Abstract
Paul's occasional preference to organise his thoughts into lists makes this valuable resource from Lars Kierspel feel like an appropriate contribution to the field. From its useful size (it is printed on A4 pages) to the clear layout of data, this book presents itself as easily accessible and designed to benefit and support the reader's study of the apostle. As you might expect from a book of charts, this is a well organized and thoughtfully structured publication. It is presented in three sections. The principal focus is, understandably, the roughly 200-page first section that is composed of 111 charts related to various aspects of Pauline study. This is accompanied by a comments section that explains and defends the rationale behind the structure and content of each individual chart—these are numerically coded, making them easy to use. This section also points towards the extensive 31-page bibliography that concludes the book. The charts themselves are arranged into four sections:
Paul's Background and Context (9 Charts); Paul's Life and Ministry (25 Charts); Paul's Letters (43 Charts); Paul's Theological Concepts (34 Charts).
The presentation of each chart is unencumbered by comments or scholarly references, making them remarkably easy to engage with quickly. Each chart contains only the primary data, mostly biblical, needed to make sense of it. Although this may allow an initial impression or accusation of subjectivity, in fact the intention seems to be towards transparency and ease of use. For the reader who wishes to engage with the rationale and sources behind the decisions to present the chart in a particular way, these are clearly explained in the accompanying comments section and bibliography. The discussion in the comments section is supported by recent scholarship but aware of the history of the specific area. Each comment is written in a clear and concise, yet critically aware, manner. The tendency seems to be to engage rigorously with whatever issues are relevant or required (e.g., authorship of the pastorals) but in a manner that supports the publisher's Evangelical roots.
The content of some charts is as would be expected: chronology of Paul's life, parallels with Acts, missionary journeys, people in the Pauline mission, consideration of opponents, vice-virtue lists and a helpful “snapshot” outline of each epistle. However, there are some further charts that are less expected, yet equally beneficial. Lists of hapax legomena, and word usage across the corpus are, for example, partnered by charts of modern Jewish views of Paul, his use of slavery as a metaphor, and diversity in his thought.
The charts engaging directly with the letters themselves consider all 13 that reference Paul as author, but the reader could easily employ the data to suit his/her own position on that issue. Recent and significant scholarly issues in Paul are also utilized to create helpful charts, Paul's views on women, interpretation of pistis Christou, allusions to the Old Testament, and the New Perspective are all discussed. Those interested in social, contextual, or background issues will find section 1 useful, although there is a lack of consideration of Paul's Greco-Roman influences and parallels which is unfortunate as it would suit the book. Given the willingness to consider Paul's Jewish background and influences, this other aspect is notable in its absence. However there are helpful context-focused lists of the cities Paul visits, his engagement and views on household codes, women, and slaves, as well as some data on social order and structures in Paul's world.
This is a useful and helpful book. Students, pastors, lecturers, and scholars will undoubtedly find it a welcome accompaniment to their Pauline library. Those new to the field will find themselves exposed to many essential areas of Pauline study, and that introduction will be by way of engagement with primary texts, something not all books emphasize. Lecturers likewise will find it an enjoyable addition to their bibliographies. There are pages in this book that in and of themselves would suitably engage any class, even postgraduate, enough to substantially fill a classroom discussion.
If there were a criticism of the book, it would be that the wide range of seemingly intended readership does make it difficult to decide for whom it is primarily designed Some of the charts are very much “introductory” and assume little or no knowledge of Paul. Meanwhile, Greek is presented untransliterated in some charts, apparently assuming a level of proficiency and experience from the reader. Perhaps if the preface were expanded into an introduction there would be a better opportunity to direct the reader into the aims and intentions behind the presentation and choice of the charts. That aside, it is unlikely that anyone interested in Paul will not encounter at least a few charts that s/he would find illuminating for their study of the apostle.