God as father in Paul : kinship language and identity formation in early Christianity / Abera M. Mengestu.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mengestu, Abera M., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bible. Epistles of Paul--Socio-rhetorical criticism.

Bible.

Bible. Epistles of Paul.

God--Fatherhood--Biblical teaching.

God.

Kinship in the Bible.

Identification (Religion).

God--Fatherhood.

Socio-rhetorical criticism of sacred works.

Physical Description:

xx, 242 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Eugene, Oregon : Pickwick Publications, [2013]

Summary:

God as Father in Paul explores Paul's use of the kinship term "Father" to refer to God, along with related familial terms ("children" of God and Christ-followers as "brothers and sisters"), as part of a study of the use of kinship language in the identity formation of early Christianity. Mengestu argues that these kinship terms are shared modes of identity constructions within the wider textual and cultural settings (the Roman Empire, the Roman Stoic philosophers, the Hebrew Bible, and ancient Jewish literature) from which Paul draws on as well as contests. Employing theoretical (kinship and social identity theory) as well as interpretative approaches (imperial critical and narrative approaches to Paul), he contends that Paul uses God as Father consistently, strategically, and purposefully, in both stable and crisis situations, to develop a narrative, orienting framework(s) that images the community of Christ-followers as a family that belongs to God, who, together with the Lord Jesus Christ, bestows on them equal but diverse membership in the family. The narrative so constructed forms the foundation for referring to Christ-followers as "children of God" and "brothers and sisters" of one another. It constructs boundaries and serves as nexus of transformation and negotiation. Book jacket.

Contents:

History of research

Kinship-identity approach

God(s), empire, and emperors as fathers in the early Roman Empire

God as father in the Hebrew Bible

God as father in ancient Jewish writings

God as father in Paul: kinship narrative and identity formation

Conclusion.

Notes:

Revision of author's thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas Christian University, 2011.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 209-235) and index.

ISBN:

1620321939

9781620321935

OCLC:

859192472

Publisher Number:

99956855795