Publisher's Synopsis
As occasional writings, Paul's letters are addressed to specific groups of recipients, presupposing previous events, current situations and conflicts and responding to them by rhetorical means. Thus, they become part of a dialogical communication in which realities and ideal images are renegotiated and creative processes of theologizing are initiated. In Paul's work openness and situationality go hand in hand with the claim to proclaim the gospel in a binding way. Following this cantus firmus, the contributions of this volume study aspects in Paul's main letters that are connected with the outlined problem horizon. According to the great internal differentiation of today's Pauline research, this project can only be carried out with the help of a multitude of approaches and methods.
