Description
Book SynopsisOver the course of several years, Paul established numerous Christian communities in cities throughout the Roman Empire. Each of these small groups was founded on the premise of inclusivity, mutual love, and shared concern for other members. But what happened when these core tenets were challenged or undermined? In Paul, Community, and Discipline: Establishing Boundaries and Dealing with the Disorderly, Adam G. White begins by examining the practice of exile and expulsion in the cities of the Graeco-Roman world as well as in the specific social institutions of the family, school, association, and synagogue. He then examines the Pauline letters in light of this context, arguing that what we see in Paul's communities is both a continuation of as well as a divergence from contemporary practices.
Table of ContentsPart 1: Expulsion in the Graeco-Roman World
1. History of Exile: The Development of Athenian Ostracism
2. History of Exile: Exile in the Roman Republic
3. History of Exile: Exile under the Emperors
4. The Psychology of Exile: Citizenship, Belonging, and the Grief of Exile
5. Exile Writ Small: Community and Expulsion in Smaller Groups
6. From Torah to the Talmud: The Development of Jewish Exile
Summary of Part 1
Part 2: Discipline and Expulsion in Paul’s Communities
7. Defining the Boundaries: The General Shape of New Testament Communities
8. Principles of Pauline Discipline: The Need for Warnings
9. Principles of Pauline Discipline: Internal Arbitration
10. Principles of Pauline Discipline: The Requirement for Witnesses
11. Dealing with the Disorderly: Discipline in the Thessalonian Correspondence
12. How to Spot Black Sheep: Dealing with False Teachers in Paul’s Communities
13. Establishing Traditions: Discipline and Expulsion in the Pastoral Epistles
