Participating in Christ - by Michael J Gorman (Paperback)

About the Book

A world-renowned scholar examines the important Pauline theme of participation in Christ and explores its contemporary significance for Christian life and ministry.

Book Synopsis

World-renowned scholar Michael Gorman examines the important Pauline theme of participation in Christ and explores its contemporary significance for Christian life and ministry. One of the themes Gorman explores is what he calls "resurrectional cruciformity"--that participating in Christ is simultaneously dying and rising with him and that cross-shaped living, infused with the life of the resurrected Lord, is life giving. Throughout the book, Gorman demonstrates the centrality of participating in Christ for Paul's theology and spirituality.

From the Back Cover

"Michael Gorman is one of the leading Paul scholars of our time, committing his professional career to expounding the significance of union with Christ for both academic theology and practical Christianity. In this collection of essays we find Gorman at his erudite best, combining Pauline themes of participation, justification, cruciformity, mission, resurrection living, and spirituality with rare poignancy and power. Few volumes are both informative and spiritually uplifting--this one is!"
--Michael F. Bird, Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia

"Participating in Christ demonstrates how Pauline justification/righteousness is seamlessly interwoven with transformation--indeed, with what later church theologians shockingly called 'theosis.' Gorman offers both careful (and typically provocative) exegeses of key texts and an exhilarating panorama into which these close analyses are cunningly fitted."
--Edith M. Humphrey, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

"The fruit of a lifetime of study on Paul, Participating in Christ is accessible, clear, and compelling. Gorman expertly explores the foundational coherence uniting Paul's theology across his corpus--participation in Christ's narrative through co-crucifixion and co-resurrection. Importantly, he moves beyond simply providing historical exegesis by demonstrating the integration of this reading within the history of the church and in the life of the church today."
--Ben C. Blackwell, Houston Baptist University

"Gorman is America's leading Pauline theologian. I have been following his work on Paul for over fifteen years. Each installment of his research adds fresh and stimulating ideas to the conversation, and Participating in Christ is no exception. This is more than just a book on a narrow topic called 'participation'; rather, Gorman both addresses this master concept and draws in many other key topics in Paul, such as justification, reconciliation, covenant, and mission."
--Nijay K. Gupta, Portland Seminary

"Once again Gorman opens our eyes to fresh perspectives on the theology and spirituality of the apostle Paul, empowering readers of the Pauline epistles to see the apostle and his efforts through a fully participatory lens. Gorman unravels how being 'in Christ' means embodying continuously and simultaneously Good Friday and Easter. This highly original account of what Gorman terms 'resurrectional cruciformity' has enormous potential to move New Testament scholars as well as everyday readers beyond Old and New, and Western and Eastern, perspectives on Paul."
--Volker Rabens, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany

About the Author

Michael J. Gorman (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is the Raymond E. Brown Chair in Biblical Studies and Theology at St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the author of numerous books, including Elements of Biblical Exegesis and Scripture and Its Interpretation.