New Testament theology
Subtitle: communion and community
By: Philip F. Esler.
Publisher: Fortress Press
Published: 2005
Place of publication: Minneapolis
Language: eng
Number of pages: 353
Subjects: Bible. N.T. -- Theology.; Bible. N.T. -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.; Community -- Religious aspects -- Christianity.
Description: Esler's innovative proposal features a cutting-edge combination of theology, exegesis, and social analysis. He argues for new thinking about New Testament theology in light of the early social history of Christian communities. His detailed analysis of Paul's letters to the Romans and 1 Corinthians validates his thesis and clarifies its significance for scholarship. Using both the tradition of "the communion of the saints" and social-scientific methods, Esler brings the discipline of New Testament theology back to its theological core. He argues that interpreters also need to take into account both the history of interpretation and the multitude of voices within the contemporary church.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 313-334) and indexes.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: The New Testament and contemporary Christianity; title: The New Testament, history, and theology : the state of the debate; title: Persons in communion : a socio-theological model; title: Knowing and understanding the message of our ancestors in the faith; title: The place of New Testament authros in interpretation; title: Interpersonal understanding and the spoken work in Schleiermacher's hermeneutics; title: Face-to-face communion between New Testament Christ-followers: 1 Corinthians 10-14 as a test case; title: New Testament Christ-Followers and the effects of writing; title: Communion with the saints : origins and development; title: Communion with the saints : modeling the naturalistic possibilities; title: Communion with the saints in the fullest sense; title: The canon and interpersonal communion; title: History, hermeneutics, and communion : Romans.