{"id":3389,"date":"2013-01-31T16:21:47","date_gmt":"2013-01-31T22:21:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/?p=3389"},"modified":"2013-01-31T16:26:56","modified_gmt":"2013-01-31T22:26:56","slug":"cmu-press-publishes-gordon-zerbe-book-on-apostle-paul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/2013\/cmu-press-publishes-gordon-zerbe-book-on-apostle-paul\/","title":{"rendered":"CMU Press Publishes Gordon Zerbe Book on Apostle Paul"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"IMG_5287Gordon<\/a>January 31, 2013<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 CMU PRESS is pleased to announce the publication of Citizenship: Paul on Peace and Politics<\/i>, by Gordon Zerbe. Citizenship<\/i> is a collection of essays that offers \u201ca revisiting of Paul\u2019s theological \u00a0vision and practical activism around the theme of citizenship.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gordon Zerbe is Professor of New Testament at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU), Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is the author of Non-Retaliation in Early Jewish and New Testament Texts<\/i>, as well as numerous articles in books and journals. Zerbe recently contributed two essays in The Colonized Apostle: Paul through Postcolonial Eyes<\/i> (edited by Christopher Stanley; Fortress Press, 2011): \u201cThe Politics of Paul: His Supposed Social Conservatism and the Impact of Postcolonial Readings;\u201d and \u201cConstructions of Paul in Filipino Theology of Struggle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark Reasoner, author of Romans in Full Circle: A History of Interpretation<\/i>, describes this book as \u201ca wonderful introduction to social and political issues in the Pauline corpus, making a significant contribution in Pauline studies and in political theology.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neil Elliott, author of The Arrogance of Nations: Reading Romans in the Shadow of Empire<\/i>, describes these essays as \u201cexegetically judicious and boldly creative,\u201d and adds that \u201cby organizing these essays around aspects of \u2018citizenship,\u2019 Zerbe provides the most nuanced and compelling description we have yet seen of the political dimensions of the apostle\u2019s thought and praxis.\u201d<\/p>\n

The chapters in the book are organized according to the citizenship themes of loyalty, mutuality, and security. Essays in the first section, \u201cloyalty,\u201d draw attention to the fundamental personal and corporate dynamics of citizenship in the context of Paul\u2019s ecclesial politics. The second section, \u201cmutuality,\u201d is centred mainly on the internal features of the Messianic assembly as a citizen community, including its approach to social diversity and economic disparity. The third section, \u201csecurity,\u201d includes essays that investigate the questions of violence, peace, and warfare in and pertaining to Paul\u2019s writings. A last section, \u201caffinities,\u201d engages Paul\u2019s perspective with broader conversation partners beyond the fields of biblical and theological studies.<\/p>\n

Zerbe attributes his most significant inspiration for the interpretation of Paul to four years of learning and teaching in the Philippines, as visiting professor at Silliman University Divinity School, Dumaguete City (1996-98, 2002-04). Born and raised in Japan, Zerbe continues to take an interest in inter-cultural engagement, having completed an MA in Cultural Anthropology from Western Washington University (1987).<\/p>\n

Professor Gordon Zerbe holds a PhD in New Testament from Princeton Theological Seminary (1991) and has taught at CMU since 1990.<\/p>\n

CMU PRESS<\/i>is an academic publisher of scholarly, reference, and general interest books at Canadian Mennonite University. Books from CMU Press address and inform interests and issues vital to the university, its constituency, and society. Areas of specialization include Mennonite studies and works that are church-oriented or theologically engaged. Visit www.cmupress.ca<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

For more information about Citizenship: Paul on Peace and Politics,<\/i> or to request a review copy, contact:<\/p>\n

Paul Friesen at cmupress@cmu.ca or 1-204-885-2565 ext. 659.<\/p>\n

Citizenship: Paul on Peace and Politics<\/i> is available from theCMU Bookstore, located<\/strong>at 500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Contact <\/strong>cmubookstore@cmu.ca<\/a>; telephone 204.487.3300.<\/p>\n

The book can also be ordered online at cmupress.ca<\/p>\n

Citizenship: <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Paul on Peace and Politics<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Gordon Mark Zerbe<\/p>\n

CMU Press, 2012 | xii + 276 pages, paper | $26.00<\/p>\n

ISBN 978-0-920718-93-3<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An Excerpt from the Introduction<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

From Citizenship: Paul on Peace and Politics<\/i> (CMU PRESS)<\/p>\n

While the specific language of citizenship may not be frequent in Paul\u2019s writings, I am increasingly finding it to be a vital framework for understanding Paul\u2019s apostolic letters, and for reflecting on the contemporary implications of his legacy. Indeed, whereas discipleship (or \u201cfollowing,\u201d German \u201cNachfolge\u201d) has been the core watchword in my own Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition, I find that word easily susceptible to an individualist interpretation or practice. The notion of citizenship, however, not only conjures up the crucial element of personal loyalty and practice, but also that of a social and global-ecological vision, formation, and identity (even if an identity that confounds prior identities, or undermines the very notion of identity)\u2014that is, altogether, a politics.<\/p>\n

In the usage of this volume, politics does not refer narrowly to the business of governing or to relating to a government. Rather, it is used in its more general sense as being and forming a polity, a citizen-community, participating in a social formation, whether as a particular community, or in relation to a society (and its ruling, political structures) or the global neighbourhood more generally. The Jewish historian Josephus (ca. 37-100), a near contemporary of Paul and similarly both a Pharisee and a dual citizen of Judea and Rome, is the first writer to use the Greek term \u201ctheocracy\u201d (theokratia<\/i>), as a way to describe the distinctive polity of Israel-Judea, relative to other political formations (e.g., kingship, democracy, oligarchy). This notion involves the basic concept of all of life under the rule of God, and roughly a synonym of \u201cthe kingdom of God.\u201d<\/p>\n

