The Theology of Paul's Letter to the Galatians (New Testament Theology)

Rating:
Summary: A book about 'theology in the raw"
Review: Dunn opens this study of Paul's letter to the Galatians noting that this letter is not some "academic treatise drawn up in the calm autumn of a long life" but a cutting edge document articulating the theology of a new movement. Thus it is a letter that sings with urgency and passion. Dunn does a good job of capturing the historical circumstances that helped to foster St. Paul's passion. I was especially taken with the way Dunn identifies both the shared convictions and the points of dispute that existed between Paul and his opponents at Galatia. Paul, in Dunn's words, was doing "theology in the raw" as he both asserted the primacy of the cross of Jesus Christ and yet also maintained a hold on the roots of Judaism in the promise to Abraham.

Rating:
Summary: A look at Paul's gospel on trial
Review: James Dunn apparently reserved the right to survey the theology of Paul's letter to the Galatians, arguably the most Pauline of all Paul's letters. Something of the raw emotion, feeling and conviction of Paul's contention for the gospel comes through in Dunn's portrayal of Galatians.

In more than any other letter, the personality and identity of Paul is at the forefront of Galatians, and Dunn shows how this self-understanding was linked intimately to his gospel. Dunn sets up the (likely) historical context for the letter: the newly minted Gentile converts of Galatia through the agency of Paul's preaching were being confronted by missionaries from Jerusalem who were denouncing Paul and his gospel as at best incomplete and at worst a fake. This itself was triggered by the incident at Antioch where those same (or similar) individuals came causing the division of the church into Jew and Gentile quarters.

As such, probably no other NT letter is as indebted to its historical situation as Galatians and Dunn goes to great lengths to both reconstruct and understand that setting. From there Dunn proceeds to identify what the "make or break" issues were and how, on many levels, there was much agreement between Paul and his opponents (faith in Christ, experience of the Spirit, etc.) and it is noteworthy that Dunn reminds us that Paul's opposition were *Christians* as well as Paul. From here, however, the similarities end and the main body of Dunn's work begins as he shows how it was precisely Paul's profound sense of calling (as apostle to the Gentiles) that affected his theology (justification by faith for all, Jew or Gentile). Here at length Dunn sheds light on the impact of Paul's conversion, the incident at Antioch and the subsequent theological argumentation deriving from the legacy of Abraham.

Dunn continues at the end with a discussion of how Paul's theology affected his "ethics" (better yet lifestyle or worldview) and what it meant for the believers in Galatia. A separate section is alloted for issues considered peripheral to the main idea at hand and those are covered in a somewhat cursory, though no less satisfactory fashion.

Dunn presents the theology of Galatians in the light of his new perspective on Paul. I find the setting and background material he provides to pave the way to at least tenatively considering and appreciating that new perspective, if not swallowing it completely. Dunn seems most aggressive not on his new perspective but on allowing us to see Paul in the most realistic way possible, which is a quality that is attractive about all of his writings.

Dunn's work in this book is nothing short of superb and I could scarcely wrap my mind around Galatians in a better fashion than what he provides. My one complaint, however, is the reason Dunn is rated four stars and not five. And that is that his last chapter, on the continuing relevance of Galatians for today, was almost completely pointless. It is a short history of the way Galatians has been interpreted and used in church history and nothing more. There is no discussion on how to appropriate or utilize the thought of Galatians for churches today or even how to interpret it in light of our own historical setting. I found this most disappointing, especially after the phenomonal found in the rest of the book. The last chapter is little more than an academic history.

This notwithstanding, the rest of the book is great. I have new appreciation for Paul and his gospel after having read this book.