My study is a first step toward understanding the lived experience of the earliest followers of Christ. Restricting my study to Paul’s portrayal of believers in 1 Corinthians, I focus where Paul’s anthropology, eschatology, and ethics converge, asking: How does Paul propose believers live as bodies in the eschatological tension that comprises Christ’s resurrection and return – believers belonging still to the κόσμος, already to Christ? My primary aim is to establish the premises that in 1 Corinthians believers are indistinguishable from bodies: believers are bodies. I establish my premiss by closely examining Paul’s concept of death as he argues it in 1 Corinthians 15. I argue that there Paul portrays believers consistently as bodies: whether bodies dead or bodies alive, believers are bodies. My aim, secondarily, is to relate that premiss to the believer’s lived experience as Paul portrays it. If Paul portrays believers always as bodies, how does he expect believers-as-bodies to live in the world as he conceives it? I apply my premiss to Paul’s contention in 1 Corinthians 6 that πορνεία uniquely violates the body. Before unpacking Paul’s argument about πορνεία and the body, however, I first address the question: What is πορνεία? After reviewing competing proposals on πορνεία’s meaning, I examine primary Second Temple sources on πορνεία before proposing that πορνεία functions in the Second Temple period chiefly as an othering term, distinguishing the faithful from ‘Others’. I then turn to 1 Corinthians 6.12-20 and Paul’s argument concerning believers-as-bodies and πορνεία. I conclude that Paul there presents believers as bodies that belong already materially to the Lord, though they belong still to the κόσμος that contests the Lord. Believers are bodies ‘in Christ’, in the κόσμος, constituent of each. I approach Paul exegetically and ideationally. I read Paul’s arguments and their inherent logics as they present themselves to me and I defend my reading of them. I make no claims about the social reality Paul’s arguments represent, nor do I claim either a foundational or a final reading of 1 Corinthians, Paul, or Paul’s followers. I offer in the end the barest beginning of an examination of the lived experience of the earliest recorded followers of Christ – a platform from which to consider more broadly lived experiences in Christian origins. I achieve a perspective from which to assess Paul’s followers, concluding with some ideas for further study.

This thesis examines the exegesis of I Corinthians 5:3-5 between the years of 200, when the text is first cited, and 451, by which time the text had been subjected to a variety of exegetical approaches and applied to a number of different situations. A chronological (rather than topical) approach has been adopted; each writer's overall use of the passage is studied, in hope that this will give better insight into his exegesis of the Corinthian text. Although penitential theology was beginning to develop, with one major penance allowed for grievous post-baptismal sin (an idea found in the Shepherd of Hermas), the earliest extant exegesis of I Corinthians 5 :3-5 occurs in the works of Tertullian during his Montanist phase; he cites it to support his argument that certain grave sins are beyond remission by the Church. For Tertullian, the interitum earn is refers to irrevocable excommunication and possible death for a serious offender. The spiritus which is to be saved is that of the Church, since the offender's spirit cannot possibly be saved after a descent into serious sin. Later in the same century, Origen takes a different position; since Paul counseled the church at Corinth to forgive a penitent sinner (II Corinthians 2: 5-11), this was presumably the same man who had so grievously sinned (I Corinthians 5). Therefore, all sins are remissible by the Church. Origen construes the 7tv£uμa to be saved as the offender's spirit. The oA.£0pov -cilc; crapx:oc; refers to the destruction of the cpp6v11μa -cilc; crapx:oc; and may be identified with the sufferings and humiliations which penitents undergo. These approaches to the Corinthian passage are joined by a third in the following century: Basil, although he at times cites I Corinthians 5 :3-5 in a congregational context, also transplants the passage into a monastic setting, deriving support from it for his method of chastising recalcitrant monks. Here xxx is construed as the individualistic, self-asserting human nature. This thesis will show that these three methods of interpreting the Corinthian text remain normative for the period under discussion, although by the end of the period under discussion, writers such as John Chrysostom, Pacian, and Jerome suggest that the punishment may involve more than mere excommunication, although it does include that. By the mid-fifth century, the exegesis of I Corinthians 5 is closely bound to the penitential procedure of the Church, and there is general agreement that the passage's overall character is remedial and restorative; crap~ refers to the carnal nature which must be destroyed in order for a person to become spiritual again, and this is done through penance. The punishment imposed by Paul is seen to be temporary and restorative, not final and destructive. Although the patristic consensus differs from most modem commentators in identifying the offenders of I Corinthians 5 and II Corinthians 2, nevertheless the exegesis of this passage by the Fathers retains its interest and value. Some of the more exceptional interpretations are now echoed in recent commentaries.

