The New Cambridge Companion to St. Paul
Cambridge Companions to Religion Series

St Paul was a pivotal and controversial figure in the fledgling Jesus movement of the first century. The New Cambridge Companion to St Paul provides an invaluable entryway into the study of Paul and his letters. Composed of sixteen essays by an international team of scholars, it explores some of the key issues in the current study of his dynamic and demanding theological discourse. The volume first examines Paul's life and the first-century context in which he and his communities lived. Contributors then analyze particular writings by comparing and contrasting at least two selected letters, while thematic essays examine topics of particular importance, including how Paul read scripture, his relation to Judaism and monotheism, why his message may have been attractive to first-century audiences, how his message was elaborated in various ways in the first four centuries, and how his theological discourse might relate to contemporary theological discourse and ideological analysis today.

Part I. Paul, Letters and Communities: 1. What do we find in Paul's letters? Bruce W. Longenecker; 2. Who was Paul? Paula Fredriksen; 3. What kind of world did Paul's communities live in? Richard Ascough; Part II. The Pauline Letter Collection: 4. The Thessalonian and Corinthian letters Margaret Y. MacDonald; 5. Galatians and Romans Peter Oakesz; 6. Philippians and Philemon Douglas A. Campbell; 7. Colossians and Ephesians Sylvia C. Keesmaat; 8. The pastoral epistles James W. Aageson; Part III. Paul's Theological Discourse: 9. What did Paul think is wrong in God's world? Bruce W. Longenecker; 10. What did Paul think God is doing about what's wrong? Michael J. Gorman; 11. What did Paul think God is doing in Christian communities? Susan Grove Eastman; 12. How did Paul read scripture? David Lincicum; 13. Did Paul abandon either Judaism or monotheism? Matthew V. Novenson; 14. Why were people attracted to Paul's good news? David G. Horrell; 15. How was the reception of Paul shaped in the early church? Margaret M. Mitchell; 16. What makes Paul challenging today? John M. G. Barclay.

Bruce W. Longenecker is Melton Chair of Religion and Professor of Christian Origins at Baylor University, Texas.