Chapter Five: The Question of Conversion
S.1. Preamble
Stendhal’s denial of Paul's "conversion" and of his agonised introspection reflected in Augustine and Luther (p125); JT is based almost entirely on conversion and claims to give a universally valid account of it (p126-7).
S.2. conversion in General
Conversion literature (p128). Lofland and Stark: a) predisposing conditions: tension, problem-solving and seeking; b) Situational: turning point, affective bond with adherents, reduced exterior attachment, stronger bonding with adherents (p129); re-interpreted as: networking, rational choice and seeking.
Network Theory: Conversion as a new network (p130); Christianity, Islam and Mormonism launched by networks (p131). Analysis of networks (p132).
Rational Choice: firms, products and competition (p133); JT negative selection v competition theory's positive choice.
Seekers (p134): J does not correspond with the sociology of conversion (p135); God's wrath as a motive for conversion is inadequate (p136).
S.3. Paul's Conversion
3.1 Preamble
3.2 Paul's Conversion in His Own Terms
Galatians 1.12-16 (p137): God the agent of revelation and Jesus its content, cf Jeremiah 1.5 on being called (p138); Stendhal’s claim (p139); is R 7.7-25 descriptive of Paul's pre-conversion life? (p140-41) The result of not the precondition for conversion; conversion schema: I. The Father II. disclosed unconditionally III His Son to Paul (in Jesus' appearance to him) and IV. and commissioned him to preach Christ to the pagans (p142).
3.3 Acts: 9.1-19; 22.4-16; 26.9-18 (p143). Differences from each other (p144); evidence inconclusive (p145).
Excursus: Discrepancies in Conversion Accounts (p146): 1. Was Paul young? Probably. 2. Was he present at Stephen's stoning? (p146-7).
3.4 Paul's Silences: JT silent in biography of conversion and no biography in supposed JT texts (p148). R no conversion biographical material (p149). No JT P1 in Paul (p150).
Excursus: The 'Lutheran' Biography of Paul: (1) The 'Stephen Circle' had a Law-free Gospel; Paul persecuted them in zeal for the Law: evidence contrary; Law-free only after Paul's conversion. (2) Christ appeared to Paul as the "end of the Law" R 10.4 and salvation not restricted to Jews (p151): text cannot be linked to Damascus Road (3) Paul persecuted Christians because Christ was accursed, Galatians 3.10,13, or later that the Law was accursed: Jesus killed by Roman law; no evidence that 3.13 signifies this. Summary: some of Paul's biography compatible with JT but does not amount to JT (p152). Conversely (R 10.9-10) Paul is instructed to bear witness of Jesus to Gentiles based on revelation not JT; JT redundant as explanation of Paul's conversion; at a simple level Paul can be seen to follow a JT p1 and p2 trajectory but Resurrection is extrinsic to JT (p153).
3.5 Paul's Antioch Abandonment of Law: JT requires immediate post conversion abandonment of Law but Paul waited some years (p154); Galatians 1.18-2.14; 2.1-10 controversial whereas 1.18-19 innocuous; Galatians 5.11 confirms initial practice (p156). Acts 11.26c nothing changed until Antioch (p157); Paul did not abandon the Law on the Damascus Road.
3.6 Paul's Proclamation (p158): a) Christ: death, burial, resurrection, enthronement, future return; Jesus' humiliation through torture; Christ's trajectories of descent and ascent; submission and obedience; Eucharist; b) The Spirit (p159); c) Soteriology: the problem; the transition (Baptism); and a saved state; not possible to opt for JT or unconditionality. Epistemology and self-conception: 1. Revelatory epistemology (p160); 2. Consequent diplomatic persona 3. Consequent mediating speech as a vehicle. 4. elected, unconditional response leaving room for human dignity (p161) 5. disavowal of rhetoric and of 6. natural theology (p163).
Tensions: JT rationalist, Paul revelatory 2. JT no role for Spirit. 3. JT requires a P1 not apparent in Paul. 4. JT deems much Christology redundant, including Resurrection (p163) 5. Apparent unconditionality of salvation.
S.4. Implications (p164)
JT false account of conversion; Paul's conversion not congruent with JT; Paul's proclamation not congruent with JT; call or conversion (p165)? Paul absorbs from his new network; a convert in reality but not in terms of JT (p166).