Thesis advisor: Angela Kim Harkins / Thesis advisor: Mary Rose D'Angelo / Paul of Tarsus has been considered a prominent figure in early Christianity, and his writings are major influence for the Western Christianity. Traditional interpretations of Paul as a heroic and authoritative figure have neglected his personal experiences, particularly his embodiment of weakness. In this thesis, I suggest that Paul’s embodied experience of weakness appears as the axis that articulates his argument in 2 Cor 10-13. I argue that if we take Paul’s weakness seriously, it turns out to be a decentering experience because he is claiming for a spot within the community as one-among-others, and not as its authoritative hero. The thesis is divided in three consecutive chapters. The first chapter of the thesis discusses the interpretative tradition of 2 Cor 10-13, highlighting how the major interpreters of the letter have shifted from rhetorical and linguistic perspectives to culturally embodied analyses that acknowledge Paul’s weakness. The second chapter examines the usage and function of weakness in Paul’s social and literary context as a Second Temple Jew and minister in Corinth. I discuss how the term 'σθένεια was employed in various texts from Greco-Roman, Second Temple Judaism, and early Christianity backgrounds and explores how diverse are the meanings regarding this word. The third chapter delves into how reading 2 Cor 10-13 through the lens of Paul’s weakness decenters him from an authoritative figure. I argue that the discussion in the letter of tears revolves around Paul’s identity, recognition of the Corinthians as agents in the discussion, and Paul’s claim for a spot as one-among-others in the community. Finally, I present conclusions to the study and ecclesiological projections of reading the Pauline correspondence through the decentering-Paul project’s eyes. / Thesis (STL) — Boston College, 2023. / Submitted to: Boston College. School of Theology and Ministry. / Discipline: Sacred Theology.

Esta dissertação teve como objetivo principal investigar a cobertura da revista Placar a respeito da Seleção Brasileira, do São Paulo Futebol Clube e do Sport Club Corinthians Paulista no período de 1979 a 1984. Embasados por uma perspectiva gramsciniana, situamos a publicação esportiva como um aparelho privado de hegemonia responsável por estimular uma crise de hegemonia e instaurar um novo consenso no campo político e avaliamos as leituras do semanário sobre a participação brasileira na Copa da Espanha, a implantação de um modelo empresarial no tricolor paulista denominada de Revolução São-Paulina, assim como a trajetória percorrida pelo alvinegro paulista durante a Democracia Corintiana. Considerando as capas, as fotografias e os textos, procuramos resgatar a construção simbólica que o semanário fez a respeito do futebol, assim como a sua busca simultânea por resgatar o futebol-arte e modernizar a estrutura administrativa do esporte por meio da implantação da gestão empresarial. Portanto, a equipe verde amarela de 1982, apontada como representante-mor da união entre tradição e modernidade, deveria servir de referência para os clubes nacionais mesmo diante da derrota. Como portadores temporários do ethos nacional até a próxima Copa, caberia aos clubes garantirem o retorno da manifestação artística em campo que havia se perdido durante o regime militar (1964-1985) ao mesmo tempo em que tivessem que se adequar à lógica empresarial. O primeiro clube a ser escolhido como referência do futebol moderno pelo semanário foi o São Paulo, mas se ele possuía todos os elementos que permitissem reconhecê-lo enquanto exemplo de racionalização do esporte, faltava-lhe a emoção necessária para consolidar definitivamente esse projeto. Logo em seguida, o Corinthians é eleito como o novo representante capaz de unir o passado e o presente, pois era possuidor da alma que faltava ao clube do Morumbi. Com o início da Democracia Corintiana, Placar projetava sobre a equipe alvinegra as qualidades tradicionais do futebol-arte que deveriam ser resgatadas e as características modernas que seriam responsáveis por implantar em definitivo o conceito de futebol-empresa. Como representante da vanguarda que consolidaria