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