13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Apostle Paul from a Postliberal perspective, August 20, 2004
This review is from: Paul among the Postliberals (Paperback)
There will be times when conservative evangelicals (like myself) need to expose themselves to literature that go beyond the usual comfortable theological zone. Douglas Harink's book is a book that qualifies for that. It will either make you re-think Paul's theology or make you go into a fit for turning upside-down the traditional evangelical understanding of Paul. Harink's book is basically a combination of his own thoughts on Pauline themes and an overview of how well-known postliberal theologians have understood Paul. The book contains five long chapters: 1) Justification; 2) Apocalypse; 3) Politics; 4) Israel; and 5) Culture. All of these chapters are stimulating to read (some more than others). Here is an evaluation of all five chapters:
Chapter One: Justification. Harink provides some provocative conclusions on regarding Paul's doctrine of justification. He overturns the traditional Protestant paradigm by calling into question things like the pessimistic anthropology of Lutheran and Reformed theology, the "faith IN Christ" interpretation (cf. Gal 2:16), the negative view of the law, and the highly forensic nature of justification (he believes that justification has more to do with "empowerment" than "acquittal" [p. 44]). He then goes over the doctrine as it is understood by Karl Barth, John Howard Yoder, and Stanley Hauerwas. This chapter was very interesting and may open the reader's eyes on how justification is understood by postliberal scholars.
Chapter Two: Apocalypse. This chapter was the most enjoyable and thought-provoking in the book. Harink discusses Paul's understanding of the "apocalypse" as presented in Galatians and Hauerwas' writings. Harink goes onto show that Paul's point in Galatians was not to contrast faith and works, but to affirm the "singularity of the gospel" over against all other loyalties (religious or political). According to Hauerwas, Paul's main concern was to create a new eschatological people which marks themselves off from the unbelieving world.
Chapter Three: Politics. This chapter deals with the political theology of Paul and Yoder. Harink tries to demonstrate - through Paul and Yoder - that the church is not only a religious body but also a political body that is supposed to act and live differently from the rest of the world. Harink's interpretation of Jesus' call for cross-bearing is very interesting. The cross-bearing did not deal with personal discipleship but for the community to mark themselves off from the opposing political authorities. Whether this reading is correct is debatable.
Chapter Four: Israel. This chapter deals with the highly controversial issue of physical Israel in the place of redemptive history. Harink compares the works of two scholars on this issue: N. T. Wright (a supersessionist) and Yoder (a non-supercessionist). Harink does a good job showing the errors of Wright's supersessionism and its disturbing consequences. For instance, Harink makes a good point that if Wright's supersessionism is true, then the God of Israel and the Church is a capricious and non-trustworthy God (p. 165).
Chapter Five: Culture. I found this chapter to be the least interesting and stimulating. I believe Harink here fails in trying to maintain the truthfulness of the gospel with cultural and religious toleration. The gospel, on the other hand, convicts people and tells them to turn to Christ alone for salvation. Paul would have no toleration for anything that waters-down the gospel for something that is more non-offensive (cf. Galatians 1:8-9).
Overall, the book is interesting to read. I would recommend other conservative evangelicals (especially those within the Lutheran or Reformed camps) to study this book with an open mind. One may not agree with many of Harink's conclusions (like me) but one should still read this book to get a good understanding of what postliberals believe about Paul and his concerns.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Paul the Postliberal or Paul through a Postliberal lens?, October 17, 2004
This review is from: Paul among the Postliberals (Paperback)
It is hard to tell when reading this book. Paul sounds an awful lot like Barth, Hauerwas, and Yoder, or they look a lot like them. That said, it is a wonderful treatment of Pauline themes and postliberal theology. Each chapter alternates between the two poles. Harink treats justification as the work of God in Christ, as opposed to human work. The Apocalypse is a present reality in the cross and resurrection of Christ. Politics is about making the reign of God clear by communal living. God elects a group of people, Israel, onto which is grafted the church. This church is then a culture, which interacts with other cultures, calling them into the reign of God. If you are a postliberal thinker, chances are you will like this book. If you are not, you will have some significant reservations. All things considered, this is an excellent example of a Postliberal reading of Pauline themes.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A thoughtful striving for insight that transcends millennia, October 5, 2003
This review is from: Paul among the Postliberals (Paperback)
Paul Among The Postliberals: Pauline Theology Beyond Christendom And Modernity by Douglas Harink (Associate Professor of Theology at The King's University College, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) seeks a dialogue between post-liberal theologians such as Yoder and Hauerwas and the testimony of the "original apocalyptic theologian", the apostle Paul himself. A thoughtful striving for insight that transcends millennia, and written with a close eye on the Scriptures and their impact on Christianity in the present and future, Paul Among The Postliberals is a welcome and recommended addition to Pauline Studies and New Testament Studies reading lists.
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