U700 Advanced Pauline Theology

Course Overview

This course examines the theology of Paul the Apostle, exploring how his letters functioned as dynamic responses to specific human problems while remaining rooted in a coherent theological system. Using the Letter to the Romans as a structural guide, we will engage with James D.G. Dunn’s scholarship to uncover the “substructure” of Paul’s thought: the overlapping narratives of God, Israel, and Jesus Christ. By probing beneath the text, students will discover how Paul’s inherited Jewish convictions and missionary experiences informed his message, ultimately offering a modern reassessment of the tension between his ancestral religion and his new apostolic life.