holman
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000922944
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 212

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Book Description
Using contemporary theories drawn from health humanities, this volume analyses the nature and effects of disability, medicine, and health discourse in a variety of early Christian literature. In recent years, the "medical turn" in early Christian studies has developed a robust literature around health, disability, and medicine, and the health humanities have made critical interventions in modern conversations around the aims of health and the nature of healthcare. Considering these developments, it has become clear that early Christian texts and ideas have much to offer modern conversations, and that these texts are illuminated using theoretical lenses drawn from modern medicine and public health. The chapters in this book explore different facets of early Christian engagement with medicine, either in itself or as metaphor and material for theological reflections on human impairment, restoration, and flourishing. Through its focus on late antique religious texts, the book raises questions around the social, rather than biological, aspects of illness and diminishment as a human experience, as well as the strategies by which that experience is navigated. The result is an innovative and timely intervention in the study of health and healthcare that bridges current divides between historical studies and contemporary issues. Taken together, the book offers a prismatic conversation of perspectives on aspects of care at the heart of societal and individual "wellness" today, inviting readers to meet or revisit patristic texts as tracings across a map of embodied identity, dissonance, and corporal care. It is a fascinating resource for anyone working on ancient medicine and health, or the social worlds of early Christianity.

Author: Johnson Thomaskutty
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 1506462707
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 609

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Book Description
Understanding and assessing the New Testament writings from Asian viewpoints provides a unique and original outlook for interpretation of the Christian Scriptures. To that end, An Asian Introduction to the New Testament is the first book of its kind to take full account of the multireligious, multiethnic, multilingual, multicultural, and pluralistic contexts in which Asian Christians find themselves. Into this already complex world, issues of poverty, casteism, class structure, honor and shame aspects, colonial realities, discrimination against women, natural calamities and ecological crises, and others add more layers of complexity. Perceiving the New Testament in light of these realities enables the reader to see them in a fresh way while understanding that the Jesus Movement emerged from similar social situations. Readers will find able guides in an impressive array of more than twenty scholars from across Asia. Working with volume editor Johnson Thomaskutty, the authors make a clear case: the kernels of Christianity sprouted from Asian roots, and we must read the New Testament considering those roots in order to understand it afresh today.