Written by one of the world's greatest Evangelical theologians

In this accessible book, Anthony Thiselton introduces the apostle Paul, sometimes described as the founder of Christianity, to students and the general reader.

The book is divided into three parts. Part One provides a thematic analysis and exegetical commentary on all the relevant biblical and cognate literature, including Josephus, Philo and the Mishnah. Part Two investigates the thinking of key Christian theologians on the Holy Spirit, from the Apostolic Fathers to eighteenth century authors such as John Wesley and Jonathan Edwards. Part Three examines more recent writings on the Spirit, from the nineteenth century onwards, including major systematic theologians such as Schleiermacher, Barth and Moltmann, as well as biblical scholars such as James D G Dunn, Gordon Fee and Gerd Theissen. Thiselton concludes the entire study by identifying seven fundamental themes, and calling for greater dialogue between mainstream scholarship and contemporary leaders of the Pentecostal and Renewal movements.

Part One considers key philosophical and aesthetic evaluations of literary images and symbols. The power of pictures is widely appreciated, as in the adage 'a picture is worth a thousand words'. Sometimes Christian discourse can be smothered by endless prose, which demands much inferential reasoning. There is, however, a contrary argument. An isolated visual representation can be misleading if it is improperly interpreted. For example, some mystical visions are interpreted as direct instructions from the Holy Spirit, as happened with the Radical Reformers, who advocated the Peasants' Revolt. Hence theories of symbol, metaphor, and visual representation must be examined Part Two discusses visual representation in the Old Testament, the teaching of Jesus, pictures and analogies in Paul, and the Book of Revelation. This shows the range of authentic visual representations. In contrast to biblical material, we find throughout Christian history abundant examples of misleading imagery which is often passed off as Christian. A notorious example is found in the visual representation and metaphors used by Gnostic writers. Almost as bad are some visual representations used by the medieval mystics, Radical Reformers, and extreme charismatics - all of which lack valid criteria of interpretation, relying instead on subjective conviction. Similarly, sermons and prayers today can be enriched with pictorial images, but some can be misleading and unhelpful for the life of the Church.

Nearly 600 entries offering concise definitions of key concepts and balanced perspectives on key thinkers and movements from all the major traditions

Major evangelical author with worldwide reputation as both a biblical scholar and systematic theologian

What did Jesus and the early Christians believe about death, resurrection, heaven and hell, human destiny and God's ultimate purpose for creation? And what are the implications for Christian doctrine today? Drawing on his acclaimed work in biblical hermeneutics, Thiselton shows how methods and insights from the philosophy of language can clarify our perception of the New Testament data and help us develop a more rounded, coherent and biblically based understanding of God's planfor the world and for humanity.

Essential information on approaches, concepts and issues, encouraging the reader to think critically about the subject

Helps students learn how to engage with Romans for themselves, by alerting them to key issues and questions raised by the text