Udemy
UdemyPaul and His Letter to Philemon
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Korshub's take
Reading Paul's Shortest Letter in Its Roman Context
Paul's letter to Philemon is his shortest surviving letter, but this course, led by Prof. N.T. Wright, treats it as a rich source for understanding how early followers of Jesus were meant to live in contrast to everyday Roman norms of the first century A.D.
The distinctive angle here is comparative: the course places Paul's letter alongside a strikingly similar one, Pliny the Younger's letter to Sabinianus, which also addresses what to do about a runaway servant. Paul's letter concerns a runaway named Onesimus; Pliny's concerns an unnamed one. Setting the two side by side makes the social structures of Roman life visible, and shows how much Paul's vision of Christian community pushed against those norms.
Who It's For
Students of early Christianity, biblical studies, or Roman social history who want a focused, scholarly look at a short but socially loaded text.
About this course
The Apostle Paul is known particularly for some of his longer letters such as his letter to the Romans. In Paul's letter to Philemon, we encounter his shortest letter. But don't let that fool you into thinking there isn't much there. In this course Prof. N.T. Wright will present abundant material from this little epistle to comprehend and ponder about those who became followers of King Jesus and how they were to live. This way of life was in contrast to the normal Roman way of living in the first century A.D.
The course compares two letters which address a nearly identical issue: what to do about a runaway servant. Prof. N.T. Wright unpacks Paul's letter to Philemon, which addresses concerns about the 'runaway' named Onesimus. Prof. Wright then explains the situation and setting surrounding the letter of Pliny the Younger to Sabinianus about an unnamed runaway. The social structures endemic to Rome become visible and understandable in such a way to see how Paul's new way of life was meant to confront social norms.
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