While a graduate student in the late 1970’s at Princeton Theological Seminary, I frequently joined students in the departments of theology and biblical studies in a debate regarding the merits of our respective fields of study. Our discussions often turned to the perception of a wide chasm between the interests of the academy and of […]

In order to find our way through the thicket of literature on the new perspective on Paul, we must give special attention to the figure of E. P. Sanders. Even though Sanders was not the first to question the older, more traditional understanding of the teaching of the apostle Paul, his writings have become a […]

I took the trouble in a previous article to consider briefly several forerunners of the new perspective on Paul, since they pioneered emphases in New Testament and Pauline studies that form the background to the work of E. P. Sanders and other advocates of the new view. Though Sanders is undoubtedly the leading figure in […]

Among advocates of a new view of the teaching of the apostle Paul, James D. G. Dunn is a figure of considerable prominence. Though Dunn, as we shall see, is not fully satisfied with E. P. Sanders’ treatment of the apostle Paul, he acknowledges his indebtedness to Sanders’ insights and writes as an articulate spokesman […]

Of all the authors who are to some extent identified with the “new perspective on Paul,” perhaps none is as prolific or popularly known as Nicholas Thomas (“Tom”) Wright. Though Wright prefers not to be identified with some monochrome development known as “the new perspective,” he clearly writes as one convinced that a return to […]

In order to understand the full meaning of this summary statement of the doctrine of justification, we need to consider briefly several distinct aspects of Wright’s understanding. Chief among these are: 1) his interpretation of the phrase, “the righteousness of God,” as the basis for the justification of God’s people; 2) the precise meaning of […]

Any evaluation of the new perspective on Paul faces a number of daunting challenges. Since a considerable part of the argument for a new approach to the teaching of the apostle Paul rests upon E. P. Sanders’ historical reconstruction of the pattern of religion known as “second temple Judaism,” some evaluation of this reconstruction is […]

“I am already being poured out like a drink offering. The time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will award me on that […]

It is appropriate that we begin our evaluation of the new perspective by raising several questions regarding its historical reassessment of Second Temple Judaism. All of the primary writers who advocate a new approach to our understanding of the apostle Paul’s gospel, do so from the conviction that E. P. Sanders’ study of Judaism requires […]

Advocates of a new perspective on Paul often insist that the Reformational view of the doctrine of justification is based upon an incorrect and outdated understanding of Second Temple Judaism. According to authors of the new perspective, E.P. Sanders has persuasively demonstrated the error of the Reformation’s claim that Judaism in Paul’s day taught a […]