Introduction
Apostle Paul is one most renowned and most discussed figures in modern Christianity. The book Four Views on the Apostle Paul by Michael Bird aims to provide readers with a comprehensive discussion of the Apostle and his writings. Specifically, it highlights four distinct perspectives on Paul and his views on Christ, salvation, and the vision for the Church: Reformed, Catholic, Jewish, and Post-New Perspective. Overall, the book provides readers with a deeper understanding of the Apostle Paul and his continuous influence on Christianity.
The Four Contributors
The principal views on the Apostle Paul in the book are provided by four contributors. Thomas Schreiner, Professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, delivers the Protestant Reformed view on Paul. The second contributor, Luke Timothy Johnson, is a former Benedictine monk and priest and Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins. He addressed Paul from a primarily Catholic perspective, relying on the Apostle’s writings and his own religious experience. Douglas Campbell, Associate Professor of New Testament, provides the Post-New Perspective on Paul.
In his account of the Apostle, he attempts to reassess his work through the prism of Barthianism and Judaism. Similarly, the fourth contributor, Mark Nanos, Scholar-in-Residence at Rockhurst University, discusses Paul from the position of Torah-based Judaism. Overall, all four contributors provide unique and thought-provoking perspectives on the Apostle Paul and his views on different aspects of Christianity and the place of Christ in it.
Summary of Arguments
The central arguments of the four contributors are highly diverse and distinct. Schreiner argues that Paul believed in the centrality of Jesus Christ and his crucial role in salvation and the final consummation. According to Schreiner, the Apostle thought that “to be a believer is to embrace Jesus Christ.”
Similarly, Johnson also views Christ as a central figure in the Pauline framework, reasoning that the Apostle viewed him as a man whose destiny is intertwined with that of humanity. Thus, salvation is not achieved by people but by God through the death and the resurrection of His son. Moreover, Churches are meant to reconcile humankind with the Deity.
Campbell attempts to unite Paul with the new perspective on Judaism. He asserts that the Jewish question is crucial to the understanding of the Apostle, and Christ should be viewed as God’s gift that saved humanity and made them closer to God. The Church from the Post-New Perspective is perceived as a missional church that reveals God to the people.
Finally, Nanos strongly argues that the Apostle and his views on Judaism have been misinterpreted and states that salvation requires participation in “the Jewish communal way of life.” Within this view, Christ is a central figure, but one of great importance for the non-Jewish followers and one that facilitates the acceptance of the non-Jews into the righteous way.
Conclusion
In summary, the book the Four Views on the Apostle Paul provides a detailed account of the Reformed, Catholic, Jewish, and Post-New Perspectives by four religious scholars. It can be argued that the primary summation of the books is that despite different general approaches to Apostel Paul and his writings, the four contributors agree on specific points in Paul’s texts. Specifically, all the authors agree on the centrality of Jesus Christ for the Apostle and the Church’s central role in the unity of men and God.
Bibliography
Bird, Michael F. Four Views on the Apostle Paul. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012.