Reinventing Paul (2000 Gager), book
Reinventing Paul (2000) is a book by John G. Gager.
Abstract
<Throughout the Christian era, Paul has stood at the center of controversy, accused of being the father of Christian anti-Semitism. But have we misunderstood the man and his teachings for nearly 2,000 years? In this highly accessible book, John Gager challenges this entrenched view of Paul, arguing persuasively that Paul's words have been taken out of their original context, distorted, and generally misconstrued. Gager takes us in search of the "real" Paul--using Paul's own writings. Through an exhaustive analysis of Paul's letters to the Galatians and the Romans, he provides illuminating answers to the key questions: Did Paul repudiate the Law of Moses? Did he believe that Jews had been rejected by God and replaced as His chosen people by Gentiles? Did he consider circumcision to be necessary for salvation? And did he expect Jews to find salvation through Jesus? To all these questions, John Gager answers no. First, he puts Paul's proselytizing in context. Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles, not the Jews. His most vehement arguments were directed not against Judaism but against competing apostles in the Jesus movement who demanded that Gentiles be circumcised and conform to Jewish law in order to be saved. Moreover, Paul relied on rhetorical devices that were familiar to his intended audience but opaque to later readers of the letters. As a result, his message has been misunderstood by all succeeding generations. Reinventing Paul brilliantly sets forth a controversial interpretation of Paul's teaching. This thought-provoking portrait is essential reading for theologians and lay people, historians and philosophers, Christians and Jews.>--Publisher description.
<Gager proposes a new paradigm for Pauline studies, following the lead of Stanley Stowers, A Rereading of Romans, and Lloyd Gaston, Paul and the Torah. Gager challenges the traditional viewpoint that Paul converted from Judaism to Christianity and then attacked his former Jewish compatriots for their rejection of Jesus and their obsolete view of Torah. Gager argues that when interpreting Pauline texts such as Galatians and Romans it is crucial to keep Paul’s Gentile audience in mind. Paul did not intend to teach that the law was no longer binding; he frequently speaks in praise of the law. But for Gentiles he preached freedom from the law. When Paul says that “circumcision is of no value” (Rom 3:1), he means that salvation for Gentiles is not based upon circumcision or obeying the Torah. Paul was primarily interested in proclaiming Christ as Savior for Gentiles. Paul does not reject Judaism; his theological opponents were followers of Jesus who wanted to compel Gentiles to live like Jews. Gager’s ultimate objective is to stem the tide of Christian anti-Semitism in contemporary society. Christians too often hijack Paul to support an anti-Semitic agenda. The reader will have to determine whether Gager has satisfactorily explained the seemingly conflicting Pauline references to the law. >--Ronald Ruark, University of Michigan
Editions and translations
Published in Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Table of contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1. The Traditional View of Paul
- 2. New Views of Paul
- 3. The Letter to the Galatians
- 4. The Letter to the Romans
- 5. Loose Ends