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  • From: Loren Rosson <rossoiii AT yahoo.com>
  • To: Corpus-paul <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Paul's Gospel
  • Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 05:01:37 -0700 (PDT)


[Elli]
>I'm not saying we should assent to everything
>just because it's the prevailing view, just that
>we have to hold a discussion with some recognition
>of what that prevailing view is. That's what
>I'm asking for. Otherwise we get awash in a lot of
>discussion that gets hard to sort through with any
>coherence. Perhaps it would be good for Jeffrey
>to propose some of the general assumptions -- NOT as
>a platform to which we must all agree, but as
>assumptions we can agree are the general current
>paradigm. Maybe framing such a list would itself be
>a good topic for discussion.

I think Elli's idea is a good one. To get the ball
rolling, I'll outline a few consensus points relating
to the authorship, date, and place of composition for
the thirteen letters. As Elli cautions, these are by
no means to be taken as edicts -- for indeed, they
should be continually challenged -- only points of
significant scholarly agreement.

____________________________________________________

I Thessalonians: Generally agreed to be Paul's first
surviving letter, written from Corinth c. 48-50.

II Thessalonians: Disputed. If written by Paul, it
probably followed right on the heels of I
Thessalonians. If written by a Pauline disciple, it
may reflect post-70 apocalyptic thought.

Galatians: Written by Paul. Date and place of
composition fiercely disputed. It may have been
written from Antioch, Ephesus, or Corinth -- as early
as 48, as late as 56.

I Corinthians: Written by Paul, from Ephesus sometime
in the mid-50's.

II Corinthians: Generally acknowledged as a composite
of anywhere between 2-7 letters, all written by Paul,
from a variety of places, during the mid 50's.

Philippians: Written by Paul. Date disputed; written
from either Ephesus or Rome. If written from Ephesus,
probably around the same time as the Corinthian
correspondences. If written from Rome, then much
later, in the late 50's or early 60's. It may be a
composite of two separate letters.

Romans: Generally agreed to be Paul's last surviving
letter, written from Corinth in the late 50's.

Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon: Disputed letters
related to one another by themes or addressees.
Generally agreed that Paul did not write Ephesians;
that he may or may not have written Colossians; that
he definitely wrote Philemon. If written by Paul, any
of them may have been written from Rome or Casarea (in
the late 50's or early 60's). Alternatively,
Colossians and Philemon may have been written from
Ephesus (in the mid 50's).

I & II Timothy, Titus: Generally agreed to be
post-Pauline, with the possible exception of an
authentic fragment preserved in II Timothy.
__________________________________________________

These are just a few consensus points relating to
authorship and origin. I maintain that the burden of
proof should continue to rest on those who would deny
Paul's signature to any of the thirteen letters (even
the pastorals). Of course, many scholars have accepted
that burden, and things remain unpromising for
Ephesians and the pastorals -- though I do believe he
wrote the former.

Others should feel free to add to this list, or
correct me where I've made any blunders.

Loren Rosson III
Nashua NH
rossoiii AT yahoo.com



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