Children of Laughter and the Re-Creation of Humanity

“In Pauline scholarship, the time to move beyond the ideologically colored discussion of the old, new, and radical new Paul is long overdue. In his well-grounded book, Samuel Tedder focuses on what Paul actually does in Galatians. In a thought-provoking way, Tedder displays how Paul builds up novel theology based on Abraham’s promise and Isaiah’s vision on restoration.”


—Lauri Thurén, University of Eastern Finland





“Offering a bold integrative reading of Galatians through the lens of 4:21–5:1, Tedder explores the intertextual contributions of Abraham’s family story and Isaiah’s vision to Paul’s proclamation of the gospel. Careful and provocative in its argument, Children of Laughter advances our understanding of Paul’s theological vision and its pastoral implications.”


—Susan Eastman, Duke Divinity School





“In a genuinely insightful and fresh reading of Paul’s ‘infamous’ Hagar and Sarah ‘allegory,’ Tedder’s location of Paul’s hermeneutical emphases is very much in the right place. Essential reading for anyone interested in the way Scripture shaped Paul’s understanding of what God did in Christ.”


—Rikk Watts, Regent College, Vancouver