Associate professor of theology at the University of Portland, Oregon.
Jouette Bassler
"What a boon to have this landmark study published in a new,
updated edition! This guarantees that the debate over the nature
and meaning of Christian asceticism and celibacy will continue to
benefit from Will Deming's meticulous arguments and sound
conclusions." John T. Fitzgerald
"In this revised edition of his stimulating monograph on 1
Corinthians 7, Will Deming responds to his critics and continues to
dismantle the traditional and widespread depiction of Paul as a
founding father of Christian asceticism. Making a clear and
convincing distinction between sexual asceticism and celibacy,
Deming insists that neither Paul nor the Corinthians were ascetics
and that the hermeneutical key to understanding their dialogue was
the Stoic-Cynic debate about the advantages and disadvantages of
marriage. Grounding his treatment in the philosophical texts of the
Hellenistic world and using them to illumine Paul's assumptions and
arguments, Deming demonstrates that Paul was intimately aware of
the moralist traditions of his day and of the conflicting views on
marriage held by philosophers. An indispensable contribution for
anyone interested not only in Paul but also in Hellenistic
discussions of the family and marriage." Hans-Josef Klauck
"Will Deming has done a real service to scholarship by providing
clear definitions of concepts such as ascetism and celibacy in the
first century C.E. and by producing an extended overview of the
debate on marriage and celibacy in ancient Stoicism and Cynicism. A
fresh reading of 1 Corinthians 7 against this background (without
overlooking the apocalyptic elements in 7:29-31) shows a surprising
coherence and consistency in Paul's argument. Advanced students and
scholars will also appreciate the book's appendixes, which present
two important but barely accessible source texts both in Greek and,
for the first time, in a reliable English translation. No serious
student of 1 Corinthians, of Paul, or of the ethical discourse in
early Christianity should ignore this important study. " J. Paul
Sampley
"Will Deming's carefully reasoned interpretation of all of 1
Corinthians 7 (rather than just selected verses) within the context
of the contemporary Cynic and Stoic discussions of marriage and its
responsibilities overturns a long-standing nostrum in the history
of interpretation and should make his readers uneasy about using
the terms ascetic or asceticism to describe Paul or this biblical
text. Deming's book enhances our understanding of Paul and the
world in which he and his original readers lived." Bryn Mawr
Classical Review
"Deming's fine work is a welcome corrective to much of 20th century
scholarship on 1 Corinthians 7 and the book is a pleasure to read."
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