Gifts and Ritual: The Charismata of Romans 12: 6-8 in the Context of Roman Religion

Paul's teaching on divine benefactions in Rom 12:6–8 addresses the challenge of finding acceptable replacements for former cultic activities for gentile followers in Rome. Teresa Lee McCaskill's analysis of ancient texts and artifacts shows that all seven terms Paul uses have recognizable cultic antecedents and were viewed as sanctioned practices to replace former rituals.

Format: Hardback
Length: 206 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2023
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Paul's teaching about divine benefactions in Romans 12:6-8 expands on the theme of worship he establishes in Romans 12:1-2. These passages address a unique dilemma faced by many in his audience as new Christ-followers, namely finding acceptable replacements for former cultic activities that were woven throughout all stages of life, from birth to death. One of the key shortcomings of scholars who have written about Romans 12:6-8 is their failure to address what Paul's gentile audience might have brought to his teaching and how his alignment of gifts with ritual (Romans 12:1-2) mirrored their polytheistic background. By analyzing examples from ancient texts and artifacts, Teresa Lee McCaskill demonstrates that all seven of the terms Paul uses in Romans 12:6-8 would have had recognizable cultic antecedents for first-century worshipers in Rome. McCaskill presents a theoretical model that discusses how Paul's gentile audience might have viewed the charismata and considered them as examples of sanctioned practices to replace former rituals. She also weighs the effectiveness of these particular gifts for furthering Paul's missional objectives.

Weight: 464g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978715660