essa proposta de reforma modernizadora, o periódico elegia Sócrates ídolo corintiano pois o atleta seria capaz de reunir os aspectos do passado e futuro e assim devolver a completude perdida do esporte nacional. Diante da saída do jogador para o futebol europeu, Placar veria o seu projeto político naufragar / This dissertation had, as the main objective, investigate the coverage of Placar Magazine on the Brazilian football team, São Paulo Futebol Clube and Sport Club Corinthians on the period from 1979 to 1984. According to the Gramsci perspective, we consider the sports publishing as a private apparatus of hegemony, responsible for stimulating an hegemony crisis and establish a new consensus in the political field, and we evaluate the point of view of the periodical about Brazilian participation in the Cup of Spain, the implementation of a business model in São Paulo Futebol Clube called Revolução São Paulina and the development of Democracia Corintiana. Considering the magazine covers, photographs and texts, we try to recover the symbolic construction made by the weekly publication about football, as well as its simultaneous pursuit of rescuing the concept of futebol-arte and modernize the administrative structure of the sport through the implementation of business management. Therefore, the Brazilian team of 1982, appointed as the most representative example of the union between tradition and modernity, was used as a reference for national clubs even after the defeat. As representatives of the national ethos until the next World Cup, those sport clubs were responsible to ensure the return of our national artistic expression that was lost during the military years (1964-1985) and at the same time they had to adjust their structure to the business logic. The first club to be chosen as an example of modern football by the magazine was São Paulo, but if it had all the elements that would allow to recognize it as a model of rationalization of sport, it lacked the excitement necessary to definitively consolidate the weekly project. After that, Corinthians was elected as the new representative, able to unite the past and present because it had the soul that was missing in São Paulo. With the beginning of Democracia Corintiana, Placar recognized in Corinthians, the traditional qualities of futebol-arte that should be rescued and the modern features that would be responsible for building the concept of futebol-empresa. As a representative of this kind of plan named reforma modernizadora, the newsletter selected Socrates a Corinthians idol - because the athlete would be able to bring together aspects of the past and future and thus restore the national identity. When the soccer player decided to go to European football, the magazine political project failed

O presente trabalho analisa a trajetória da Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras e do Sport Clube Corinthians Paulista entre 1910-1942. Esse período engloba as disputas internas, os conflitos e negociações para serem aceitos nos campeonatos oficiais e o processo de nacionalização durante o Estado Novo. / This work analyzes the trajectory of Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras/Palmeiras Sport Society and Esporte Clube Corinthians Paulista/Corinthians Paulista Sport Club between 1910 and 1942. This period unites facts such as internal disputes, the conflicts and negotiations to be accepted in official championships and the process of nationalization in the Estado Novo period.

O presente trabalho analisa a trajetória da Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras e do Sport Clube Corinthians Paulista entre 1910-1942. Esse período engloba as disputas internas, os conflitos e negociações para serem aceitos nos campeonatos oficiais e o processo de nacionalização durante o Estado Novo. / This work analyzes the trajectory of Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras/Palmeiras Sport Society and Esporte Clube Corinthians Paulista/Corinthians Paulista Sport Club between 1910 and 1942. This period unites facts such as internal disputes, the conflicts and negotiations to be accepted in official championships and the process of nationalization in the Estado Novo period.

