In Paul and Image, Philip Erwin challenges conventional interpretations of 1 Corinthians that tend to overlook the significance of ancient Roman visual culture in framing and posing exegetical questions. He argues that in 1 Corinthians Paul engaged in a long-standing philosophical discussion of visual representation, with consequential implications for how he and his Corinthian addressees interacted with the imagery around them. By situating Paul's letter in the context of the critical discourse on visual representation from Plato to Philo to the so-called Second Sophistic, Erwin redefines Paul's critique of human wisdom, treatment of idols, and resurrection discourse in visual terms.

About the Author
Philip Erwin (Ph.D, Graduate Theological Union) is a scholar of the New Testament whose research focuses on the relationship between the letters of Paul and the material and discursive elements of ancient Greco-Roman visual culture.

Reviews
Philip Erwin convincingly demonstrates that Paul's first letter to the Corinthians engages a pervasive critical-philosophical discourse on images and the visual arts. By showing how this discourse is at the same time conceptual and interactive, as confirmed by its engagement with actual works of art at Corinth, Erwin has set a new paradigm for Pauline studies. -- John R. Clarke, University of Texas at Austin



Book Information
ISBN 9781978710719
Author Philip Erwin
Format Hardback
Page Count 270
Imprint Lexington Books/Fortress Academic
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 617g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 162mm * 24mm