Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Dickson on the euangel- word group in Paul

Given that this blog is specifically named euangelion it makes sense to mention works that touch upon the meaning and function of the word in early Christianity and the wider Greco-Roman world. John P. Dickson (excellent Aussie author who writes on everything from world-religions to mission-commitment in the Pauline communities) has written an interesting aritcle on the meaning of the euangel- root in Paul. The reference is:

John P. Dickson, "Gospel as News: euangel- from Aristophanes to the Apostle Paul," NTS 51.2 (2005): 212-30.

The abstract is:

Against the contentions of a number of NT scholars, the present article aims to demonstrate that the apostle Paul's gospel language never refers to ongoing Chrisitan instruction and only ever connotes announcements which are news to those who hear them. This conclusion, which is maintained even in connection with Rom. 1.15, a key text for the 'broad-ranging' view of euangel-, is shown to conform to the wholly consistent usage of gospel terminology throughout Graeco-Roman, Jewish and early Christian literature: 'gospel' is news.

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