Paul in Contemporary Perspective (Topic B8) Essay

Paul in Contemporary Perspective (Topic B8) - Essay Example Such a mode of theologizing indicates a definite duplicity, actually a divided mindset in Paul’s ‘application’ and understanding of Scripture (Stanley 1993). There are further spiritual components which mention prophetic vows, while other components deal only with the material features of life, and moral conduct. This essay will discuss the assumption that Paul’s theologizing is an outcome of interaction between Scriptures of Israel and contemporary issues in his individual communities. While several of the more contemporary studies focus mainly on the clear references of Scripture by Paul, others find organizations of particular sections of Scriptures as the central arrangement of one specific epistle or parts of it (Gorman 2004). In spite of the differences of these scholarships, they appear to share to some extent a view of the connection of the Scriptures and Paul which highlights the and in this expression in a manner that builds some gap between the two elements, the Scriptures and Paul, instead of merging them (Gorman 2004). Though stressing the value of the Scriptures for Paul, the connection is portrayed as one between two different elements: there is the Scriptures of Israel on the one hand and there is Paul and the gospel he is declaring on the other hand (Campbell 2006). T he Scriptures are distinguished as providing support, providing the language, providing evidence documents for Paul’s Christian premises in his epistles (Campbell 2006). Paul is believed as ‘applying’ the Scriptures as a kind of prize to serve his own intention. In contrast, several scholars argued that the Scriptures are the symbolic dimension within which Paul inhabits, within which he is entrenched in his life and ideas prior to and following his call (Kern 1998). Hence he is viewed as thinking, acting and living from