Conflict in Corinth: Redefining the System: 42 (Studies in Biblical Literature) - Tapa dura

«With a deep commitment to parish ministry anchored in scholarly biblical research, Dr. Robertson applies the timeless truths of St. Paul's letters to the Corinthians to the demands of the twenty-first century. This is a book that is warmly commended.» (The Most Rev. Dr. George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury)
«New Testament and pastoral specialists will be challenged by C.K. Robertson's paradigm shift for viewing conflict in the Corinthian community. He moves from linear, cause and effect thinking to a family systems approach for resolving church conflict.» (Charles G. Gravenstine, Professor of Pastoral Studies, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.)
«If you thought that the range of approaches to 1 Corinthians from sociological and related perspectives had been exhausted, you were wrong. Writing from his own rich experience in conflict management, not least in church circles, as well as his close engagement with the text, Dr. Robertson has produced a fascinating study of the overlapping relational networks in the Corinthian church and of how Paul handled the resulting tensions. The outcome is not only a more satisfying exegesis of the text, but fresh insights of continuing validity and value.» (James D. G. Dunn, Lightfoot Professor of Divinity, Department of Theology, University of Durham)

The apostle Paul faced a "double dilemma" in the first-century church in Corinth: although there appears to have been a divisive spirit in the congregation, there was little conflict between the church and its relational environment. Conflict in Corinth examines the situation in Corinth and Paul's response to it by utilizing principles and imagery from systems thinking. Inadequate group boundaries and confusion regarding the unique identity of the Christian community gave rise to numerous seemingly unrelated problems. As illustrated throughout the work, Paul used family relationships and images to redefine the church system and reconfigure its internal relationships.