Outlaw Justice: The Messianic Politics of Paul (Cultural Memory in the Present)

This book offers a close reading of Romans that treats Paul as a radical political thinker by showing the relationship between Paul's perspective and that of secular political theorists. Turning to both ancient political philosophers (Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero) and contemporary post-Marxists (Agamben, Badiou, Derrida, and Žižek), Jennings presents Romans as a sustained argument for a new sort of political thinking concerned with the possibility and constitution of just socialities. Reading Romans as an essay on messianic politics in conversation with ancient and postmodern political theory challenges the stereotype of Paul as a reactionary theologian who "invented" Christianity and demonstrates his importance for all, regardless of religious affiliation or academic guild, who dream and work for a society based on respect, rather than domination, division, and death. In the current context of unjust global empires constituted by avarice, arrogance, and violence, Jennings finds in Paul a stunning vision for creating just societies outside the law. While theologians generally accept that Paul's letter to the Romans is concerned with law and justice, they usually focus on the individual believer's relation to God rather than on political issues. In contrast, this book offers a close reading of Romans that treats Paul as a radical political thinker by showing the relationship between Paul's perspective and that of secular political theorists. Turning to both ancient political philosophers (Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero) and contemporary post-Marxists (Agamben, Badiou, Derrida, and Zi&zek), Jennings presents Romans as a sustained argument for a new sort of political thinking concerned with the possibility and constitution of just socialities. Reading Romans as an essay on messianic politics in conversation with ancient and postmodern political theory challenges the stereotype of Paul as a reactionary theologian who "invented" Christianity and demonstrates his importance for all, regardless of religious affiliation or academic guild, who dream and work for a society based on respect, rather than domination, division, and death. In the current context of unjust global empires constituted by avarice, arrogance, and violence, Jennings finds in Paul a stunning vision for creating just societies outside the law. Cultural Memory in the Present Book jacket This book offers a close reading of Romans that treats Paul as a radical political thinker by showing the relationship between Paul's perspective and that of secular political theorists. Turning to both ancient political philosophers (Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero) and contemporary post-Marxists (Agamben, Badiou, Derrida, and Žižek), Jennings presents Romans as a sustained argument for a new sort of political thinking concerned with the possibility and constitution of just socialities. Reading Romans as an essay on messianic politics in conversation with ancient and postmodern political theory challenges the stereotype of Paul as a reactionary theologian who "invented" Christianity and demonstrates his importance for all, regardless of religious affiliation or academic guild, who dream and work for a society based on respect, rather than domination, division, and death. In the current context of unjust global empires constituted by avarice, arrogance, and violence, Jennings finds in Paul a stunning vision for creating just societies outside the law. -- Provided by publisher Introduction : Getting Ready To Read Romans -- First Part Of Romans. Making Connections (1:1-17) -- First Phase : The Unjust Social Order (1:18-3:20) -- Second Phase : The Coming Of Messianic Justice (3:21-5:21) -- Third Phase A : Before And After (6:1-7:6) -- Third Phase B : The Great Transition (7:7-8:39) -- Fourth Phase : Divine Promise And Improvisation (9:1-11:36) -- Fifth Phase : The Corporate Improvisation Of Justice In The Now-time (12:1-15:13) -- Coda. Theodore W. Jennings, Jr. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 233-238) And Index. This is the first book to read Paul's Letter to the Romans as a sustained essay in (radical) political philosophy.