Paternoster Biblical & Theological Monographs – serie

The author competently demonstrates that the equality of Jew and Gentile is the main subject matter of Paul's soteriological argument in his letter to the Romans. Chae argues that it is Paul's self-awareness of being an apostle to the Gentiles that has significantly influenced the shape, content and structure of his inclusive argument. Thus he offers an important alternative to the prevailing post-Holocaust interpretation of Romans and of Paul.

Is John's Gospel antisemitic? In John 8:44 Jesus tells the Jews, 'You are of your father the Devil', a charge used throughout the centuries by antisemites to fuel hatred of the Jews. And it is no one-off statement: throughout the Gospel, 'the Jews' appear as Jesus' sharpest opponents, ultimately seeking his execution. Who then are 'the Jews' in John's Gospel? Defending John against the charge of antisemitism, Motyer argues that, far from demonising the Jews, the Gospel seeks to present Jesus as 'Good News for Jews' in a late first century setting.

This study examines some key approaches to ecumenical social ethics in the past century as expressed in the thought of Walter Rauschenbusch Reinhold Niebhur and the World Council of Churches.The author argues that unless Christians are clear about the ways that theology and philosophy relate to one another and work themselves out in our practical commitments we will lose the ability to discuss social ethics as individuals and churches let alone reach effective arguments.

This is a major study of the twentieth-century theologian Karl Barth. Its chief strength is that it demonstrates the genuine intellectual force behind Barth's approach to the Bible. Drawing on the history of biblical, theological and philosophical criticism originating in the Enlightenment - and most notably on the arguments of the Austrian philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein - it dares the thought that, if Barth is right, the Bible understood the Enlightenment better than it understood the Bible, and, indeed, better than the Enlightenment understood itself: according to its own canons of inquiry it ought not to have lost faith with the Bible in the way that it did.

This literary study considers how the 'voice' of Jesus has been heard in different periods of parable interpretation, and how the categories of figure and trope may help us towards a sensitive reading of the parables today. This book explores what it means to seek the "voice" of Jesus" in his parables through the interpretive keys of literary tropes. Through a detailed discussion of significant periods of parable interpretation, with reference to six narrative parables peculiar to Luke's Gospel, it demonstrates the continued necessity of a creative response to an intention when confronted with figures of speech. Drawing on the long tradition of interpretation, a fresh hearing of the tone of the parables as exemplary tales is suggested, rooted in both the conditions of Jesus's contemporary culture and the Old Testament Scriptures.

This book offers a careful literary reading of Genesis 37-50 that argues that the Joseph story contains both strong covenant themes and many wisdom-like elements. The author examines how these "wisdom-like elements" relate to the story as a whole. Chapter 37 establishes that God will cause Joseph to rise to prominence. The intriguing story of Tamar in chapter 38 is seen as a kind of microcosm of the entire Joseph story, with Tamar securing life, justice, and reconciliation through her wise initiatives, leading ultimately to the preservation of the line of promise. Joseph's public use of wisdom is considered in chapters 39-41, where he uses power successfully and with discernment. Joseph's private use of wisdom occupies chapters 42-45, as Joseph brings about change in his brothers and extends forgiveness to them. Chapters 46-50 complete the story by weaving the concerns of the previous chapters into the fabric of God's purposes for his covenant people.

This book is a textual and theological analysis of the interaction between the sin and faithlessness of Israel and the grace of Yahweh in response looking especially at Deuteronomy chapters 13 810 and 2930. The author argues that the grace of Yahweh is determinative for the ongoing relationship between Yahweh and Israel and that Deuteronomy anticipates and fully expects Israel to be faithless. Does the Old Testament have an optimistic outlook for the people of God ancient Israel or is it pessimistic The strands of optimism and pessimism seem to be juxtaposed throughout. In this study of Deuteronomy a lynchpin book within the Old Testament the socalled tensions between optimism and pessimism are slow to cohere theologically. Despite the faithlessness of Israel Yahweh's faithfulness to his promises results in the triumph of grace.

When Old Testament scholar George Adam Smith (1856-1942) delivered the Lyman Beecher lectures at Yale University in 1899, he confidently declared that 'modern criticism has won its war against traditional theories. It only remains to fix the amount of the indemnity.' In this biography, Iain D. Campbell assesses Smith's critical approach to the Old Testament and evaluates its consequences, showing that Smith's life and work still raises questions about the relationship between biblical scholarship and evangelical faith.

How does the eschatological future impinge on the present? Is the kingdom of God present outside the confession of Christ in movements towards social justice? Is Christian hope a stimulus to social involvement or an alternative? And how does the present impinge on the eschatological future? What is the relationship between our actions now and the new creation? Is there eschatological continuity between the two? Jurgen Moltmann, one of our most influential contemporary theologians, has had much to say both on eschatology and its relationship to mission. This book explores his thought along with evangelical responses to it. Eschatology has been central to evangelical debates about social involvement ever since the Laussanne Congress in 1974. The book examines how evangelicals themselves have related hope and mission. The book highlights the important contribution Moltmann has made while offering a critique of his thought from an evangelical perspective. In so doing, it touches on pertinent issues for evangelical missiology. The conclusion takes John Calvin as a starting point, proposing 'an eschatology of the cross' which offers a critique of the over-realized eschatologies in liberation theology and triumphalistic forms of evangelicalism.

Through dialogue with Moltmann, Pope John Paul II, and others, this book develops a genitive theology of work, presenting a theological definition of work and a model for a theological ethics of work that shows work nature, value and meaning now and eschatologically. Work is shown to be a transformative activity consisting of three dynamically interrelated dimensions the instrumental, relational, and ontological.

The new trinitarian thinking takes a great step forward in this book. It may well be the future of Christian theology.' Jurgen Moltmann In this book the author proposes a three-way conversation between theology, science and pastoral ministry. His approach draws on a Trinitarian understanding of God as a relational being of love, whose life 'spills over' into all created reality, human and non-human. By locating human meaning and purpose within God's 'creation-community' this book offers the possibility of a transforming engagement between those in pastoral ministry and the scientific community. Trinitarian relationships are to be modelled in the pastoral life the church, we are to image the intimate inter-relationships...the perichoresis of the Triune God.

This book argues that a biblically-rooted account of justice in economic life has three great strengths as opposed to the confusing disarray of views evident in the secular world. First, it is harmonious: the various strands of a scriptural perspective on economic justice are clearly woven together and they find their unity in the person of the God. Secondly, it is substantial: able to engage thoroughly and critically with leading secular perspectives. Thirdly, it is contemporary: applying in powerful and relevant ways to current economic issues in our globalized world. This book indicates how a biblical understanding of production and exchange applies to contemporary topics such as the relationships between borrowers and lenders and the use of monopoly power.

This book provides a survey and critical assessment of the doctrine of universal salvation in contemporary western theology within the context of the historic development of the doctrine.