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The New Perspective on Paul

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This text consists of a collection of essays written by Dunn on the subject of the New Perspective on Paul (NPP). For those unfamiliar with the author, Dunn is an eminent New Testament (NT) scholar and one of the leading voices in the NPP discussion.

While Dunn is credited with coining the NPP term, and is arguably its best known advocate, the roots of the new perspective can be traced at least as far back as Krister Stendahl's 1963 paper 'The Apostle Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West' and most notably to E.P. Sanders' 1977 book `Paul and Palestinian Judaism.' While it has many variants, at its core, the NPP is concerned with challenging the classic Reformation view of Second Temple Judaism as a legalistic works based religion. Dunn's primary contention is that the perception of a radical discontinuity between Judaism and Christianity on the issues of grace and salvation is over stated. Following Sanders, Dunn argues that pre-Christian Judaism possessed a grace-based view of salvation. In making this contention Pauline expressions such as `works of the law' are interpreted as being primarily concerned with community boundary marking and covenant keeping rather than implying meritorious works of salvation.

The NPP debate is generally understood to have sanded the edges off the view of Second Temple Judaism as a rigidly works-based and legalistic religion. On a more contentious note, however, it has also, at times been perceived as an attack on the classic Protestant view of salvation by faith alone, and advocating a more holistic (faith & works) Orthodox/Catholic view of salvation. This latter point has prompted many responses. The best overall scholarly response to the NPP may be the 2-volume `Justification and Variegated Nomism' published by Baker Academic. A quick introduction to NPP criticisms is also accessible in a series of audio lectures by Don Carson available through the Reformed Theological Seminary. Dunn's opening essay (last chronologically) is a brief response to his key critics.

As an earlier reviewer notes there is some overlap between the essays in this collection. That said, I did not find it to be a major drawback, having read through the full collection I feel that I have a solid appreciation for Dunn's views on this issue. Readers may find that reading the essays in chronological order a profitable approach. Overall this is an excellent anthology of essays on an important contemporary issue in Christian theology. I recommend it to all students of the NT.

I found this book very interesting indeed. It is a combination of articles and conference papers that Dunn has written since his reading of Sander's take on Judaism. Some of the articles do cross over a little which in fairness is to be expected, but it is interesting tracing Dunn's Pauline theology over the years. I would have to say this has been the toughest book for me to take in theologically as my thinking has been so permeated with the Lutheran perspective on 'works of the law'. Since reading I must confess this book has converted me to an NPP position. His arguments are logical and evidenced by so much background information. Love or hate the NPP it is worth looking into. Do not just throw away this ideal because it contains the word 'new' (as I almost did before reading on). I still hold that elements of Judaism were legalistic and lost the laws focus (dietary and Sabbath laws particularly shown by Christ Himself) but not to the extent that Luther perceived. As the NPP shows, such inventions were created as 'boundary markers' to push back the tide of Gentile cultural influence and hold true to their Jewish nationality (and not make the same mistakes as were done in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah).