A comprehension of Paul's understanding of the law and justification has been a perennial problem for historians and theologians. In light of new studies on early Judaism, an international group of esteemed New Testament scholars evaluates the paradoxes of Paul in this second volume of Justification and Variegated Nomism. Contributors include Martin Hengel, Douglas J. Moo, Timothy George, and Stephen Westerholm.
Donald A. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He has been at Trinity since 1978. Carson came to Trinity from the faculty of Northwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he also served for two years as academic dean. He has served as assistant pastor and pastor and has done itinerant ministry in Canada and the United Kingdom. Carson received the Bachelor of Science in chemistry from McGill University, the Master of Divinity from Central Baptist Seminary in Toronto, and the Doctor of Philosophy in New Testament from the University of Cambridge. Carson is an active guest lecturer in academic and church settings around the world. He has written or edited about sixty books. He is a founding member and currently president of The Gospel Coalition. Carson and his wife, Joy, reside in Libertyville, Illinois. They have two adult children.
Finally, after a number of years, I did what seemed the impossible: I finished this book! After having read Wright's magnum opus (Paul and the Faithfulness of God) along with a response book surpassing 800 pages (God and the Faithfulness of Paul), I pondered whether this volume was even useful to read. But, upon finishing the last few chapters (about a hundred pages or so), I was reminded of the serious, thoroughgoing manner of the essays found within this volume. So, while it is somewhat outdated since it doesn't interact with Wright's most mature explication of Paul, the strength of the essays alone move me to give this book 5 stars. If one is not reading it to be updated on the controversy surrounding the NPP, but rather for solid essays addressing the concerns and claims of NPP, I would recommended this volume.
There has always been controversy about Paul and his view of Justification, in this book various contributors (including Martin Hengel, Douglas J. Moo, Timothy George, and Stephen Westerholm) look at Paul's view of Justification in light of new studies on early Judaism. It is very interesting and I have always liked D.A. Carson and Timothy George.
This was a fantastic theological/historical/exegetical critique of the New Perspective and examination of the doctrine of Justification in light of recent evidence. Those form the NPP who shrug it off without actually dealing with the content are confirming the verdict of this volume and the previous one that, for the most part, their position is unfounded in the biblical and historical evidence.