Esta dissertação teve como objetivo principal investigar a cobertura da revista Placar a respeito da Seleção Brasileira, do São Paulo Futebol Clube e do Sport Club Corinthians Paulista no período de 1979 a 1984. Embasados por uma perspectiva gramsciniana, situamos a publicação esportiva como um aparelho privado de hegemonia responsável por estimular uma crise de hegemonia e instaurar um novo consenso no campo político e avaliamos as leituras do semanário sobre a participação brasileira na Copa da Espanha, a implantação de um modelo empresarial no tricolor paulista denominada de Revolução São-Paulina, assim como a trajetória percorrida pelo alvinegro paulista durante a Democracia Corintiana. Considerando as capas, as fotografias e os textos, procuramos resgatar a construção simbólica que o semanário fez a respeito do futebol, assim como a sua busca simultânea por resgatar o futebol-arte e modernizar a estrutura administrativa do esporte por meio da implantação da gestão empresarial. Portanto, a equipe verde amarela de 1982, apontada como representante-mor da união entre tradição e modernidade, deveria servir de referência para os clubes nacionais mesmo diante da derrota. Como portadores temporários do ethos nacional até a próxima Copa, caberia aos clubes garantirem o retorno da manifestação artística em campo que havia se perdido durante o regime militar (1964-1985) ao mesmo tempo em que tivessem que se adequar à lógica empresarial. O primeiro clube a ser escolhido como referência do futebol moderno pelo semanário foi o São Paulo, mas se ele possuía todos os elementos que permitissem reconhecê-lo enquanto exemplo de racionalização do esporte, faltava-lhe a emoção necessária para consolidar definitivamente esse projeto. Logo em seguida, o Corinthians é eleito como o novo representante capaz de unir o passado e o presente, pois era possuidor da alma que faltava ao clube do Morumbi. Com o início da Democracia Corintiana, Placar projetava sobre a equipe alvinegra as qualidades tradicionais do futebol-arte que deveriam ser resgatadas e as características modernas que seriam responsáveis por implantar em definitivo o conceito de futebol-empresa. Como representante da vanguarda que consolidaria essa proposta de reforma modernizadora, o periódico elegia Sócrates ídolo corintiano pois o atleta seria capaz de reunir os aspectos do passado e futuro e assim devolver a completude perdida do esporte nacional. Diante da saída do jogador para o futebol europeu, Placar veria o seu projeto político naufragar / This dissertation had, as the main objective, investigate the coverage of Placar Magazine on the Brazilian football team, São Paulo Futebol Clube and Sport Club Corinthians on the period from 1979 to 1984. According to the Gramsci perspective, we consider the sports publishing as a private apparatus of hegemony, responsible for stimulating an hegemony crisis and establish a new consensus in the political field, and we evaluate the point of view of the periodical about Brazilian participation in the Cup of Spain, the implementation of a business model in São Paulo Futebol Clube called Revolução São Paulina and the development of Democracia Corintiana. Considering the magazine covers, photographs and texts, we try to recover the symbolic construction made by the weekly publication about football, as well as its simultaneous pursuit of rescuing the concept of futebol-arte and modernize the administrative structure of the sport through the implementation of business management. Therefore, the Brazilian team of 1982, appointed as the most representative example of the union between tradition and modernity, was used as a reference for national clubs even after the defeat. As representatives of the national ethos until the next World Cup, those sport clubs were responsible to ensure the return of our national artistic expression that was lost during the military years (1964-1985) and at the same time they had to adjust their structure to the business logic. The first club to be chosen as an example of modern football by the magazine was São Paulo, but if it had all the elements that would allow to recognize it as a model of rationalization of sport, it lacked the excitement necessary to definitively consolidate the weekly project. After that, Corinthians was elected as the new representative, able to unite the past and present because it had the soul that was missing in São Paulo. With the beginning of Democracia Corintiana, Placar recognized in Corinthians, the traditional qualities of futebol-arte that should be rescued and the modern features that would be responsible for building the concept of futebol-empresa. As a representative of this kind of plan named reforma modernizadora, the newsletter selected Socrates a Corinthians idol - because the athlete would be able to bring together aspects of the past and future and thus restore the national identity. When the soccer player decided to go to European football, the magazine political project failed

The researcher started the study with the premise that Theological Docetism which is defined as the tendency to theologise or spiritualise apparent social issues without due regard for other possible factors (Hawthorne & Martin 1993: 893), is widespread among pastors. This hypothesis, based on intuition and observation rather than on science, required investigation and the researcher set about doing so with the aim of showing how some social and cultural practices of the first century influenced the issues in the church at Corinth and then to do a parallel study on the way issues are dealt with by pastors in the Church of the Nazarene in Gauteng in particular. The purpose of the study is to create awareness of the practice of Theological Docetism among pastors in the Church of the Nazarene and to encourage a change in attitude and conduct with regard to dealing with church related problems. Selected issues in 1 Corinthians chapters 5 to 11 were used as reference for possible socio-cultural influence. A literary review of the work of notable scholars in the field of the socio-cultural and historical background of the New Testament such as Wayne Meeks, Victor Furnish, Bruce Malina, Abraham Malherbe, and others, was done to determine their findings on what influenced the issues in the church at Corinth. The issues under