Description:
A stunning reexamination of Pauline theology
In Pauline Dogmatics: The Triumph of God's Love, Douglas A. Campbell offers a revolutionary reinterpretation of Paul's theology, liberating it from what he calls its "Babylonian captivity"--centuries of distortion through legalistic, retributive frameworks that have obscured the apostle's true message.
Campbell rejects conventional readings of Paul that emphasize punitive atonement and contractual salvation. Instead, he characterizes Pauline theology as being rooted in divine love and resurrection. Drawing on the seminal work of Karl Barth while engaging contemporary voices such as Stanley Hauerwas and Willie Jennings, Campbell demonstrates that the starting point for Paul's thinking about God is not foundationalism but revelation--the reality of the living God.
This edition of the book features an extensive new preface, in which the author reflects on the book's impact and its resonance across academic and ministry contexts. The book unfolds in four phases: "Resurrection," "Formation," "Mission," and "Navigation." In addition to examining the Pauline canon, Campbell reads Paul's life as a theological text, showing how belief and practice are inseparable. Monumental in scope and lively in spirit, Pauline Dogmatics celebrates God's transformative love and illuminates its relevance for the church today.
Brief description:
Douglas A. Campbell is professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School. His many publications include Pauline Dogmatics: The Triumph of God's Love, Paul: An Apostle's Journey, Framing Paul: An Epistolary Biography, and The Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Rereading of Justification in Paul.
Review Quotes:
"Campbell has penned a detailed, carefully reasoned, and thought-provoking interpretation of Paul for our present day. The result is a rich resource for fruitful engagement with Paul, as well as with the welter of controversial issues facing the contemporary church."
--Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology
"Campbell's book is both a magnum opus and a tour de force. . . . Brilliantly written, powerful, and passionately argued."
--Global Anglican
"Douglas Campbell's writing, always learned and searching, is characterized by deep engagement with biblical texts, their reception, and their ethical application within Christ-believing communities from antiquity to the present. . . . There is very much to commend in Campbell's book, especially for the reader interested in grounding contemporary ethics biblically and theologically."
--Review of Biblical Literature
"In this book, Campbell offers an insightful, welcoming, and rewarding study of Paul's theology for the modern world and its problems. . . . The depth and range of Campbell's treatment of Paul's texts can be utilized for scholarly research, but Campbell's application and clarity in explaining challenging topics (e.g., the liminal suffering of Christians or sexuality) can help any involved with church ministry or instruction who look to Paul for assistance in navigating pastoral challenges."
--Catholic Biblical Quarterly
"Campbell's scholarly engagement with theologians, biblical scholars, and social scientists, as well as artists, songwriters, and film directors is impressive, as is the breadth of topics and themes. His hermeneutical candour is welcome, with which he takes a robust standpoint within the divine revelation. Most admirable, however, is his theological vigour and energy, which could be exemplary for a revival of theological exegesis and for an affirmative theology. . . . The impact of the volume will not so much lie in the scholarly advances but in the pastoral and missional verve, which appeals not only to theologians in the academy but also church leaders, pastors, missionaries, and members of local congregations."
--Journal of Theological Studies