As with Josephus, the kind of personal and global vision that motived Paul cannot be subsumed under the constricted category of what we think of as \u201creligion,\u201d having to do with what is specifically spiritual or narrowly supernatural, or that which pertains to matters of personal, private encounter in relation to the divine, as somehow sequestered from other arenas of living and interacting. Instead, the horizon of both Josephus and Paul is much better described as \u201ctheo-political,\u201d and in Paul\u2019s case, the particular polity under construction could be called a \u201cchristo-cracy\u201d\u2014a specifically Messianic political formation, something that would have made the elite, high-priestly Josephus uncomfortable. Granted, in both Josephus and Paul, the \u201cruling power\u201d (kratia<\/i>, whence \u201c-cracy\u201d) of God is mediated: for Josephus, it was properly mediated through high-priestly oligarchs (and thus represents what the Greeks called \u201caristocracy,\u201d the \u201crule of the best, most worthy\u201d); for Paul, it is mediated directly through Messiah, although that direct rule also requires a kind of interim, provisional mediation (a flexible leadership structure gifted through the Spirit, and otherwise anarchic), insofar as it is socio-political formation, as Christ\u2019s very body, yet to be fully realized. While Josephus and Paul may have agreed in principle on the notion of \u201ctheocracy,\u201d their visions diverge dramatically. Paul\u2019s Messianic politics is a world-transforming (not world-ending) vision of politics from below, from the margins, from the inside, or as he also puts it \u201cfrom above\u201d (\u201cfrom heaven,\u201d Phil 3:20; \u201cfrom Zion,\u201d Rom 11:26)\u2014a radical future impinging on the present (1 Cor 7:29-31; 10:11). It is oriented to the \u201cJerusalem above,\u201d God\u2019s \u201cfree city,\u201d the \u201cmother\u201d city (Gal 5:26) of a domain that will one day reunite the entire world (1 Cor 15:24-28; Col 1:15-20). The sacerdotal, high-priestly politics of Josephus is much more a politics as usual, not needing to embrace the radically disruptive. Still, the common Christian slogan\u2014that the Jews longed for a purely political Messiah, whereas Christ was a merely spiritual Messiah\u2014is actually wrong on both sides of the comparison.<\/p>\n

Endorsements<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Citizenship<\/i> provides a wonderful introduction to social and political issues in the Pauline corpus, making a significant contribution in Pauline studies and in political theology. In ways at once accessible and profound, Zerbe articulates pressing questions and meta-questions in the ongoing quest to read Paul\u2019s letters in light of their contexts and message for the church.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Mark Reasoner, Associate Professor of Theology, Marian University, author of Romans in Full Circle: A History of Interpretation<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

These exegetically judicious and boldly creative essays spring from Zerbe\u2019s sustained reflection, over a number of years, on the challenge that contemporary national claims on our allegiance pose to the higher claims of baptismal commitment. By organizing these essays around aspects of \u201ccitizenship,\u201d Zerbe provides the most nuanced and compelling description we have yet seen of the political dimensions of the apostle\u2019s thought and praxis. This welcome volume deserves the close attention of every interpreter of Paul. The Arrogance of Nations: Reading Romans in the Shadow of Empire<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Neil Elliott<\/b>, adjunct instructor, Metropolitan State University and United Theological Seminary, author of The Arrogance of Nations: Reading Romans in the Shadow of Empire<\/i><\/p>\n

With scholarly rigor and keen insight, Zerbe has captured a striking angle on Paul\u2019s vision of the new messianic community of Jesus, too often overlooked or minimized in Pauline studies. Citizenship<\/i> identifies Paul\u2019s multi-faceted plea to adopt only one pledge of allegiance in the world of competing powers and politics: God\u2019s Messiah-Jesus. Inquiring readers will find this exposition of \u201cloyalty,\u201d \u201cmutuality,\u201d \u201csecurity,\u201d and \u201caffinity\u201d in Paul\u2019s writings richly rewarding.Jesus and Paul before Christianity<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0V. George Shillington<\/b>, Professor Emeritus of Biblical and Theological Studies, Canadian Mennonite University, author of Jesus and Paul before Christianity<\/i><\/p>\n

In this stimulating volume Zerbe has brought together the fruit of a long scholarly engagement with Paul. Fully conversant with contemporary scholarship, both within and outside the church, Zerbe explores Paul\u2019s thought with a clear and sharp eye, looking for what \u201ccitizenship\u201d looks like for members of \u201cMessiah\u2019s global politics.\u201d He succeeds brilliantly in \u201cun-domesticating\u201d Paul, only to reintroduce the prophetic envoy of the Messiah to those struggling to be loyal to Jesus within a world of power and violence.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Thomas Yoder Neufeld<\/b>, Professor of Religious Studies and Theological Studies, Conrad Grebel University College, author of Killing Enmity: Violence and the New Testament<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

January 31, 2013\u00a0\u2013 CMU PRESS is pleased to announce the publication of Citizenship: Paul on Peace and Politics, by Gordon Zerbe. Citizenship is a collection of essays that offers \u201ca revisiting of Paul\u2019s theological \u00a0vision and practical activism around the theme of citizenship.\u201d Gordon Zerbe is Professor of New Testament at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU), […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3390,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[25,5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3389"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3389"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3389\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3394,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3389\/revisions\/3394"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cmu.ca\/media_archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}