Special Lecture from Prof. John Barclay—Chris Keith

St Mary’s University College announces the launch of the Centre for the Social-Scientific Study of the Bible with a special lecture from Prof. John Barclay (Durham University) on ‘Paul and the Gift: Gift-Theory, Grace, and Critical Issues in Pauline Interpretation.’ The event will occur on May 3 in the Waldegrave Drawing Room on the campus of St Mary’s University College, with the lecture commencing promptly at 5:30 pm. This event is open to the public and free. For reservations, please contact Sam Chant (samantha.chant@smuc.ac.uk) and for information please contact Chris Keith (chris.keith@smuc.ac.uk).

Abstract:  This lecture attempts three tasks: first, to use the anthropology of gift and historical studies of gift-giving in the Graeco-Roman world (including ancient Judaism) to raise appropriate questions about Pauline and early Christian discourses concerning gift; second, to outline ways in which gift-giving can be and has been ‘perfected’, that is, drawn out to an absolute or extreme form for the sake of definition or polemical advantage; and third, on this basis, to outline some of the key configurations of grace in the history of reception of Paul, and thus to clarify central issues currently mired in conceptual confusion.