Paul’s Letter to the Galatians has stood alongside Romans at the heart of Christian theological discussions from the time of Augustine, through the Reformation, and to the present day. It is perhaps the earliest written formulation of Paul’s teachings about justification attained by trusting Jesus, the opposition between faith and “works of the law,” the role of Torah in God’s plan for humanity, salvation history, and life in the Spirit.
This course invites students into a close reading of the text of Galatians as the basis for analysis of its theological and ethical contributions to Christian formation for both individual disciples and communities of faith. We will seek out Paul’s meaning and purposes for writing as a basis for critical engagement with the interpretation and application of Paul throughout the Christian era—and for our own visions of Christian formation.