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Author

James D. G. Dunn

Other affiliations: University of Nottingham
Bio: James D. G. Dunn is an academic researcher from Durham University. The author has contributed to research in topics: New Testament & Christianity. The author has an hindex of 24, co-authored 106 publications receiving 2486 citations. Previous affiliations of James D. G. Dunn include University of Nottingham.
Topics: New Testament, Christianity, Judaism, Baptism, Faith


Papers
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Book
01 Nov 1997
TL;DR: The Theology of Paul the Apostle, by James D. G. Dunn as discussed by the authors, is a complete account of the life and faith of the Apostle Paul, including a detailed analysis of all the authentic letters.
Abstract: The Theology of Paul the Apostle, by James D. G. Dunn. Grand Rapids/Cambridge, UK: Eerdmans, 1998. Pp. xvi + 808. $45.00/29.95. Into this massive volume Professor Dunn has poured both his vast learning and his passion for his hero, Paul. The result is detail (sometimes, perhaps, tedious) wedded with engagement (sometimes, certainly, enthusiastic). In his "Prolegomena" the author lays out the basic judgments that determine the structure and character of what is to follow. It is important to mention a few. ( 1 ) "Theology" is to be assigned a breadth that includes worship and ethics. "A theology remote from everyday living would not be a theology of Paul" (p. 9). (2) Paul's theology must be constructed out of a synthetic analysis of all the authentic letters. (3) Yet Paul's theology is more than the sum total of the statements in his letters, since they imply and depend upon a larger theological structure. Dunn uses the image of the iceberg: what we see suggests much of what we cannot see. This is dangerous water (the reader will pardon the metaphor), since it provides opportunity for the researcher to find just about anything. What Dunn finds is a flourishing Judaism, complete with frequent allusions to Torah and the teaching of Jesus. (4) As a structure for his book, Dunn proposes to use, as far as possible, Paul's outline in Romans, since that is Paul's own, most mature, structure. Along with a number of scholars, Dunn rejects the idea of a static "center" in Paul, although he is prepared to accept Beker's term, "coherence." Some allowance must be made for fluidity and even development. (5) And what should be the attitude of the researcher to Paul? Dunn states it clearly: "The most fruitful dialogues depend on a degree of sympathy of the one dialogue partner for the concerns of the other" (p. 12). This is preferable to "a hostile hermeneutic of suspicion" found in some interpreters, especially, apparently, those who investigate Paul's rhetoric (he names no names). Whether or not Dunn's structure is always aligned with that of Romans, it does suggest that of a theological handbook. First the author describes Paul's God, a God who is consistently Jewish. "Paul's conversion had not changed his belief in and about God" (p. 29). Then comes the human as created and finite, followed by the human in sin. At this point Christ enters the scheme: the historical person, the crucified (perhaps for Dunn the key concept), the resurrected, the preexistent, the eschatological. In the section on "the crucified" it is interesting to see that Dunn lumps together Paul's statements about sacrifice, redemption, reconciliation, and christus victor, but not grace and justification. After the event of Christ salvation can begin (in this chapter comes grace as event, justification by faith, participation in Christ, spirit, and baptism). But this has to be followed by the process of salvation, which includes treatment of Romans 9-11. The final chapters deal with the church and ethics. I detail his structure because an author's perspective is so clearly revealed in it. For example, how different the outcome might have been if the topics of grace and justification were part of the discussion about God or Christ! Who is the Paul that emerges from this book? First of all, he remains a Jew in heart and mind. What has been added to his Judaism, of course, is the belief that Jesus is God's chosen one, the center of whose activity is the saving activity in the cross. What is changed in his Judaism is liberation from the narrow pride of a community which saw itself as singly called by God. …

428 citations

Book
01 Jan 2005
TL;DR: D Dunn as discussed by the authors highlights a dimension of Paul's theology of justification that has been neglected, that his teaching emerged as an integral part of his understanding of his commission to preach the gospel to non-Jews and that his dismissal of justification by works of the law was directed not so much against Jewish legalism but rather against his fellow Jews' assumption that the law remained a dividing wall separating Christian Jews from Christian Gentiles.
Abstract: This collection of essays highlights a dimension of Paul's theology of justification that has been neglected -- that his teaching emerged as an integral part of his understanding of his commission to preach the gospel to non-Jews and that his dismissal of justification -by works of the law- was directed not so much against Jewish legalism but rather against his fellow Jews' assumption that the law remained a dividing wall separating Christian Jews from Christian Gentiles. James Dunn seeks to carry forward the debate on Jewish soteriology, on the relation of justification by faith to judgment -according to works, - on Christian fulfillment of the law, and on the crucial role of Christ, his death and resurrection. Full of detail and intriguing thought, Dunn's collection will enlighten any scholar of the New Testament.

