The New Testament after Supersessionism (3 vols.)

by J. Brian Tucker; Lionel J. Windsor; Christopher Zoccali

Publisher:

Cascade Books

, 2017–2018

Overview

The New Testament after Supersessionism is a series that presents post-supersessionist interpretations of the New Testament. By post-supersessionism, we mean “a family of theological perspectives that affirms God’s irrevocable covenant with the Jewish people as a central and coherent part of ecclesial teaching. It rejects understandings of the new covenant that entail the abrogation or obsolescence of God’s covenant with the Jewish people, of the Torah as a demarcator of Jewish communal identity, or of the Jewish people themselves”. Although the field of New Testament studies has made significant strides in this direction in recent years, the volumes in this series, written by Jewish and gentile believers in Jesus, seek to advance the conversation by offering post-supersessionist readings of the New Testament that address the question of ongoing Jewish particularity, and the relationship of interdependence and mutual blessing between Jew and gentile in Messiah.

Key Features

• Presents post-supersessionist interpretations of the New Testament
• Offers a different view of the key interpretive points
• Highlights Israel’s special place in salvation history

Product Details

• Title: The New Testament after Supersessionism (3 vols.)
• Editors: J. Brian Tucker, David Rudolph, and Justin Hardin
• Series: The New Testament after Supersessionism
• Publisher: Cascade
• Volumes: 3
• Pages: 776
• Resource Type: Monographs
• Topic: New Testament

Reading Romans after Supersessionism: The Continuation of Jewish Covenantal Identity

• Author: J. Brian Tucker
• Series Editors: J. Brian Tucker, David Rudolph, and Justin Hardin
• Series: The New Testament after Supersessionism
• Publisher: Cascade
• Publication Date: 2018
• Pages: 310

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The Letter to the Romans explains the way Paul thought Jewish covenantal identity continued now that the messianic era had begun. More particularly, Paul addresses the relevance of Abraham for Jews and gentiles, the role of Torah, and the way it is contextualized in Christ. All too often, however, these topics are read in supersessionist ways. This book argues that such readings are unpersuasive. It offers instead a post-supersessionist perspective in which Jewish covenantal identity continues in Paul’s gospel. Paul is no destroyer of worlds. The aim of this book is to offer a different view of the key interpretive points that lead to supersessionist understandings of Paul’s most important letter. It draws on the findings of those aligned with the Paul within Judaism paradigm and accents those findings with a light touch from social identity theory. When combined, these resources help the reader to hear Romans afresh, in a way that allows both Jewish and non-Jewish existing identities continued relevance.

Many declare loudly that Paul remained a Jew; few readings of Romans, however, demonstrate more than lip service to the implications, or respect for Jews and Judaism. In clear and yet learned style, Tucker presents a ‘Paul within Judaism’ historical perspective on Romans for Christians today who share his ‘Post-supersessionism’ sensibilities. This is a very welcome, historically grounded, respectful of the Jewish ‘other’ reading of Romans. Finally, ‘the times, they are a-changin!

—Mark D. Nanos, author of The Mystery of Romans (1996), and Reading Romans within Judaism (Cascade, 2018)

Paul was no supersessionist.’ Approaching Romans from a ‘Paul Within Judaism’ perspective and employing social identity theory, Brian Tucker sets out to prove just that. The study tackles key issues such as the validity of Torah within Christ Groups and the status of God’s covenant with the Jewish people. Concluding in each case that Paul’s argument assumes continuity, Tucker’s book is cogent and essential; no one interested in Romans, or Pauline theology more generally, can afford to ignore it.

—Anders Runesson, University of Oslo

J. Brian Tucker is Professor of New Testament at Moody Theological Seminary in Plymouth, MI, an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, UK. He is the author of You Belong to Christ (2010), Remain in Your Calling (2011), and Reading 1 Corinthians (2017). He is coeditor of the T&T Clark Handbook to Social Identity in the New Testament (2014).

