The pistis Christou construction in Paul's letters has ignited heated debates among Pauline scholars and theologians. On the one side, some claim that the phrase denotes human faith placed in Christ. Others, however, contend that pistis Christou in Paul alludes to the faithfulness of Christ himself, with Christ's pistis chiefly demonstrated in his willingness to suffer and die upon the cross. Yet both sides of this debate overlook Paul's emphasis on the faithfulness and continuing work of the risen and exalted Christ. In The Faithfulness of the Risen Christ, David J. Downs and Benjamin J. Lappenga focus upon the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus in their discussion of pistis Christou. They claim that when Paul writes of Christ's pistis, he refers to the faithfulness of the risen and exalted Christ. Downs and Lappenga carefully survey Paul's use of pistis in Philippians, the Corinthian letters, Galatians, Romans, and Ephesians, revealing how pistis epitomizes the risen Christ's continuing faithfulness toward all those who participate in him by pistis. Downs and Lappenga effectively reframe any future consideration of the pistis Christou construction for both New Testament scholars and theologians by showing that the story of Jesus in the letters of Paul extends to the faithfulness of the exalted Christ Jesus, who will remain faithful to those justified through union with Christ.

The monetary fund that the apostle Paul organized among his Gentile congregations for the Jewish-Christian community in Jerusalem was clearly an important endeavor to Paul; discussion of it occupies several prominent passages in his letters. In this book David Downs carefully investigates that offering from historical, sociocultural, and theological standpoints. Downs first pieces together a chronological account of Paul's fund-raising efforts on behalf of the Jerusalem church, based primarily on information from the Pauline epistles. He then examines the sociocultural context of the collection, including gift-giving practices in the ancient Mediterranean world relating to benefaction and care for the poor. Finally, Downs explores how Paul framed this contribution rhetorically as a religious offering consecrated to God.

Is God still, as it has been argued, the "neglected factor" in New Testament theology? How does the Bible speak imaginatively and concretely about who God is and what God's activity on behalf of the world looks like?In The Unrelenting God sixteen accomplished scholars in the fields of biblical and theological studies explore ways in which Scripture speaks about God's character and God's activity in the world. As honoree Beverly Roberts Gaventa has done throughout her career, the contributors address important and nuanced theological themes such as God's dramatic invasion of the world in the gospel of Jesus Christ, God's ultimate triumph over the powers of sin and death, and humanity's ongoing participation with God in Christ.Scholars, students, and church leaders will appreciate this volume's careful theological interpretation of whole scriptural books and individual passages -- and its ability to model instructively how that interpretation is best done. Contributors: Shane Berg Martinus C. de Boer Alexandra R. Brown William Sanger Campbell David J. Downs Susan Grove Eastman Joel B. Green Douglas Harink Richard B. Hays L. Ann Jervis Jacqueline E. Lapsley J. Louis Martyn John B. F. Miller Matthew L. Skinner Katherine Sonderegger Francis Watson