160 citations

Book
01 Jan 1975
TL;DR: Contemporary religious movements study com, james d g dunn quotes author of the theology of paul the, general bible courses cbn com, what is the pentecostal church and what do Pentecostals do, the spirit in luke acts a case study by allan loder, religious and the local church the way home, my jesus my saviour lyrics, world religions ch 3 christianity flashcards quizlet, jessus poured out the spirit so what 3 internetmonk com, scripture usccb org, did first
Abstract: Contemporary religious movements study com, james d g dunn quotes author of the theology of paul the, general bible courses cbn com, what is the pentecostal church and what do pentecostals, the spirit in luke acts a case study by allan loder, religious and the local church the way home, my jesus my saviour lyrics, world religions ch 3 christianity flashcards quizlet, jesus poured out the spirit so what 3 internetmonk com, scripture usccb org, did first century christians believe jesus was god quora, jesus oxford biblical studies online, scripture, pdf encountering jesus in african christianity a, slain in the spirit should you seek it uk apologetics, holy spirit encyclopedia of the bible bible gateway, jesus and the spirit quotes by james d g dunn, jesus poured out the spirit so what 2 internetmonk com, the pentecostal experience a study in acts 2 bible org, religion except ch8 with no chapter headers flashcards, the charismatic movement a biblical critique by brian, study se ssions 5

127 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Christology in the Making as mentioned in this paper is an excellent study of the origins and early development of Christology by James D. G. Dunn, focusing on the first-century meaning of key titles and passages within the New Testament that bear directly on the develop-ment of the Christian understanding of Jesus.
Abstract: This excellent study of the origins and early development of Christology by James D. G. Dunn clarifies in rich detail the beginnings of the full Christian belief in Christ as the Son of God and incarnate Word. By employing the exegetical methods of "historical context of meaning" and "conceptuality in transition," Dunn illumines the first-century meaning of key titles and passages within the New Testament that bear directly on the develop-ment of the Christian understanding of Jesus. Chosen by Christianity Today as one of the year's "Significant Books" when it first appeared in 1980, this second edition of Christology in the Making contains a new extended foreword that responds to critics of the first edition and updates Dunn's own thinking on the beginnings of Christology since his original work.

120 citations


Cited by
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MonographDOI
TL;DR: An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity as discussed by the authors is a good starting point for a discussion of the relationship between faith and the Church of Christ, Islam.
Abstract: (2004). An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity. Ars Disputandi: Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 206-209.

256 citations

01 Jan 2016
TL;DR: Gordon as discussed by the authors presented a systematic view of the Christian Bible and its role in the history of the early Christian churches, using the Nicene Creed as a rule of faith for locating Scripture within the economic work of the Triune God, and supplements the Creed with judgments and hypotheses regarding divine and human freedom and action and the missions of the Son of God and the Holy Spirit in human history.
Abstract: SCRIPTURE IN HISTORY: A SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY OF THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE Joseph K. Gordon, B.A., M.Div. Marquette University This work utilizes advances in philosophical hermeneutics, the historical study of Christian Scripture, and traditional theological resources to articulate a systematic theology of the Christian Bible. Chapter one introduces the challenges of the contemporary ecclesial and academic situations of Christian Scripture and invokes and explains a functional notion of systematic theology as a resource for meeting those challenges. Chapter two examines the use of the rule of faith by Irenaeus, Origen, and Augustine to locate the emergence of Christian Scripture within the faith of early Christian churches. It shows that structured, intelligible Christian belief and thought are developing and operative in Christian communities and that such faith guided engagement with Christian Scripture. Chapter three summarizes the judgments of the previous chapter, invokes the doctrines of the Nicene Creed as a rule of faith for locating Scripture within the economic work of the Triune God, and supplements the Creed with judgments and hypotheses regarding divine and human freedom and action and the missions of the Son of God and the Holy Spirit in human history. Such resources provide heuristics of the divine contexts of Christian Scripture. Since Christian Scripture bears the influence of its human transmitters and serves distinctive human purposes, chapter four articulates a philosophical and theological anthropology as an account of the human context of Christian Scripture. Chapters five and six explain the nature and purpose of Christian Scripture within the divine and human contexts of the previous two chapters. The former offers a historical overview and theological evaluation of the material history and diversity of Christian Scripture. The latter provides an account of the unity of Christian Scripture. Scripture is one, despite its diversity, because of the unified work of the Holy Spirit in inspiring and illuminating it in Christian community, because of the unity of its reference to the revelatory work of the Triune God centering on Jesus Christ, and finally because of its usefulness for bearing witness to and facilitating the work of the Holy Spirit and the Son of God in history.

