Paul and Patronage

Description: About the Contributor(s): Joshua Rice is an adjunct professor of New Testament at Lee University and Pentecostal Theological Seminary (Cleveland, Tennessee).

Brief description: Joshua Rice, Ph.D., is the author of Paul and Patronage: The Dynamics of Power in 1 Corinthians (Pickwick, 2013), The Jewish Centaur: Adventures in Pentecostal Spirituality (Cascade, 2015) and The Patriarch: Essays from the Middle (Resource Publications, 2023). He holds degrees from Lee University, Columbia Theological Seminary, and the Lutheran School of Theology.

Review Quotes: "This engaging and thorough work makes a substantial contribution to ongoing exploration and debate with regard to Roman patronage and early Christian life and practice. Those who are not familiar will be made conversant with the scope of the debate and find helpful points of connection. Those who are will find this a fruitful addition to previous scholarship, as [Rice's] close attention to varying levels of patronage is brought to bear on the convoluted Corinthian community. It will be provocative in the best sense, for all who accept its challenge."
--Alan B. Wheatley, Associate Professor of History, Northwest Nazarene University

"Joshua Rice successfully constructs three models of ancient patronage as contexts for understanding power dynamics in 1 Corinthians. Rejecting conclusions that Paul was either an insecure power monger or a liberal egalitarian, Rice illuminates the dilemma Paul faced as he sought to resocialize his converts into non-dominating relationships with each other. If he acted that way himself, how could he retain authority as their leader? Read this excellent book for an astute and nuanced analysis."
--S. Scott Bartchy, Emeritus Professor of History, UCLA