A socio-rhetorical interpretation of the letter to Philemon in light of the new institutional economics
Subtitle: an exhortation to transform a master-slave economic relationship into a brotherly loving relationship
By: Alex Hon Ho Ip
Series: Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament. 2. Reihe -- 444; Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament -- 444.
Publisher: Mohr Siebeck
Published: 2017
Place of publication: Tübingen
Language: eng
Number of pages: 246
ISBN-13: 9783161547287
Copyright date: 2017
Subjects: Criticism, interpretation; Economics; Christianity; Slavery in the Bible; Economics in the Bible; Bible
Description: "In this study, Alex Hon Ho Ip argues that when Paul wrote to Philemon about Onesimus, his main purpose was not to try and reunite, as is widely held, a runaway slave with his master, but rather to have Onesimus accepted as a beloved brother in Christ. By examining the letter's inner texture, the author shows that Paul's main concern was for Philemon and Onesimus to be reconciled in brotherly love. The inter-textual weave reveals Paul's theological and ethical thoughts on love, which is the basis for the apostle's main argument. By taking a new institutional economics approach to help reconstruct the economic relationship between slave and master, Alex Hon Ho Ip is able to offer a better understanding of the original relationship Paul argued against. With all this in mind, the focus is on re-reading the letter and hearing how Paul's rhetoric exhorts a new relationship between Onesimus and Philemon." --
Notes: Slightly revised version of author's thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2014.

Includes bibliographical references (pages [229]-237) and indexes.
Table of contents: title: Preface -- List of abbreviations; title: Setting the stage for socio-rhetorical interpretation -- -- Introduction; title: Thesis statement --; title: The value of this research --; title: Interpretation history of the letter to philemon --; title: Development and insufficiencies of the "runaway hypothesis" --; title: New trend in research --; title: Short conclusion : contribution and insufficiency of previous research --; title: Methodology : the application of socio-rhetorical interpretation to the letter to philemon --; title: Framework of socio-rhetorical interpretation --; title: Application of socio-rhetorical interpretation in interpreting the letter to philemon --; title: Limitation and corresponding response of the socio-rhetorical model --; title: Definition --; title: The problem of genre --; title: Missing theology --; title: Justification of new texture --; title: Integral or segregated? --; title: Risk of running into indeterminate ways of interpretation --; title: Basics of the letter to philemon --; title: The story behind the letter --; title: Relationship with other letters of paul --; title: Concerning the period and context of this study --; title: Attitude toward slavery : metaphorical use or reality addressed --; title: Conclusion --; title: Inner texture : relationship transformation as the main focus of the letter to philemon --; title: Introduction --; title: Materialistic layer : word analysis --; title: Main focus : relational words --; title: Main argument : love-related words --; title: Theological ground : words with theological connotations --; title: ... and ... --; title: Faith --; title: God-related words --; title: Commerce-related words --; title: Fabric layer : epistolary analysis --; title: The structure of the letter --; title: Opening of the letter to philemon --; title: Recipient formula --; title: Thanksgivings --; title: Short conclusion --; title: Stylistic layer : rhetorical analysis --; title: Formal rhetorical analysis : F. F. Church and M. M. Mitchell --; title: Exordium (verses 4-7) --; title: Proof (verses 8-16) --; title: New direction suggested by formal rhetorical analysis --; title: Conformance to the deliberative argumentation identified by Margaret M. Mitchell --; title: Beyond the formal rhetoric --; title: Dialogue --; title: Intertexture : theological and ethical thoughts of Paul --; title: Introduction --; title: Intertexture in the socio-rhetorical interpretation of the letter to philemon : theological and ethical thoughts of Paul --; title: The structure of pauline ethical thought (1) : integral view of indicative and imperative --; title: The structure of pauline ethical thought (2) : the three motifs behind the theology and ethics of Paul --; title: Eschatological motif --; title: Theological motif --; title: Christological motif --; title: The content of Paul's ethical thought : love as a guiding principle for the believing community --; title: Paul's use of ...) --; title: The structure of love in Paul's thought --; title: New relationship with god : new life in love --; title: New relationship with the world : new creation with freedom to love --; title: New relationship with new community : new bonding by love --; title: Romans 12-13 : eschatological nature of love for the solidarity of a congregation --; title: 1 Corinthians 8-11 : 1 : love as self-control for others : foundation of exercising one's freedom --; title: Galatians 5-6 : freedom with working in love --; title: Short summary --; title: Intertextual reading : reading the letter to philemon in Paul's structure of love --; title: Model of intertextual reading of the letter to philemon --; title: Basic theological thought : reading the letter to philemon with reference to the integral view of indicative and imperative --; title: Reading the letter to philemon with the three motifs as reference --; title: Eschatological motif --; title: Theological motif --; title: Christological motif --; title: Reading the letter to philemon in Paul's ethical structure of love --; title: New relationship with god : new life in love in the letter to philemon --; title: New relationship with the world : new creation with freedom to love in the letter to philemon --; title: New relationship with the new community : new bonding by love in the letter to philemon --; title: Dialogue --; title: Economic texture : reading the letter to philemon in light of the economic relationship generated from the new institutional economics --; title: Introduction --; title: Methodology --; title: Economic texture --; title: The use of nie as an analysis framework --; title: The significance of institutions in understanding economic relationships --; title: Douglass north's model --; title: Informal institution : exploitative in nature --; title: Economic interest as the dominant consideration in the roman economy --; title: The development of economic interest as the dominant value --; title: Result of wars on attitude toward economic benefit --; title: Macroeconomic environment : growing demand for slaves --; title: Magnitude of development : scale of the roman economy --; title: Quality of development : growth in trade --; title: Income inequality and the nature of exploitation --; title: Ideological justification : philosophy and social values --; title: Philosophical justification of roman slavery --; title: Social value : nature of consumer city --; title: Political system : how rules were determined --; title: Political structure in the late roman republic --; title: Legal system --; title: Implications for the economic relationship : exploitative in nature --; title: Formal institution : objectifying attitude toward slaves --; title: Definition of slaves : objectifying slaves --; title: Economic motives for objectifying slaves --; title: Owning slaves : classified as res mancipi --; title: Acquisition and transference of slaves --; title: The exclusive right to use slaves --; title: Implication for economic relationship : objectifying slaves as instruments --; title: Managing slaves as labor : manipulating slaves in practice --; title: Economic problems of managing slaves --; title: General situation --; title: Specific economic reasons for management problems --; title: NIE basic concepts underlying the management problem of slaves --; title: Bounded rationality --; title: Opportunism --; title: Asset specificity --; title: Diversity and the mixed nature of slave jobs --; title: Farm slaves : extensiveness --; title: Household slaves : penetrating different levels of household work --; title: Slaves in trade and commerce : high trust required --; title: Short summary --; title: Contractual arrangements : manipulating slaves in light of the management problems --; title: Basics facts about manumission --; title: Modes of manumission --; title: Economic analysis of manumission in light of the nie theory --; title: Basics of peculium --; title: Incompleteness of peculium --; title: Artificial asset specificity --; title: NIE interpretation of slave-managing problems --; title: Dialogue --; title: Conclusion --; title: Synthesis : reading the body of the letter to philemon with the three textures in mind --; title: Introduction --; title: Redefining the problem addressed by Paul in the letter to philemon --; title: Redefining the problem in light of paul's eschatological motif : to choose the new value to practice in this world --; title: Choosing new value in light of existing institution : 1 cor 7 : 19-24 --; title: Short conclusion --; title: Redefining the problem in light of Paul's theology : to recognize and accept the new relationship --; title: Conflict between the economic relationship and loving brotherhood relationship --; title: Exploitative nature vs. love as the basis of a relationship --; title: View of slaves as objectified instrument vs. brotherhood as an attitude in a relationship --; title: Manipulating vs. freedom in practice --; title: Redefining the problem in light of Paul's christology : to choose to follow the model of Paul and Christ in practice --; title: Imitation of Paul and Christ in the letter to philemon --; title: Short summary --; title: Reading the body of the letter in light of different textures --; title: Analysis of the body of the letter to philemon : Paul's rhetorical argument calls for a new relationship --; title: Verses 8-9 : new value of love : to challenge the power of the master --; title: Verse 10 : new life in christ : to challenge the legal justification of slavery --; title: Verse 11 : a transformation of the worldly relationship : from objectified status to personhood --; title: Verses 12-14 : respecting one's freedom : demonstrating love in action --; title: Verses 15-16 : ultimate request : loving brotherhood relationship --; title: The use of "beloved brother" in verse 16 --; title: Verse 17 : new form of working relationship : ... : partnership in Christ --; title: Verses 18-19 : clearing the final barrier : forgo the economic benefit or loss --; title: Verses 20-21 : concluding remarks : new relationships in the Lord and in Christ --; title: Conclusion --; title: Conclusion --; title: Introduction --; title: Summary of arguments in previous chapters --; title: Contributions and future directions inspired by this thesis --; title: Methodological breakthrough --; title: Further ways to incorporate economic analysis in biblical studies --; title: Reflection on contemporary capitalist society --; title: Working relationship : objectification --; title: Incentive system : another form of economic compulsion ---- Conclusion-- Bibliography-- Index of ancient sources-- Index of modern authors-- Index of names and subjects.