Reading Ephesians and Colossians after Supersessionism: Christ’s Mission through Israel to the Nations

• Author: Lionel Windsor
• Series Editors: J. Brian Tucker, David Rudolph, and Justin Hardin
• Series: The New Testament after Supersessionism
• Publisher: Cascade
• Publication Date: 2017
• Pages: 278

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The apostolic mission from Israel to “the nations” forms the explicit framework for Ephesians and Colossians. Yet the concrete dynamics of this mission seldom play any significant role in modern interpretation. Scholars frequently approach these letters as if the Jew-gentile dynamics inherent in the early Christ-preaching mission are either irrelevant, or are negated by the letters themselves. This book seeks to redress this deficiency. Windsor approaches Ephesians and Colossians with an evangelical post-supersessionist perspective. By highlighting, rather than downplaying, Israel’s special place in salvation history, Windsor demonstrates that Jew-gentile dynamics and missionary concerns are highly significant for understanding the overall argument of these two letters. The resulting readings offer a deeper appreciation of the biblical, Israel-centered contours in which the theological and ethical concerns of the letters are expressed. Along the way, Windsor demonstrates how certain texts in Ephesians and Colossians, which are often read as evidence of a supersessionist perspective, are capable of more fruitful and satisfactory post-supersessionist interpretations. He demonstrates that in these letters, Christ does not negate Jewish distinctiveness. Rather, Christ’s mission proceeds through Israel to the nations, creating mutual blessing in the Messiah.

What is immediately striking in Windsor’s work is that we find a fresh reading of Ephesians and Colossians, one which challenges supersessionist interpretations. Still, the work doesn’t have a sharp polemical edge but evidences a patient and deep reading of texts in both Ephesians and Colossians. Even those who move in different directions and dispute some of Windor’s conclusions will find him to be a challenging conversation partner. Windsor’s provocative and yet irenic reading of Ephesians and Colossians is an important resource for all further work in these letters.

—Tom Schreiner, Associate Dean of Scripture and Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Fulfillment does not mean replacement without remainder. Such is Windsor’s argument as he examines the need to read the Pauline epistles in the light of the dynamic of the Old Testament: the gospel concerns Israel’s mission to the nations. This is a timely challenge to New Testament readers to allow Paul to speak from this perspective, and to recognize that our unity in the gospel does not mean we eliminate all distinctions, especially those between Jew and gentile.

—Graeme Goldsworthy, Former Lecturer in Biblical Theology at Moore College, Sydney

Lionel Windsor is an Anglican Minister and Lecturer in New Testament at Moore Theological College, Sydney, Australia. He is the author of Paul and the Vocation of Israel (2014), Gospel Speech (2015), and Gospel Speech Online (2017).

Reading Philippians after Supersessionism: Jews, Gentiles, and Covenant Identity

• Author: Christopher Zoccali
• Series Editors: J. Brian Tucker, David Rudolph, and Justin Hardin
• Series: The New Testament after Supersessionism
• Publisher: Cascade
• Publication Date: 2017
• Pages: 188

Sample Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Paul’s letter to the Philippians has often been read as one of the apostle’s clearest denials of his (previous) Jewish identity in order to preempt the “Judaizing” tactics of false teachers who might infiltrate the congregation. But is this really the problem that Paul is confronting? And did Paul really abandon his identity as a Jew in order to “know Christ”? Furthermore, what should Paul’s gospel converts understand about their own identity “in Christ”? Zoccali provides fresh answers to these questions, offering a more probable alternative to the traditional view that Christianity has replaced Judaism (supersessionism). Tracing Paul’s theology in the light of social theory, Zoccali demonstrates that, for Paul, the ethnic distinction between Jew and gentile necessarily remains unabated, and the Torah continues to have a crucial role within the Christ-community as a whole. Rather than rejecting all things Jewish (or gentile), Paul seeks in this letter to more firmly establish the congregation's identity as members of God’s holy, multiethnic people.

Zoccali provides the most extended treatment available of Philippians 3 from within the view that sees the church, including Pauline congregations, remaining within Judaism. In his look at the whole of Philippians, he helpfully reclaims imitation as a proper mode of instruction and exhortation. His clear discussion of the place of Torah and righteousness in Paul’s thought is valuable for studies across the Pauline corpus.

—Jerry L. Sumney, Professor of Biblical Studies, Lexington Theological Seminary

Chris Zoccali presents a carefully argued reading of key texts of Philippians. The combination of exegetical, socio-historical, and social-scientific methods leads to illuminating insights rendering this a highly important contribution to a non-supersessionist interpretation of the Pauline letters.

—Kathy Ehrensperger, Research Professorship New Testament in Jewish Perspective, University of Potsdam

Christopher Zoccali (University of Wales, Trinity St. David) is an independent scholar in Rochester, NY. He is the author of Whom God Has Called: The Relationship of Church and Israel in Pauline Interpretation, 1920 to the Present (Pickwick, 2010).