Dynamic Oneness

The apostle Paul affirms in several places that there is only one God. Yet in the same letters Paul also gives praise to the Lord Jesus Christ often using language similar to his descriptions of God. How can this self-avowed Hebrew of Hebrews reconcile these ideas? This book explores the strongest one-God statements in Pauls undisputed letters and asks how Pauls Jewish monotheistic understanding informs his overall argument. These three texts--1 Corinthians 8:6 Galatians 3:20 and Romans 3:30--occur in very different contexts and address different issues. By looking at the historical cultural and grammatical contexts of these passages as well as Pauls language about God and Christ elsewhere in these letters Dr. Nicholson argues that Pauls understanding of the one God is not static or perfunctory; rather it is dynamic and flexible influencing significant aspects of Pauls Gospel message. Pauls ethics his view of salvation history and his soteriology are fundamentally shaped by his understanding of the one God of Israel. Suzanne Nicholsons book is the first to focus specifically on the coherence of Pauls thought in relation to his statements about Gods oneness. Her theological approach resists the temptation to render Pauls view of God as axiomatic. Instead this study which commits itself to a nuanced treatment of the apostles argument shows a commendable sensitivity to the role played by distinguishable epistolary and socio-religious contexts in shaping Pauls monotheistic language. --Loren T. Stuckenbruck B F Westcott Professor in Biblical Studies Durham University Suzanne Nicholson is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Malone University in Canton Ohio and is an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church. She received her PhD from Durham University in 2007.