Idle musings by a once again bookseller, always bibliophile, current copyeditor and proofreader. Complete with ramblings about biblical studies, the ancient Near East, bicycling, gardening, or anything else I am reading (or experiencing). All more or less live from Red Wing, MN
Wednesday, August 07, 2024
The universal disruption caused by the gospel
Paul views the issues that arise in Galatia as both highly particular (specific demands for male circumcision and Torah-observance) and widely generalizable, since they represent one example of the universal disruption created by the good news. For Paul, the Christ-event changes the story of the cosmos (6:14) and, when creatively embedded in human relationships, it challenges the default setting of every classificatory system (3:28). He announces an unconditioned event that recognizes no cultural or historical pre-conditions and thus reaches into, and challenges, every cultural-historical context. Preexistent systems of distinction, whether derived from the Torah or from a culture of honor, yield to a higher authority established by a truth-event that is beholden to no criteria beyond itself (1:11).—J. M. G. Barclay, Paul and the Gift, 399
No comments:
Post a Comment