1. By Chan Wai Hung

2. Introduction Each Paul’s letter : Deal with different problems and issues Facing particular communities Distinctive contents Particular themes Is there any `Overall’ theology of Paul?

3. 1 Thessalonians Place: from Corinth Time: 41-50CE Themes: made righteous or `justified’ by faith, urged to live holy life and love one another, Problem: The death before Jesus come Teaching: The day of Lord will come suddenly

4. Galatians Place: southern part of the Roman province Themes: expresses Paul’s astonishment to quick change of the church to other gospel, urged to live holy life and love one another Problem: The Galatians quickly turning to another gospel, Application of Jewish Law and circumcision, Teaching: Christian’s freedom doesn’t imply immoral, Christian live in Spirit not under law,

5. 1 Corinthians Issues: The divisions among the Church issues connected with those divisions (sexual immorality, taking case to court, worship appearance, the Lord’s Supper, use of spiritual gifts, the resurrection…etc. ) Teaching: urged to live holy life and love one another

6. 2 Corinthians Themes: confrontation from Paul, comparing Paul with his opponents, Paul’s thankfulness

7. Philemon Theme: Personal window on social relationship in early church Issue: Onesimus run away or done some wrong things to his owner Teaching: set free to Onesimus

8. Philippians Theme: Rejoicing Issue: preaching of circumcision by Jewish-Christian missionaries Teaching: stand firm in their commitment to Christ, selfless love to one another

9. Romans Time: 55-58CE. Theme: Theological argument as base, Ethical instruction Issues: Paul need practical and spiritual support, Tensions between Jewish and Gentile Christian, Teachings: Both sides are under sin and saved by God, justified by faith, released from sin by dying with Christ, new life in the Spirit

10. Discussion Can we read Paul’s letter without the context? Is there any difference between reading Paul’s letter as `overall’ Theology and as contextual response?

11. Rhetorical criticism Social Scientific approach Political approach Feminist interpretation

12. Rhetorical criticism Greco-Roman Rhetoric : the art of public speaking to persuade the listeners Function: Understand letter structure Examine Paul’s style by techniques of that time Get the central thesis or argument of Paul Appreciate better to Paul’s art work

13. Rhetorical criticism Hans Dieter Betz: The rhetorical structure of Galatians : The epistolary prescript (1.1-5) :opening The exordium (1.6-11) :prepare the reader The narratio (1.12-2.14) : statement of facts The propositio (2.15-21): summary of narratio, main theses The probatio (3.1-4.31): The Proof of the case The exhortatio or paraenesis (5.1-6.10) : Exhortation and instruction The conlusio (6.11-18): sum up and final concerns

14. Margaret Mitchell Three Types of rhetoric identified Forensic or Judicial: persuade to make judgment of past events Deliberative: persuade to take action in future Epideictic: persuade to reaffirm points at present 1 Corinthians as Deliberative rhetoric Rhetorical criticism

15. Social-scientific approach Social-scientific approach: Use of theories from Anthropology and Sociology Function: understand relationship between early Christians and the wider world

16. Social-scientific approach The social level of the Pauline Christians Gerd Theissen (1974) : Corinth Church Majority lower class Few influential members from upper class Mixed levels but very top and bottom Justin Meggitt(1998) `new consensus’ Majority come from poor Close to subsistence level

17. Social-scientific approach The character of the Pauline congregations Meeks Baptism works as `ritual of initiation’ Lord’s Supper as `ritual of solidarity’ Robin Scroggs (1975): NT Church as Sociological `sects’ Distinction between insider and outsider, Intensity of fellowship love, Egalitarianism and lack or organized hierarchy

18. Social-scientific approach Leadership in the Pauline churches Lack of formal offices Spirit’s gifts distributed not by official positions Leadership positions started after Paul’s death Bengt Holmbery: 3 levels of authority relationship of Paul: with leaders in Jerusalem, over his own congregations, within those congregations themselves

19. Political approach Relationship between Paul and the Roman Empire Adolf Deissmann, Parallelism between the cult of the emperor and the cult of Christ, Christians using terms from emperor worship Richard Horsley, (1997) Paul seems submission to the state, and see imperial authority as instruments of God Building new society as alternative to Rome dominaton Household assemblies opposed the state

20. Feminist approaches Feminist: A modern debate about position of women in society and church. Function: Argued that Paul was in favour of women’s liberation and equality

21. Feminist approaches Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, `In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Orgins ‘,1983 Reconstruct early history of Christianity, Suggested that the history was male centered, Text was written by man and interpreted by man,

22. Feminist approaches The earliest Christianity : (i.e. Jesus movement & Pauline Church) Equality in Spirit, Full and active participation of women, Husband and wife owe to one another, implies equal and parallel status for both partners. (1 Corinthians 7) Paul advice of free from marriage bond opposite to exiting law and culture, offered possibility of indepant of women.

23. Feminist approaches Correction of interpretations of Paul’s teaching about women in Church: 1 Cor 11.2-16 : all things come from God, women has rights to pray and prophesy 1 Cor 14.34-35 : wife, not women Col3.18-4.1, Eph 5.21-6.9 The `household codes’: Not Paul’s writing but his `patriarchal zed’ followers

24. Discussion Paul’s impact on women’s leadership in Christian missionary.

25. Feminist approaches Fiorenza: Paul’s impact on women’s leadership in Christian missionary movement is double edged. Affirms equality and freedom, Subordinates women’s behavior in marriage and in worship.