This is the sixth session's Power Point slide show from the 'Using Pauline Studies for Evangelism' course taught at the Light Project, Chester.

1. Reading Paul
Session 6
The Light Project

2. Factors influencing NT readings
• Theological and interpretative questions
• Exegetical issues (syntax, textual criticism)
• Historical matters (Judaism and Greco-
Roman world)
• Questions of language (Greek, Aramaic)
• Archaeology illuminating texts
• Patristic and other interpretations of texts

3. For centuries what has been the dominant
understanding of Paul and his theology?
• Augustine
• Luther
• Both, it is claimed, read Paul in light of the
theological and political issues of their day.
New views on Paul:
• Stendahl
• Sanders
• Dunn

4. ‘Old View’ ‘New View’
•Paul opposed a Judaism based
•Paul more concerned with the
upon:
practicalities of how Jew and
•Works-righteousness Gentile Christians could live
together in his communities
•Legalistic religion
•Judaism not a legalistic religion of
•Earning one’s salvation
works but a religion of salvation
•Keeping the law as much as (including Gentiles)
possible
•Paul placed squarely within his
•God sent Jesus to abolish all of the context of first-century Judaism
above
•Paul’s experiences of God and
•Established a new religion of grace Christ are interpreted accordingly
and forgiveness
•Paul ‘de-Lutheranized’
•Sinners are ‘justified’ through their
faith
•Paul interpreted through the lens of
Augustine and Luther