"40 Questions About the Apostle Paul" (Miguel Echevarria and Benjamin Laird)

TITLE: 40 Questions About the Apostle Paul
AUTHOR: Miguel Echevarria and Benjamin Laird
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2023, (320 pages).
 

What is there to learn about the apostle Paul? A lot. In fact, many scholars have gone on to do PhDs on this eloquent and influential character of the Bible. Apostle to the Gentiles, author of the bulk of the New Testament, and traditionally a martyr for Christ, Paul has become a key figure in New Testament studies. From the life of Paul to Pauline theology, scholars have combed his writings both canonical and non-canonical to find out more about his personal character,  background, history, theological orientations, and many more. A decent bibliography of all the research done on Paul could be published into a book! Instead of a mere 40 questions, one could even propose a 100-question volume. Thus, it is commendable for the authors of this book to condense the most critical questions into 40. Most of the material in this book will be gleaned from the New Testament, namely, the book of Acts and the letters written by Paul. The three parts of the book comprise:

1. Questions about Paul's Life
2. Questions about Paul's Writings
3. Questions about Paul's Theology

Beginning with questions about Paul's life, Echevarria and Laird answer questions about Paul's background, family, education, and faith. We learn more about Tarsus, his birthplace, and his Jewish upbringing. On his family, one interesting question happens to be a discussion about his marital status. While many people assumed that he was single, some studies suggest he was married at some point in his life. We also learn about his early convictions about the need to persecute the Church. After his conversion, the authors help illuminate his role in spreading the gospel. The questions also summarize his early years of ministry, his three missionary journeys, his final years, his missionary strategies, and his struggle against opposition. 

Part Two contains 8 questions about Paul's writings and 4 questions about his authority. Echevarria and Laird date each of Paul's New Testament letters and where they were written. While most of them were written from known, locations, some like Titus remain a mystery. We also learn that Paul did not write his letters alone. He had helpers to distribute, deliver, and disseminate the letters to the respective churches. There is the conventional structure of Paul's literary artistry and communications strategy. One question is devoted to the question of authorship of the book of Hebrews. While the authorship is disputed, many who argue against Pauline authorship tend to agree that Paul remains an influence on its writing. The four questions on authority are important because it is connected to the canonicity of the letters. Echevarria and Laird list some common scholarship objections to the canonicity of the 13 letters to increase our awareness. They then give us some reasons why they believe the letters are authentic and authoritative. 

Part Three is quite extensive. Comprising 9 general questions and 8 specific ones, Echevarria and Laird provide a bird's eye view of Pauline theology such as Christology, Conversion, Soteriology, Ecclesiology, Eschatology, etc. The question of Paul's central theme is an important one. The authors list a summary of some of the most common themes by various scholars. Chapter 24 itself is worth the price of the book. Looking through ten of the most prominent proposals, Echevarria and Laird encourage us to keep an open mind for further discoveries as well as research. Safe to say, the various proposals together give us a fuller picture of the theology of Paul. Other more specific questions include the "New Perspective of Paul," his views on marriage and singleness, the controversial role of women in the church, slavery, racial divisions, spiritual gifts, the position of Israel, etc. 

My Thoughts
This book can be used as a primer as well as a launchpad into more advanced research. For those who are new to Pauline studies, this book is an invaluable guide to the many possible angles of research. Echevarria and Laird have put together an accessible volume that is clear and concise. For the new seminarian or keen layperson, some of the questions asked might be unfamiliar. By having the questions asked for us, readers can get a leg up on the field of Pauline studies. The summary section at the end of each question is helpful. The reflective questions should also energize the inquisitive to initiate more research. The bibliography is brief and can be used as a primer to do that. 

As I read the book, the questions bring back a flood of memories when I was in Bible School. One of my favourite courses was Pauline Theology which could very well provide a sizable chunk of systematic theology curriculum. This book does not replace the core courses. Instead, it can be a quick refresher for those of us who have forgotten what we have learned in seminary. I like the question-and-answer format as it resembles an extended theological catechism. That way, for anybody who is intimidated by the theology and writings of Paul, this book could very well spark a new interest and excitement in the study of Paul's life, his writings, and his theology. 

In summary, this book continues in the popular Kregel series of 40 Questions that puts complex issues into a simplified format. I recommend this book as a reference for Bible study leaders, pastors and preachers. For the layperson, I highly recommend this volume as an introduction to all things Paul, especially with the apostle Paul being such a significant figure in the Bible.

Benjamin P. Laird (PhD, University of Aberdeen) serves as associate professor of Biblical Studies at the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, Liberty University. He is the author of the forthcoming volume The Formation, Publication, and Circulation of the Pauline Corpus in Early Christianity.

Miguel G. Echevarría (PhD in New Testament from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves as Associate Professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of The Future Inheritance of Land in the Pauline Epistles.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Kregel Academic without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.