Douglas Campbell on Pauline Dogmatics, Gospel, Myth, and Non-Violent Justice

New Testament scholar Douglas Campbell joins David Gornoski in a fascinating discussion on Pauline dogmatics and its effect on our worldview. What is the starting point of theology? Campbell says that dogmatics start from the statement “Jesus is Lord.” For us to know who the historical Jesus actually was, Campbell suggests that we start with the writings of Paul.

The conversation then moves to the parallels between the gospels and mythological narratives. One thing that’s often overlooked, David says, is how similar the gospel narrative is to the ancient myths and how that similarity surprisingly results in opposite effects from both.

How can a Christian address the dark side of history? “For a Christian, the means is the end,” Campbell says while highlighting the non-violent medium of Jesus’ message. How can we apply Jesus’ non-violent ethos to the places we often overlook? Is Jesus winning when we observe history unpacking right before us? Listen to the full podcast to find out and more.

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Buy Douglas Campbell’s latest book Pauline Dogmatics on Amazon.