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In this volume, Paul Robertson re-describes the form of the apostle Paul’s letters in a manner that facilitates transparent, empirical comparison with texts not typically treated by biblical scholars. Paul’s letters are best described by a set of literary characteristics shared by certain Greco-Roman texts, particularly those of Epictetus and Philodemus.
Paul Robertson theorizes a new taxonomy of Greco-Roman literature that groups Paul’s letters together with certain Greco-Roman, ethical-philosophical texts written at a roughly contemporary time in the ancient Mediterranean. This particular grouping, termed a socio-literary sphere, is defined by the shared form, content, and social purpose of its constituent texts, as well as certain general similarities between their texts’ authors.
Paul Robertson theorizes a new taxonomy of Greco-Roman literature that groups Paul’s letters together with certain Greco-Roman, ethical-philosophical texts written at a roughly contemporary time in the ancient Mediterranean. This particular grouping, termed a socio-literary sphere, is defined by the shared form, content, and social purpose of its constituent texts, as well as certain general similarities between their texts’ authors.
Price: $180.00
Pages: 308
Publisher: Brill
Imprint: Brill
Series: Novum Testamentum, Supplements
Publication Date:
09 June 2016
ISBN: 9789004320277
Format: Hardcover
"This monograph asks important questions about the relations between a text's form, content, and social purpose. It points scholarship into a direction of observing how people and their texts form groups based on shared claims."
Svetlana Knobnya, The Journal of the New Testament Booklist 2017, Volume 39.5, August 2017
"Ultimately, Robertson’s astute analysis of his collection of relevant data contributes a significant component to the task of understanding the Pauline letters in their literary context, and his emphasis on socio-literary spheres helps advance the discussion beyond polarizing binary approaches that do not adequately account for the complexities of comparing ancient literature. Paul’s Letters and Contemporary Greco-Roman Literature is aimed particularly at scholars studying the literary examination of Paul’s letters in their ancient literary context, and it deserves engagement in future endeavors in the field."
Eric Covington, Universtity of St Andrews, Reviews of Biblical and Early Christian Studies (December 2016)
Svetlana Knobnya, The Journal of the New Testament Booklist 2017, Volume 39.5, August 2017
"Ultimately, Robertson’s astute analysis of his collection of relevant data contributes a significant component to the task of understanding the Pauline letters in their literary context, and his emphasis on socio-literary spheres helps advance the discussion beyond polarizing binary approaches that do not adequately account for the complexities of comparing ancient literature. Paul’s Letters and Contemporary Greco-Roman Literature is aimed particularly at scholars studying the literary examination of Paul’s letters in their ancient literary context, and it deserves engagement in future endeavors in the field."
Eric Covington, Universtity of St Andrews, Reviews of Biblical and Early Christian Studies (December 2016)
Paul Robertson, Ph.D. (2013), Brown University, is Assistant Professor of Humanities at Colby-Sawyer College. He received his BA from Reed College, and has published in classical studies, New Testament, and the theory of religion.