Community-- identity construction in Galatians
Book Description
In this scholarly exploration, Atsuhiro Asano examines how early Christian communities formed their collective identity through Paul's letter to the Galatians. Moving beyond traditional theological interpretations that have dominated biblical studies since the Enlightenment, this work applies social-anthropological theories to understand the deeper mechanisms of community formation and religious belonging.
Asano challenges the conventional "history of ideas" approach that has shaped both Galatian studies and broader Pauline scholarship, including the influential "New Perspective" on Paul's relationship with Torah. Instead, he focuses on the lived reality of religious experience and how communities construct their sense of shared identity through sacred texts and teachings.
The author presents two distinct analytical approaches that reveal not only how community identity develops but also illuminate the essential nature of religious belonging itself. By examining the relationships between different communities mentioned in Paul's correspondence, this study offers fresh insights into the social dynamics that shaped the earliest Church.
This 272-page investigation provides readers with tools for understanding how spiritual communities form, maintain, and transform their collective sense of purpose and belonging. For those interested in the intersection of faith, community, and identity formation, Asano's work offers a unique lens through which to examine these enduring questions about religious experience and communal spiritual life.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~8 hours)
📄 Length: 272 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Social scientific criticism
- ✓ Explore Sozialgeschichtliche Exegese
- ✓ Explore Religiöse Identität
- ✓ Explore Galaten (bijbelboek)
- ✓ Explore Social scientific criticism of sacred works
- ✓ Explore Criticism, interpretation
- ✓ Study Bible from spiritual perspective
- ✓ Explore Gemeenschap (sociologie)
