Paul and Union with Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study

“Building on an extensive and careful study of every passage in the Pauline corpus pertaining to union with Christ, Constantine Campbell demonstrates the theme’s important role in Paul’s theology—a role he describes as being that of the ’webbing’ that holds the theology together. His book is a helpful reminder of how essential this idea is for our understanding of Paul.”

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“Broad claims about the nature of Paul’s theology are often made with surprisingly little attention to the specific language he uses to communicate it. In this book Campbell focuses on the condensed and cryptic formulae that Paul uses over and over again (’in Christ,’ ’with Christ,’ ’through Christ’) and succeeds in showing that a close reading of these prepositional phrases can shed light on Paul’s deepest theological convictions.”

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“For years I have taught students that one of the most important items in Paul’s theological vocabulary is the two-letter word en, despite the failure of so many writers to pick it up. Now at last there is a comprehensive study that pays attention to the use of en and related terms in the whole of the Pauline corpus and incorporates the insights of contemporary scholarship. This is a valuable reference work for all students of New Testament theology.”

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“Rarely do New Testament scholars and theologians seem interested in the same thing at the same time, although until this volume the latter have done the lion’s share of monograph-style treatments. Holding up the diamond, Professor Campbell explores each facet. Although readers may not agree with all of the conclusions, Paul and Union with Christ is a crucial resource for exegetical reflection and precision on such an important topic.”

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“Campbell provides a lucid and lively study of union with Christ. Few authors are able to combine exegetical skill with theological acumen on such a complex topic as Campbell does here. It is a brilliant study about what a constellation of images of union, participation, identification, and incorporation into Christ actually means. Campbell’s tour de force will be the authoritative book on the subject for decades to come.”

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“Union with Christ, a vital and debated theme in Paul’s theology, has not received the attention it deserves. Constantine Campbell seeks to redress this situation with a thorough exegetical analysis of all the relevant Pauline texts. His study both makes its own contribution and provides a great foundation for continuing discussion.”

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“The unifying theme of ’union with Christ’ in Paul is often interpreted vaguely or in surprisingly different ways, with little attention to the apostle’s specific language. Dr. Campbell carefully examines all the expressions related to ’in Christ,’ sensibly explains their meaning within each context, and insightfully integrates the results into Paul’s overarching teaching and practice. This book is an invaluable tool.”

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“At the heart of debate over several important theological issues, not least justification, stands a unifying theme: union with Christ. That theme almost everyone espouses but interprets differently or with remarkable vagueness. The strength of Con Campbell’s book is his patient examination of the controlling expressions—what it means to be ’in Christ,’ for example. Here there is no reductionism, but sure-footed guidance through the biblical evidence and sensible, even-handed, conclusions. Highly recommended.”

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