Most of Paul s letters, especially First Corinthians, were written in the context of conflict with troublemaking opponents and the social dilemma at the Lord s Supper in Corinth. First Corinthians provides a unique glimpse into the social custom of the Christian congregation in a Greaco-Roman environment during the early years of the Christian Church. Much effort has gone into reconstructing what happened at the Lord s Supper and the social issues that were involved. More recently, attention has focused on the Corinthian congregation itself and how Paul solved the issue of idol food and...

Description: The themes of these stories are profoundly human themes, capturing the persistent interaction between God and humankind. These narratives invite us to witness the manner in which God enters human community in all of its complexities, struggles, challenges, fears, and ultimately hope. As the narratives unfold, not only is it clear that God will not be restricted by societal and cultural conventions, but the human journey will be generated by faith and doubt, fear and hope, promise and fulfillment. Hemchand Gossai not only explores the various themes within a variety of texts, but...

While providing exciting research opportunities, the New Testament s use of the Old Testament continues to create interpretive difficulties. Although Matthew s use of the Old Testament generated much scholarly discussion throughout the historical-critical period, during the contemporary period specific interest in Matthew s Old Testament usage seemed to decrease. Recently, however, many powerful analytical approaches have come to the fore in biblical studies, including various text-centered methods such as textlinguistics (also known as discourse analysis). This book applies one specific type...

The stories of this book are about the permanent interaction between God and humankind. These narratives invite us to witness the manner in which God enters human community in all of its complexities, struggles, challenges, fears, and ultimately, hope. Hemchand Gossai not only discusses the large variety of themes within this texts, he also keeps an eye on the implications for the Church and contemporary readers. Some experiences, like the barrenness, wilderness and the wrestling with God, are described in a very close way as metaphors. The richness and texture of metaphors allow the reader...

-My Share of God s Reward- refers to a quote from Ignatius of Antioch, speaking of the desired compensation for his impending martyrdom. The author investigates the roles and widely varying conceptions of the afterlife presented in early Christian martyrdom accounts and concludes that personal immortality is integral to the functioning of these texts, as the anticipated reward for a martyr s death. Accordingly, the very diverse conceptions of the afterlife presented in them are indicative of the frequently ignored theological diversity and experimental spirit prevalent in both early...

Description: Who will speak for Hagar or Isaac or Sarah or the daughters of Lot? With an interpretive trajectory that moves from the margin to the center, this book gives voice to the marginalized and voiceless in the Abraham Narratives. Further, this approach is based on the premise that there is a continuum of power in the various characters in these narratives and that the most powerful are those who are lodged at the center while those with the least power are on the margin or beyond. The intent of this study is to direct and perhaps re-direct our attention to the text and with fresh eyes...

The Shoah is without question the defining moment in modern history, and it has transformed the manner in which the Bible is read and how God is understood. Questions that hitherto were rarely posed publicly must now be posed, and the human drama born out of exile, bondage, and genocide must be reckoned with in a new light. These are issues that are predicated on a faithful God to whom challenging and even unanswerable questions must be voiced. So, how might the Hebrew prophets address such contemporary issues as imperial militarism, eminent domain, trust and trauma, hunger and power, memory...