The purpose of this interdisciplinary dissertation is to study and analyse the New Perspective on Paul and its aftermath from the angle of Jewish-Christian relations. Its central aim is to evaluate the underlying premises at play in Pauline interpretations with special reference to the issue of supersessionism (the question of whether the Church has replaced or is considered inherently superior to Israel), and then compare the results of that research with how contemporary Jewish-Christian dialoguers are responding to those same issues today. The results of that interaction on several key areas are then evaluated and possible ways forward are advanced in the general conclusion.
This dissertation aims to be a further contribution to that interdisciplinary conversation. Beyond the series of critiques and assessments that it offers, its main added value is to be found in three areas: (i) that it presents the broad parameters of Pauline research from Baur to Dunn and beyond on both the Christian and Jewish sides; (ii) that it offers its own perspective on Paul in dialogue with these findings; and (iii) that it attempts to further define and analyse what is meant by the term supersessionism while presenting various options for how to address it.
Ultimately, though, this work does not seek to provide solid homogeneous answers to difficult questions, but rather, in dialogue with many other voices, it endeavours to map out ways forward by highlighting alternative viewpoints. Viewpoints that, like sign posts on a long and dangerous journey, point towards roads less travelled. It will then be for the coming generations to say whether those roads are actually worth following or not.
The following pages promise reward for the attentive reader. Though countless volumes have been written on Paul and aspects of his theology, none has undertaken to give such an outline and evaluation of the broad contours of Pauline studies to the degree here covered; none has ever compared and contrasted those findings with contemporary Jewish-Christian dialogue on several key issues, and none has analysed the results and then presented possible ways forward for the benefit of both disciplines. This dissertation is thus unique in its approach and highly relevant for both Pauline research and for those engaged in interfaith dialogue between Christians and Jews. I therefore invite the reader to travel with us, one page at a time, as we explore Paul, the Jews and the God of Israel, from the apostle’s world to ours
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