Corpus-Paul

["Neil Elliott" <elliott AT igc.org>]

I've received a letter from Dr. Bastiaan Wielenga in
India including several essays on Paul's political views.
His reading of 1 Cor. 7:21 is particularly intriguing.
He takes the Gk to mean "if you get a chance [to become
free] make use rather [of your slavery]," a traditional
and usually conservative reading.  Wielenga argues,
however, that Paul's point is NOT to reinforce the
social status quo but to create a sort of working-
class consciousness (if I may paraphrase).  Paul (on
this reading) does NOT want members of the slave class
to seek their own individual liberty AND THUS LEAVE THE
SOCIAL SYSTEM UNCHALLENGED, but to work AS A CLASS for
change.  Wielenga points to labor organizing efforts
in India that take exactly this strategy--NO ONE gets
to "get out" of bad working conditions individually;
all must work together.

Though I've read 1 Cor. 7:21 differently (LIBERATING
PAUL, ch. 2), Wielenga has given me pause for thought!
I've also just finished Justin Meggitt's PAUL, POVERTY,
AND SURVIVAL, a generally convincing broadside against
the "new consensus" that Paul was a member of the
Roman middle-class or even aristocratic class.  His
take on Christian "mutuality" as a survival strategy
in the Roman economy seems to move along similar lines
to Wielenga's arguments.

Any thoughts?

Neil Elliott