For generations, scholars who study the letters of St. Paul have argued about "being-in-Christ" and "justification by faith" as though they were competing theologies. They have argued about faith as divine gift or human work, and more recently the faith of Jesus Christ has been called into question. Harrisville proposes a provocative and simple solution to these issues by examining scholarly assumptions and presenting the faith of St. Paul as a dynamic and life-changing power. Participation in Christ and righteousness by faith are actually complimentary expressions for the same concept. The apostle's faith was not self-engendered but a gift that transformed him into a believer. Taking a more organic approach to understanding the faith of St. Paul, this book provides a path toward reconciling entrenched positions and providing a fresh perspective by presenting the apostle's concept of faith as a transformative gift of divine power.
Roy A. Harrisville III is a pastor in Menomonie, Wisconsin. He has published several articles and is the author of The Figure of Abraham in the Epistles of St. Paul (1992).
“Leaving no stone unturned, Dr. Harrisville has produced an exhaustive study of how faith can be considered a gift of God, totally, and at the same time a human activity. With care and insight he works his way through passages in Paul’s letters that have to do with faith, believing, participation in Christ, obedience, and more. He engages modern scholars and goes beyond them with a fresh proposal. The book is timely and important for all interested in Pauline theology.”
—Arland J. Hultgren, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota
“After a perceptive review of scholarship, Dr. Harrisville presents us with his own interpretation of key texts on faith in the Pauline corpus. Convinced that faith for Paul is a divine gift of life and an ongoing empowerment for living, he explores how it is operative in Paul’s thought and life with ramifications for understanding many issues related to Paul’s understanding of righteousness, being in Christ, and faithful living.”
—Charles B. Puskas, author with Mark Reasoner, The Letters of Paul
“Frequently, scholars artificially pit an objective, forensic approach to the doctrine of justification by faith against a subjective, personal view of faith as participation in Christ. Harrisville shows that this divide, entrenched in contemporary scholarship, is not true to Paul. In Paul’s vision of faith, God as the indwelling Christ is simultaneously giver and gift. Thoroughly laying out the topography of the scholarly debate, as well as analyzing Pauline texts, Harrisville uncovers faith as both a result of grace and as utterly transformative, continuously remaking believers anew in Christ. This is a must-read for scholars of the Bible, theologians, and pastors.”
—Mark Mattes, Grand View University, Des Moines, Iowa
“In this concise and compelling study Roy Harrisville opens up new vistas of interpretation: Faith for Paul is more than human act or individual disposition—it is a transformative divine power bestowing new life through Christ. The book’s exegetical rigor and theological passion will engage and excite all readers.”
—Benjamin Schliesser, University of Bern, Switzerland
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