Corpus-Paul

[Ronald Troxel <rltroxel AT facstaff.wisc.edu>]

Stevan,

>OK. Perhaps we are in agreement.

I suspect so, and that the problem is terminological, as Licia and Sheila
have noted (and that understandably caused George to question our sanity!).
I agree with Licia that "subjective" and "objective" must be defined, and
with Sheila that, in any case, they are too stark.  The problem (IMO) is
that Paul's language is so phatic that it almost requires a highly nuanced
psychological nomenclature to discuss it (even if "taxonomy is the death of
eductation").  Some degree of "subjectivity" ("mysticism") is always
present in Paul (contrast Hebrews), but both its intensity and prominence
vary.  The only way I know to tackle the problem at this point is by
describing which element ("subjective"/"objective") stands more to the fore
in a particular set of verses.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Ron

Ronald L. Troxel, Ph.D.
Department of Hebrew and Semitic Studies
1340 Van Hise Hall
1220 Linden Dr.
Madison, WI 53706