The Divine Heartset
Paul’s Philippians Christ Hymn, Metaphysical Affections, and Civic Virtues
Imprint: Cascade Books
The fruit of a decade's research, this volume offers a new interpretation of the dense Christological narrative in Philippians 2:6-11, taking inspiration from recent advances in our understanding of the letter's Greek and Roman setting and from insights made possible by recently created linguistic databases (such as TLG and PHI). The passage's praise of Christ engages the language of Hellenistic ruler cults, Platonic metaphysics and moral philosophy, popular (Homeric) beliefs about the gods, and Greek love (eros), to articulate a scripturally grounded theology in which God is revealed to be one in two persons (God the Father and LORD Jesus Christ).
The volume also explores hitherto unseen ways in which the central Christ Hymn is tightly connected to the rest of Paul's argument. The hymn presents Christ as an epitome of the ideals of Greek (and Roman) virtue, to support Paul's summoning his readers to a life of praiseworthy and exemplary civic conduct (in 1:27). New or recently proposed translations are advanced for numerous words and phrases (in, e.g., 1:8, 11, 27; 2:3, 4, 6, 11; 3:2, 4) and a new (non-Stendahlian) approach to Paul's boasting in 3:4-6, that is Christological rather than biographical, is put forward.
Crispin Fletcher-Louis is visiting research fellow at the University of Gloucestershire, UK, and director of Whymanity research and training. He is the author of Jesus Monotheism (2015–).
“This brilliant book offers a treasure trove of fresh exegetical insights and compelling contextual arguments for a Pauline Christology of divine desire. Reading the Philippian hymn within the cultural matrix of ancient Mediterranean religion, philosophy, ethics, and politics, Crispin Fletcher-Louis articulates an affective incarnational theology with wide-ranging implications for early Christian scholarship and contemporary Christian practice.”
—Emily J. Gathergood, research fellow, University of Nottingham
“Few can match Crispin Fletcher-Louis for breadth of knowledge, depth of analysis, and originality. Here he weighs into perennial debates on one of the most influential New Testament texts. His startling but substantively argued set of new proposals on Philippians 2:6–11 will be a key element in discussion of the text for years to come.”
—Peter Oakes, professor of biblical criticism and exegesis, University of Manchester
Related Titles