160 citations

Book
05 Nov 2007
TL;DR: The History of Early Christian Literature as mentioned in this paper provides a systematic account of that literature and its setting, along with three general essays covering distinct periods in the development of Christian literature, which survey the social, cultural and doctrinal context within which Christian literature arose and was used by Christians.
Abstract: The writings of the Church Fathers form a distinct body of literature that shaped the early church and built upon the doctrinal foundations of Christianity established within the New Testament. Christian literature in the period c.100–c.400 constitutes one of the most influential textual oeuvres of any religion. Written mainly in Greek, Latin and Syriac, Patristic literature emanated from all parts of the early Christian world and helped to extend its boundaries. The History offers a systematic account of that literature and its setting. The works of individual writers in shaping the various genres of Christian literature is considered, alongside three general essays, covering distinct periods in the development of Christian literature, which survey the social, cultural and doctrinal context within which Christian literature arose and was used by Christians. This is a landmark reference book for scholars and students alike.

146 citations

14 Dec 2012
TL;DR: Mcendon as discussed by the authors examined various contemporary Protestant views of Christian spirituality in light of Galatians 2:20 in order to correct some common errors caused by the elevation of personal subjectivism and the misinterpretation of Scripture.
Abstract: GALATIANS 2:20 AS A CORRECTIVE TO SELECTED CONTEMPORARY VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY Philip Adam McClendon, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2012 Chair: Dr. Robert L. Plummer This dissertation examines various contemporary Protestant views of Christian Spirituality in light of Galatians 2:20 in order to correct some common errors caused by the elevation of personal subjectivism and the misinterpretation of Scripture. The purpose is to demonstrate the continual necessity of the Scriptures as the normative grounds for evaluating and correcting the theological and practical expressions of Christian spirituality. Christian spirituality focuses on the way that one lives as led by the Spirit in light of one’s understanding of and experience with God. While the role of the Spirit in Christian spirituality is critical, direct emphasis on the necessity of grounding one’s spiritual understanding and experience within the context of Scripture is often an absent element. Without the governing standard of the Bible, and with the increased influences of ecumenicalism, mysticism, secularism, subjectivism, and relativism within Protestantism, Christian spirituality remains somewhat ambiguous and covers a substantial range of religious beliefs to include biblical as well as extra-biblical ideas. Thus, to demonstrate how the Scriptures can help govern limits within Christian spirituality, Galatians 2:20 will be examined. This dissertation, then, employs Galatians 2:20 as a guide for establishing essential concepts concerning the spiritual life and, in so doing, corrects some common misunderstandings of the spiritual life. Chapter 1 defines spirituality and provides a brief history of interpretation for Galatians 2:20. Chapter 2 demonstrates that the cross is central to the justification of the believer and results in a transformation of life. Chapter 3 reveals that the Spirit serves as Christ’s representative to the believer empowering them for Christian living. Chapter 4 emphasizes the reality that although the believer is to progress in sanctification, they will continually experience spiritual tension in this life between the Spirit and the desires of the flesh. Chapter 5 explains that personal faith is the means by which the believer lives out the indwelling presence of the Spirit. This lived faith is motivated by the sacrificial love of God. Chapter 6 provides a conclusion based on the preliminary thought regarding the necessity of biblical spirituality in light of some current trends within Christian spirituality.

144 citations