I’ve argued in various contexts that the sheer existence of the church forces a choice on political powers. They can try to suppress the church, they can accommodate and make room, they can try to bound off the church and keep it safely private. But once the church exists, and just by being the church, the church forces political change. (If – to quote Robert Jenson – if she does not forget herself.) Jillian Kay Melchior provides a case study... Read more
In his contribution to The Word Leaps the Gap: Essays on Scripture and Theology in Honor of Richard B. Hays , John Barclay highlights the creativity of Paul’s notion of reciprocity in the church. Reciprocity as Paul conceives it “has the capacity to complicate power relations, and to work against the emergence of one-sided systems of gift, patronage, or authority.” It is “not a neat hierarchy, in which the lesser honor the great, but a mutuality of honor-giving.” When Paul... Read more
Residing as we do in a monetary economy, we immediately and thoughtlessly translate biblical warnings and cautions about debt into financial terms. “Owe nothing to anyone” (Romans 13:8) means “don’t take out a thirty-year mortgage.” It’s much more likely that Paul has social debts in mind. This might include indebtedness incurred through receiving loans and gifts of material goods, but it’s a broader category that involves services and favors of all sorts. How can anyone avoid becoming obligated to another... Read more
The Corinthians did not unfortunately slip into factions. When two ancient men competed for power, Dio Chrysostom says, “of necessity they court the favor of everyone, even those who are ever so far beneath them.” Creating factions was the main strategy of political action, the tactic of leadership. Cultivating factions was the key to first-century leadership (Peterman, Paul’s Gift from Philippi: Conventions of Gift Exchange and Christian Giving (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series) , 113). “It shall not... Read more
Paul receives a donation from the Philippians, and he gives thanks for their remembrance of him (Philippians 1:3). But the thanks is not offered to the Philippians; it is offered to God. He considers no man his benefactor; he has no debt to anyone but to love. This is new, according to Peterman ( Paul’s Gift from Philippi: Conventions of Gift Exchange and Christian Giving (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series) ): “Divine reward does not enter into Greco-Roman... Read more
At a time when many Evangelical churches are on a mad pursuit of the shallow, the trendy and the vulgar, the Trinity Institute will be a quiet counterpoint of theological richness and historical depth. I welcome it, and view its prospective influence with keen anticipation. Os Guinness, author “The Last Christian on Earth” Read more
Within the Greco-Roman world, Christians were free to refuse – free to refuse the patronage and benefits of benefactors and patrons, free to refuse because they had a more than adequate heavenly Benefactor and Patron. Refuseniks formed a community of refuseniks, an alternative network of charis , a black market in charismaata . But then Paul refuses help from the Corinthians and most everyone else. Sewing his tents, he is free to refuse even Christian patrons. What do we get... Read more
Sirach (12:1-2) advises, “If you do good, know for whom you are doing it, and your kindness will have its effect. Do good to the just and reward will be yours ( antapodoma ), if not from him, from the Lord.” This sounds like Proverbs: “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done.” Both Sirach and Solomon speak of reciprocity, reward for good done and specifically reward... Read more
Marcel Mauss famously argued that in archaic societies, giving was guided by three imperatives – the obligation to give, to receive, to repay. Except for the exceptions. Like Jacob and Esau: On his return from Haran, Jacob sends gifts ahead to pacify Esau’s wrath and Esau receives. When Esau offers gifts in return, Jacob refuses. GW Peterman ( Paul’s Gift from Philippi: Conventions of Gift Exchange and Christian Giving (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series) ) suggests this explanation:... Read more
Brian Stanley reviews Rupert Shortt’s latest, Christianophobia , in the TLS , and has this to say: “For Christians in Western Europe and North America, freedom of belief and worship is universal and unquestioned. For perhaps 200 million of their fellow believers elsewhere – principally in Asia, the Middle East and some parts of Africa – this is not the case. Rupert Shortt, Religion Editor of the TLS , has written this book out of a conviction that this state... Read more
Leithart
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