Reformation Readings of Paul: Explorations in History and Exegesis

Just started it, but it is as advertised a fair and accurate survey of the Reformation leaders' understanding of Paul.

Reformation Readings of Paul is a collection of essays that surveys how various Reformers read Paul. Each Reformer has a pair of essays dedicated to their thought on a specific aspect of the Pauline corpus. The first essay is generally focused on simply expositing what the Reformer thought, while the second essay is generally focused more upon the analysis of that Reformer’s thoughts on the letter(s) they were commenting upon. This gives a rather robust groundwork for further research as readers are exposed to a mass of commentary from the Reformers themselves alongside various works critiquing or expounding on that same body of work.The Reformers and books covered are Martin Luther (Galatians), Philipp Melanchthon (Romans), Martin Bucer (Ephesians), John Calvin (1 & 2 Corinthians), and Thomas Cranmer (Letters). The selections were well-chosen, for they pair theologians either with books for which they are particularly well known (Luther and Galatians), or help draw out lesser-known insights (Calvin and Corinthians). I was particularly pleased to see Melanchthon among the choices, as he is often, it seems, overlooked in favor of others like Zwingli.The essays are each of great value, even for those who may disagree with the theological conclusions of the specific Reformers. The reason is because these are not merely reporting what the Reformer believed, but also subjecting them to a fresh look, analyzing the Reformers’ readings of Paul with the very latest theological resources, whether this comes from updated (and more accurate) Greek texts or from the specific insights into the historical-cultural background of the texts themselves. Each essay calls on the readers to not only think about how that specific Reformer read Paul, but also to think about how they themselves have read (and possibly misread) Paul. They call to readers to be aware not just of the Reformers’ cultural blinders, but also of our own–the ways that we have simply assumed meanings within the text which may not be there.Another great value of the work is that it critically interacts with the Reformers’ readings. These are not (merely) criticism, but they also show how modern scholars have sometimes ignored the genuine insight these Reformers can provide into the text. The essays on Bucer were particularly excellent in this regard. The application of critique is not, however, danced around. Corrections are made where necessary, and, as David Fink notes in his essay on Luther (see my Sunday Quote on this), the Reformers themselves would have endorsed such correction.The main downside to the book, in my opinion, is that because two essays are dedicated to each Reformer, fewer Reformers are put forward. Those included make quite a bit of sense, but it would have been nice to be able to access an even wider swath of Reformation Readings of Paul. Regular readers of my blog know that I am a Christian feminist, and I can’t help but wonder whether at least one female author could have been found to contribute to this work. It’s not a substantive critique, but it would be nice to give ear to a broader range of voices in a collection like this.It is rare to find collections of essays in which not a single one seems off beat, but Reformation Readings of Paul is such a collection. Each essay has much of value, and readers of all levels of familiarity with the Reformers will benefit. It is highly recommended.The Good+Representative looks at some major figures of the Reformation+Challenges readers to understand their own biases+Interacts with most current scholarship+Applies modern insights to the Reformers, and vice versa+Consistently excellent essaysThe Bad-Could have used wider selection of Reformers-Little background given to each individual ReformerDisclaimer: I was provided with a review copy of this work. I was not required to provide any specific kind of feedback whatsoever.

Are we reading Paul right? That’s one of the questions of the hour in Christian academia. The New Perspective on Paul movement has sought to redefine our understanding of Paul’s theology, particularly in how Paul defines justification and thus how we look at doctrines emphasized by the Reformers. This “new perspective” has caused quite some controversy, and we would all be helped in returning to some key theologians in church history for help in these areas.Luckily for us, “Reformation Readings of Paul” helps us do this. This book is a collection of essays focusing on five key Reformers — Luther, Melanchthon, Bucer, Calvin, Cranmer — and how they exegete Paul’s writing. Most of these theologians and the two chapters devoted to them center on one key epistle each, which makes “Reformation Readings” essentially a study of these theologians’ commentary on Scripture. These essays are written by some of the finest in academic study, including Dane Ortlund, Wesley Hill, and John Barclay. The essays are written in such a way where the author, theologian, and Paul all have a voice in each chapter, helping provide a balanced conversation about these important topics. Essay one is a broad glance at the Reformer’s theology, while essay two is a deeper look into their engagement with the given text.One of the high points of this book is how these authors help us watch theologians engage with other theologians. These aren’t mere expositions of, for example, Luther’s thoughts on Galatians. In the chapters on Luther (chapters 1-2), we get to see how his exegesis interacts with other prominent theologians like Jerome, Aquinas, and Augustine. This comprehensive view into the rights (and sometimes wrongs) of these particular theologians really helps steer us in the right direction when it comes to addressing topics like justification by faith, Christology, and spiritual disciplines.Another great feature of this book is that while this book addresses some of the foremost Reformers, a lot of this book is devoted to bringing to light some of the lesser-known theologians, like Melanchthon, Bucer, and Cranmer. It is likely that all 3 of these would be left out of the “Mount Rushmore” of Reformers, but we have lots of wisdom to glean from these figures in their understandings and commentary on Scripture.One last thing I love about this book. Many of us know Cranmer, for example, for his Book of Common Prayer, but as Linebaugh notes in his chapter, Cranmer never wrote a commentary. This makes studying Cranmer’s thoughts on Paul difficult if we don’t have access to many of Cranmer’s works, much more difficult than picking up a commentary. “Reformation Readings” brings the commentary to us instead of making us go searching for it.This is a great book for anyone desiring to look further into the holes in the New Perspective on Paul’s understanding of critical doctrines like justification, and further, the evidence outlined for us by the Reformers. It also helps us read these key Pauline texts in the light of Reformation history and how we should apply these thoughts to our 21st-century context. I am thankful for the folks at InterVarsity for publishing a very helpful and thorough commentary-style book on Paul’s writing through the eyes of the Protestant Reformer.

A great read. It is designed as an overview so know that. I just wish it dived into more of Paul’s writings instead of everyone using Romans Galatians Ephesians and corinthians. Also ones like Cranmer don’t parallel with particular books but it still makes for a fantastic read. I loved the diving in on a couple of lesser known reformers

Much of the Reformation can be traced back to the rediscovery of the ancient writings, including the Scriptures, during the Renaissance. When the Reformers were able to get back to the original texts of Scripture, they quickly discovered that Catholic dogma did not always align with what they saw as the clear teaching of God's Word. And, so, in different ways and with different portions of Scripture Luther and Calvin began to develop a theology that was at odds with the establishment of the Roman Church.Reformation Readings of Paul tells the story about how different Scriptures impacted the theology and faith practice of the Reformers and those they taught. In particular, contributors to this monograph focus on Luther and Galatians, Melanchthon and Romans, Bucer and Ephesians, Calvin and the Corinthian Correspondence, and the entire Pauline corpus in relation to Cramner.This is a book that could be read step by step. There is a lot to learn from a lot of people in this fine book combining the disciplines of church history, theology, and biblical studies. Reformation Readings of Paul is a great book for any theological library.