Corpus-Paul

["Mark D. Nanos" <nanosmd AT comcast.net>]

Fred,
As you can see from the replies, this is a large field, yet with much to be
done in terms of application to the letters in the NT. Some of the important
references have already been mentioned. Galatians has been a central text
for discussions of epistolary analysis and its interface with rhetorical
analysis since Betz's article and commentary in the 70's touched off the
contemporary debate. Please indulge the self-reference, but I think these
should be useful, and are new.

    The Galatians Debate: Contemporary Issues in Rhetorical and Historical
Interpretation, M. Nanos, ed., Hendrickson, 2002:
    The first half of this just released edited volume is designed around
exemplary articles from Betz, Hall, Smit, Berchman, Martin, Classen that
trace a variety of contemporary approaches to the rhetorical (and to some
degree epistolary) analysis of Galatians; followed by essays by Dahl (a
wonderful previously unpublished paper from 1973 one sometimes finds
mentioned) and Hansen on epistolary analysis; as well as rhetorical and
epistolary analysis of the autobiographical material by Koptak, Vos, and
Hester. (Just to complete the picture of the volume: The second half
includes essays of rhetorical as well as socio-historical nature by Dunn,
Fredriksen, Esler, and Nanos on the autobiographical section of Galatians,
with emphasis on the Antioch Incident, followed by Harvey, Jewett, Martyn,
Walter, Barclay, Lategan, Nanos, and Mitternacht on the Galatians
situation.) A 40+ page introduction offers a framework for the various
debates, and a summary of each contribution (most are republished, some are
new). There is also a glossary that includes many rhetorical terms, among
others, and an extensive bibliography.

    The Irony of Galatians: Paul's Letter in First-Century Context, M.
Nanos, Fortress, 2002:
    I have argued that Galatians should be approached as a letter of ironic
rebuke, and spell out some of the implications that I believe follow from a
more epistolary approach and attention to irony, especially the case for
reconsideration of the rhetorical and historical situation(s) that ironic
use of language would imply. It also offers an appendix analyzing the issues
that arise in the contemporary debate about rhetorical and epistolary
analyses, with extensive bibliography.

If you read German, another recent monograph on Galatians employing
epistolary analysis is:
    Forum für Sprachlose: Eine kommunikationspsychologische und
epistolär-rhetorische Untersuchung des Galaterbriefs, D. Mitternacht,
Almquist and Wiksell, 1999.

For primary data on such things as epistolary handbooks, a very useful
resource (already mentioned) is:
     A. Malherbe, Ancient Epistolary Theorists, Scholars Press, 1988.

Regards,
Mark
-- 
Mark D. Nanos, Ph.D.
313 NE Landings Dr.
Lee's Summit, MO 64064
USA
nanosmd AT comcast.net