RELIGION CLASS-2 PAGE ESSAY PROPOSAL

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Relig. 101 C2 Date Student Name ID#

Paper Proposal: The Construction of the Apostle Paul

My paper proposal involves a study of the apostle Paul, a figure often believed to be of

vital importance in the formation of early Christian doctrine. Although many of us are familiar

with Paul’s dominant presence in the New Testament, and familiar also with his reputation as an

erudite theologian, we take for granted that the gradual development of an orthodox Paul was, in

fact, the product of a long, drawn out battle that occurred in the 2nd and 3rd centuries C.E., long

after his death. Accordingly, my paper is intended to address how a number of competing

“Pauls” eventually gave rise to a single orthodox Paul.

A great deal of New Testament scholarship is foundational for my study, as prior

scholarship recognizes the existence of numerous divergent “Pauls” in the historical record. In

one corner, for example, there is the so-called “gnostic Paul” (Pagels, 1992), while in another

corner is the Paul of Acts, a second-century epic tale espousing Paul as an organized, systematic

missionary who interacts harmoniously with other apostles (Palmer Bonz, 2000). Significantly,

neither feature is consistent with the content of Paul’s own authentic letters, a fact that again

underscores the fluidity of Paul’s character. In addition to all of these, there are a number of

other “Pauls” in various second-century texts or pseudepigrapha, including 3 Corinthians, the

Correspondence of Paul and Seneca, and the Acts of Paul and Thecla, the latter of which has

played a significant role in constructions of a “feminist Paul.” Finally, and perhaps most

importantly, there is the Paul that is found in the work of Marcion of Sinope, whose apparent

misconception of Paul paved the way for a long battle over which texts would ultimately be

deemed part of the New Testament “canon.”

Pat Hart� 13-11-5 2:16 PM Comment [1]: THESIS-TYPE STATEMENT. WHAT IS THE TOPIC/OBJECT OF INVESTIGATION, AND WHAT IS THE QUESTION BEING ASKED OR THE PROBLEM BEING ADDRESSED.

Pat Hart� 13-11-5 2:16 PM Comment [2]: RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION: WHAT PRIMARY SOURCES ARE RELEVANT TO THE STUDY, AND HOW DO WE CONTEXTUALIZE THE QUESTION/PROBLEM

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Using the above sources, my paper will provide an account of how Paul was employed at

a later stage in Christianity, when – years after his death – Paul’s authoritative status led to the

gradual development of his singular and orthodox “essence.” In giving such an account, I will

rely heavily on a couple of theoretical works. First, Bruce Lincoln’s work on authority (Lincoln,

1994), will buttress my hypothesis that the very quest for an “authentic” Paul developed out of

the functional deployment of him as an authoritative, legitimizing vessel. In addition, my paper

will make use of Hegelian theory on identity formation (Hegel, 1977), as it will become readily

apparent that the orthodox Paul is the synthetic product of a long dialectical engagement between

often-competing early Christian theologians.

In contemplating this topic of study, I am operating with a tentative hypothesis

concerning Paul’s canonization: the “Paul” that was concerned primarily with Christological

doctrine (e.g. Romans) came to strongly influence early Christianity, while the “Paul” that was

less concerned with Christological doctrine (e.g. the Acts of Paul and Thecla) was viewed neither

as a crucial part of Paul’s identity, nor as part of canon. Regardless, upon completion, my paper

will account for the process of Paul’s canonization, with an analysis of how specific texts by

Paul – or about Paul – were utilized in an effort to establish an authoritative history of

Christianity and firmly establish the boundaries of an orthodox Christian identity.

Select Bibliography Hegel, G.W.F. 1977. Phenomenology of Spirit (trans. A.V. Miller). Oxford: Oxford University

Press. Lincoln, Bruce. 1994. Authority: Construction and Corrosion. Chicago: University of Chicago

Press. Pagels, Elaine. 1992. The Gnostic Paul. Philadelphia: Trinity Press International. Palmer Bonz, Marianne. 2000. The Past as Legacy : Luke-Acts and Ancient Epic. Minneapolis:

Fortress Press.

Pat Hart� 13-11-5 2:10 PM Comment [3]: HOW WILL THE QUESTION/PROBLEM BE TACKLED? WHAT THEORIES OR METHODS WILL BE USED OR CONSIDERED?

Pat Hart� 13-11-5 2:11 PM Comment [4]: WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE STUDY? IS THERE A HYPOTHESIS (OR ‘HUNCH’) THAT IS LOOKING TO BE CONFIRMED? WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM/QUESTION?

Pat Hart� 13-11-5 2:16 PM Comment [5]: BE SURE TO INCLUDE A MINIMUM OF 2 SECONDARY SOURCES. NOTE 1: IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT A RELIGIOUS TEXT, E.G. THE NEW TESTAMENT OR THE QUR’AN, THE RELIGIOUS TEXT DOES NOT COUNT AS A SECONDARY SOURCE. NOTE 2: GENERALLY SPEAKING, ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRIES (INCLUDING WIKIPEDIA) WILL NOT COUNT AS A SECONDARY SOURCE.