Midterm Exam: Religious Studies

Question 1: What was Paul's worldview like before his encounter with Christ and how did Paul's meeting with the risen Christ change his worldview?

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About Pauline theology, it renders the reference to the teaching and doctrines especially gaining the espousing by the apostle Paul through a series of his writing. Within the aspects of the religious setting, it claims that Paul transmuted Jesus, the Jewish Messiah through the universal world (savior). First, in the descriptions through the encounter of Paul with the resurrected Jesus, it renders the relation into the idea concerning how much of Paul's worldview changes through the "the road to Damascus." According to Paul's worldview before his encounter with Christ, he had various views and perceptions comparing them to the pharisaical Judaism in the light of his new calling. About many people, they refer the conversation of Paul or his experience as "calling" into the prophetic ministry.

However, with a focus on the setting as described in his writings. Within the description Paul in his prior or traditional view, which mentions that he underwent a psychological and spiritual conversion, it explains in different aspects. It describes Paul as a Pharisee who struggled with his troubles and sins and the guilt from his incapability to be able to keep the law. In his worldview before the conversion he views the world in accordance to the rules set then which in one way or the other, it might gain description as the view of Judaism among another happening within the law.3 Also, his opinion directly related the occurrence as hefty regard and perspective to the righteousness of life and actions based on the statute. Moreover, on the other hand, regarding his worldview after the encounter with the risen Christ, it changes a variety of happenings to his life. In the changes worldview, he began viewed the world in the righteousness based on the death of Christ as he describes it, for instance, in the Epistle to the Galatians. In the conversion, it relates the conversion as from Judaism to Christianity.

Question 2: In your view, what is the main issue that Paul is dealing with in Galatians and how if at all does it relate to Acts 15?

For many personnel with the biblical knowledge, they believe that Galatians is amongst the actual examples of Paul's writing. In the book of the scripture or letter, the main arguments are in favor of the authenticity if the Galatians. In a series of words, Paul wrote the letter with different intentions which vary from different perspectives. For instance, he wrote to establish the truth of liberty by grace through faith and rendering a denial to the bondage of the law. Under a specific view, he provided the writing or the letter concerning the doctrine of salvation. However, I think the main problem that Paul is dealing with in Galatians addressed the status of Gentiles in the church. In the interventions, it delivers the question as to whether the Gentiles are converting to Judaism. In consideration with the occasions of the writing, is an issue dealing with Christians being forced to maintain the law by individuals claiming to have James authority.

On the other hand, since it involves the question of salvation, the book also delivers a look into the implication of Paul's body to provide that the Gentiles are free from the law. There is a relation to Acts 15 through different perceptions involving the events of salvation and gentiles.2 According to Acts 15, it delivers a recording of Paul's journey and Barnabas into Jerusalem and also includes the council of Jerusalem. Within its context, it states that unless one circumcised, they cannot be saved which relates the occurrences of Paul in Galatians to those of Acts 15 which entails passage and the Gentiles.

Question 3: Some people argue that Paul did not write 2 Thess. Why do they make this claim? Do you agree? Explain your answer. (In other words, what was Paul doing in 2 Thess and how does it relate to 1 Thess?).

Within the context of the writing of Thessalonians 2, it delivers various messages according to its scripting. In its traditional attributions, its basis on Paul the apostle since it starts with the quotation, "Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians."1 Later comes to a halt, "I, Paul, write this greeting in my hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letter."1 However, with regards to the current understanding and description of the letters by the apostle, there are various claims towards the authenticity of the 2nd Thessalonians about the 1st Thessalonians. It is divided on whether Paul wrote the 2nd Thessalonians which is based on their view on what they imply as a difference in the theology and style between both writings of Thessalonians. Similarly, they make this claim following some reasons and perspectives.5 Through the descriptions, it implies that if only both writing entails just the 2nd Thessalonians, there would be no doubts that Paul wrote it, but when a consideration between the 1st and 2nd Thessalonians is made, it brings about the uncertainties.

In the delivery of the messages between the two writings, the is a difference, not only in the terms and words, short concepts and phrases but also entails the entire structure of the script which creates a significant dissimilarity different from what acquires implication as the standard Pauline form. Additionally, the 2nd Thessalonians seem less intimate and personal tone about the first and in a variety of the writings and teachings, which in particular regards the eschatology, it provides conflict between the first Thessalonians and the second Thessalonians. I would agree with their claims whereby they deliver much interpretation of the realities between the writings. For example, Paul ends this letter by quoting that, "... I bid you good-bye in my handwriting. I do this in all my letters, so examine my signature as proof that the letter is genuine (Thess 3:17)."1 However, this is not how Paul ends his letters mentioning that the message might have been written by someone that needed to prove their authenticity.

Question 4: Look at the texts below and discuss the often-debated problem of Paul and James. Do they have anything in common at all? Do they disagree on the means of Salvation? Why or why not? Is there any way to redeem these two apostles? (Galatians 2:15 and James 2: 14)

About the text related to "Galatians 2:15 and James 2:14,"1 the delivery on a similar dimension on the meaning of salvation; however, they render different sense about what salvation for the gentiles entails. In most of the occurrences, the scripts execute separate consideration that in one way or the other they implicate the people listening to Paul and James together with James and Paul themselves. The only commonality in the writings and states of James and Paul entails their involvement in seeking salvation and also the issue concerning salvation by faith.4 Through the details of the bible writings, there is the significant need for salvation according to them for the gentiles but fails to balance on both edges. They disagree in the means salvation whereby, according to James, he talks about faith and other events relating to beliefs by adjourning some of the happenings to Abraham's works.

Moreover, he states that for a man to gain the justification, faith alone is not relevant or helpful, but there is the need for actions which justifies man. On the other hand, following Paul, he delivers that salvation entails that, with anything an individual does along with faith is credited to them as righteousness.4 He adds that only faith obtains the verdict, and no other events of guilt when individuals become Christians. In an attempt, to redeem the two apostles, one would seek at evaluating their justifications. They deliver o the different perspectives relating to faith; however, in reclaiming them their two views would be used altogether.

Bibliography

Bible, Bibles. The Holy Bible the Authorized King James Version. Century Publishing, 2015.

Ropes, James Hardy. The singular problem of the epistle to the Galatians. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2016.

Schnelle, Udo. Apostle Paul: His life and theology. Baker Academic, 2005.

Walther, Nathaniel. "Does James Disagree with Paul on Justification? An Exegetical Comparison of Romans 3: 27-4: 3 and James 2: 14-26." Ph.D. diss., 2014.

Witherington, Ben. 1 and 2 Thessalonians: A socio-rhetorical commentary. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2006.