Rhetorical criticism seeks to understand and comment on the way texts function in their social and cultural contexts. Holloway puts Paul's letter in the context of ancient theories and literary practices of 'consolation' and argues that Paul wrote to the Philippians in order to console them. Holloway shows that the letter has a unified overall strategy and provides a convincing account of Paul's argument. The book falls into two parts. Part I explores the integrity of Philippians, the rhetorical situation of the letter, and ancient consolation as the possible genre of Philippians, while Part II examines Phil. 1:3-11; 1:12-2:30; 3:1-4:1 and 4:2-23. The exegetical studies in Part II focus on the consolatory topoi and arguments of Philippians.

Rhetorical criticism seeks to understand and comment on the way texts function in their social and cultural contexts. Holloway puts Paul's letter in the context of ancient theories and literary practices of "consolation" and argues that Paul wrote to the Philippians in order to console them. He shows that the letter has a unified overall strategy and provides a convincing account of Paul's argument.

Performance of Hannibal Lokumbe's 'spiritatorio' which features jazz, gospel and chamber music alongside West African prayers and songs. The story explores the trials and triumphs of African-American life using the experience of Lokumbe's great-grandfather who was forced to board a slave ship for a new land. Dirk Brossé conducts the Liberation Music Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. Among the performers are soprano Janice Chandler-Eteme, tenor Rodrick Dixon and Afghan rubâb player Homayun Sakhk.

Paul A. Holloway is University Professor of Classics and Ancient Christianity at Sewanee: The University of the South, the author of Coping with Prejudice: 1 Peter in Social Psychological Perspective (2009) and Consolation in Philippians (2001) and the editor of Women and Gender in Ancient Religions (2010).