Jesus, Paul, and Power: Rhetoric, Ritual, and Metaphor in Ancient Mediterranean Christianity - Softcover

Talbott, Rick F.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1597524484 ISBN 13: 9781597524483

Publisher: Cascade Books, 2010

Synopsis

Jesus of Nazareth and Paul of Tarsus represent two of the most influential figures of history because of the expansion of later Christianity. But Christianity's historical development includes a checkered and troubling past of abusive power that also impugns both Jesus and Paul. European colonialism carried the "gospel" to the world, claiming Jesus and Paul as architects of its oppressive empire building. Modern churches in America quote Jesus and Paul to inspire, inform, and justify a host of cultural values that often include the subordination of women and marginalization of others who differ in beliefs, values, and lifestyles. Talbott analyzes how Jesus and Paul responded to the systems of oppressive power in their day, and how each in turn used power to form their respective communities. The conclusions are based on the most recent scholarly approaches to Jesus and Paul and will enable modern readers to judge for themselves how Jesus and Paul envisioned the use of power among their communities.

About this title

About the Authors

Rick Talbott teaches Religion at the University of California at Los Angeles and California State University, Northridge.

S. Scott Bartchy serves as Professor of Christian Origins and the History of Religion in the Department of History, University of California, Los Angeles, and as Director of the Center for the Study of Religion at UCLA. An honors graduate of Milligan College, he earned his M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School and his Ph.D. in New Testament & Christian Origins from Harvard University, following which he taught in the Protestant Faculty of the University of Tuebingen, Germany and became the Director of the Institute zur Erforschung des Urchristentums there. He also has taught at Emmanuel School of Religion. Since the original appearance of this book Bartchy has continued to publish his research on ancient slavery, gender roles, and community formation in relation to Paul's letters and the traditions about Jesus of Nazareth.

Emeritus Professor of Christian Origins & History of Religion Department of History, UCLA Co-founder & Director Emeritus, Center for the Study of Religion at UCLA

Edition details

• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1597524484
• ISBN 13: 9781597524483
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 218