Course Description
The purpose of this course is twofold: (1) to understand what St. Paul was saying against the backgrounds of early Christianity, early Judaism, and the Greco-Roman world (content); and (2) to understand how one goes about interpreting Paul (method) within an Orthodox theological framework.
We know more about Paul of Tarsus than we know about any other New Testament author. During his lifetime he was one of the most controversial figures in early Christianity. He was a Pharisee, a Christian missionary, a community organizer, and someone who was both deeply committed and highly opinionated. The purpose of this course is twofold: (1) to understand what St. Paul was saying against the backgrounds of early Christianity, early Judaism, and the Greco-Roman world; and (2) to understand how one goes about interpreting Paul (method) within an Orthodox theological framework. We shall try to get a sense of Paul, his faith, and his vision. We shall analyze several of his letters in detail to understand the positions he took, the arguments he made to support his positions, and the cultural and religious context in which he made those arguments. This course will also pose questions that take into consideration our modern Christian practices regarding Paul. Moreover, we will analyze the different ways Paul could inform contemporary Orthodox pastoral concerns.