The T&T Clark Handbook to the Historical Paul gathers leading voices on various aspects of Paul’s biography into a thorough reconsideration of him as a historical figure. The contributors show how recent trends in Pauline scholarship have invited new questions about a variety of topics, including his social location, his mode of subsistence, his cultural formation, his place within Judaism, his religious experience and practice, and his affinities with other religious actors of the Roman world. Through careful attention to biographical detail, social context, and historical method, it seeks to describe him as a contextually plausible social actor.
The volume is structured in three parts. Part One introduces sources, methods, and historiographical approaches, surveying the foundational texts for Paul and the early Pauline tradition. Part Two examines key biographical questions pertaining to Paul’s bodily comportment, the material aspects of his career, and his religious activities. Part Three reconstructs the biographical portraits of Paul that emerge from the letters associated with him, presenting a series of “micro-biographies” pieced together by leading Pauline scholars.
Preface Acknowledgements Abbreviations 1. Introduction – Ryan S. Schellenberg, Methodist Theological School in Ohio, USA and Heidi Wendt, McGill University, Canada Part 1: Sources and Methodology 2. The Corpus Paulinum – Leif E. Vaage, Emmanuel College/University of Toronto, Canada 3. Acts – Christopher Mount, DePaul University, USA 4. The Pauline Tradition – Benjamin L. White, Clemson University, USA 5. The Manuscript Tradition – Brent Nongbri, MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion, and Society, Norway 6. Person, Character, Self – Eve-Marie Becker, University of Münster, Germany Part 2: Biographical Problems 7. Travel and Homelessness – Timothy Luckritz Marquis, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA 8. Manual Labor and Sustenance – Thomas R. Blanton IV, University of Erfurt, Germany 9. Beatings and Imprisonments – Ryan S. Schellenberg, Methodist Theological School in Ohio, USA 10. Appearance and Health – Louise J. Lawrence, University of Exeter, UK 11. Singleness and Celibacy – Calvin J. Roetzel, University of Minnesota, USA 12. Ioudaios, Pharisee, Zealot – Matthew V. Novenson, University of Edinburgh, UK 13. Literacy and Education – Paul Robertson, University of New Hampshire, USA 14. Mythmaking and Exegesis – Heidi Wendt, McGill University, Canada 15. Divination and Miracles – Jennifer Eyl, Tufts University, USA 16. Religious Experience – Colleen Shantz, St. Michael’s College University of Toronto, Canada 17. Death – David L. Eastman, University of Regensburg, Germany/McCallie School, USA 18. Chronology – Douglas A. Campbell, Duke University, USA Part 3: Epistolary Micro-Biographies 19. Romans – Kathy Ehrensperger, University of Potsdam, Germany 20. The Corinthian Correspondence – Paul B. Duff, George Washington University, USA 21. Galatians – Mark D. Nanos, Lund University, Sweden and Heidi Wendt, McGill University, Canada 22. Philippians and Philemon – Angela Standhartinger, University of Marburg, Germany 23. The Thessalonian Correspondence – Richard S. Ascough, Queen's University Kingston, Canada 24. Ephesians and Colossians – Margaret Y. MacDonald, Saint Mary’s University, Canada 25. The Pastoral Epistles – Simon Butticaz, University of Lausanne, Switzerland General Bibliography Indexes
Ryan S. Schellenberg is Associate Professor of New Testament at Methodist Theological School in Ohio, USA. Heidi Wendt is Associate Professor of Religions of the Greco-Roman World at McGill University, Canada.
Reviews for T&T Clark Handbook to the Historical Paul
This splendid creation of Heidi Wendt and Ryan Schellenberg should place the study of the historical Paul on a new and more secure footing. Its authors represent varied approaches and perspectives while addressing the key historiographical issues with critical acumen and the use of the most up-to-date developments. * STANLEY STOWERS, PROFESSOR EMERITUS, BROWN UNIVERSITY, USA * Recent developments in appreciation both of the need to earth Paul as a first-century person, rather than as a disembodied writer, and of the possibilities and complexities of doing so, drive this comprehensive volume. It draws together many of the world’s leading experts in this field to offer an extensive set of studies presented in a way that will make this a fundamental resource in the field for years to come. * PETER OAKES, UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER, UK * Conceptually innovative, boldly multi-vocal, superbly curated— this Handbook to the Historical Paul offers to the reader an abundance of cutting-edge scholarship. Schellenberg, Wendt, and their authors have taken the lead in shaping the current quest for the historical Paul. This Handbook will prove an indispensable resource for future work. * PAULA FREDRIKSEN, PROFESSOR EMERITA, BOSTON UNIVERSITY, USA, AND DISTINGUISHED VISITING PROFESSOR, THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM, ISRAEL *