scrutiny in the church at Corinth were incidences of immorality and 5 lawsuits, questions concerning marriage, the apparent abuse of Christian freedom, uncertainty about whether to consume meat offered to idols, the conduct of some women during worship and the sharing of food at the love feast. Based on the literary review, a socio-historical summary revealed that the congregation’s understanding of their “newness in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5: 14 – 20) was compounded or seriously influenced by their socio-cultural environment. For instance, the researcher focused attention on the issues of lawsuits, the immoral man, food sacrificed to idols and the factions at the love feast and found that the way the members of the Corinthian congregation thought and acted was habitual because they had learnt to do so from others before them (Nolan 1995: 73). The immoral man (1 Corinthians 5: 1 – 13) was tolerated by the congregation because he was a patron to some of them and the rest were afraid to offend him because of the social ramifications inherent in patron – client relationships. The love of honour (Neyrey 1998: 15 – 34) fuelled the dispute between the Christian brothers (1 Corinthians 6: 1 – 11) because public attestation and consent to claims of honour was best obtained in courts of law. Class, status and honour contributed significantly to the issue surrounding the eating of meat sacrificed to idols (1 Corinthians 8: 1 – 13) while class distinctions was at the root of the problems experienced at the love feast or common meal (1 Corinthians 11: 17 – 34). It is the researcher’s conclusion that the issues or problems at Corinth did not have purely spiritual origins and that this needs to be taken into account when the text is interpreted by modern readers. 6 The parallel study relating to Theological Docetism in the Church of the Nazarene in Gauteng was done by means of a survey in which a questionnaire containing both open-ended and closed-ended questions was used as the primary tool for collecting data. There are rules that govern the design and use of questionnaires and the researcher was careful to follow these very closely. The research process for this section was done in three stages. The first stage involved the identification of the intended respondents and the construction of the survey questionnaire. The intended respondents were pastors of the Church of the Nazarene in Gauteng who are presently involved in pastoring churches on the District. The questionnaire was carefully and objectively designed for gathering data surrounding demographics, Scriptural information and church information. Since data in descriptive survey research is susceptible to distortion through the introduction of bias into the design of the questionnaire, the researcher was careful to state questions that fulfil his specific research objective and that they were constructed in such a way that only the most important and relevant data was generated. The second stage involved the pilot test of the questionnaire, the creation of the cover letter that accompanied it and a discussion with the District Superintendent of the Gauteng churches during which the aims and purpose of the study was explained and permission sought to conduct the survey. The pilot test was conducted among ordained elders of the Church of the Nazarene who are all former full time pastors and are now serving as faculty and staff at the academic institution where the researcher is employed. The third stage involved the distribution and collection of the questionnaire. A full sampling of the intended respondents resulted in a fifty percent response and return rate. 7 Data generated by the survey led to the conclusion that pastors of the Church of the Nazarene in Gauteng knew of the problems in the church at Corinth but understood the causes of the problems to be fundamentally spiritual in nature. Responses generally referred to “unsanctified people, lack of love for each other and compromise with sin”. The respondents know what the cultural background of the Christians at Corinth was but indicated that the major influences on the problems were, again, essentially spiritual. Present application indicated that the pastors know and can communicate the doctrine of Sanctification (fundamental to the Church of the Nazarene) which is defined as a subsequent work of grace by the Holy Spirit that cleanses the believer from the principle of sin, enabling him or her to live in harmony with God and man. Problems (specifically moral and interpersonal) would generally be construed to be due to an unsanctified spirit or compromise with sin. Respondents further indicated that cultural values that are in conflict with the Bible and Christian values should be rejected but there is reservation with regard to whether a sanctified person should struggle with moral and interpersonal issues. The persuasion in this regard is that as the believer grows in grace these issues that cause struggle will become less. However, more pastors believe unreservedly that a sanctified believer should not struggle with moral and interpersonal issues. The implication is that if the sanctified struggles there must be something wrong with the consecration or there is compromise with sin. People who cause problems are generally told to pray and ask God for guidance. This advice generally corresponds with the understanding of the origin of 8 problems. The belief surrounding this understanding is that moral and interpersonal struggles which generally result in problems in the church stem from persons who are unsanctified and compromising with sin. It is further postulated that Sanctification or the second / subsequent work of grace cleanses the heart from the principle or inclination to sin. Therefore, if the person sins, he or she cannot be sanctified and must be encouraged to seek the experience by asking God for guidance. The hypothesis of the study was proven to be correct by the data generated through the survey. Recommendations to remedy the current practice of Theological Docetism in the Church of the Nazarene in Gauteng involve the pastors making a conscious effort to learn the cultural backgrounds of their increasingly diversified congregants, gaining crosscultural communication skills and embarking on lifelong learning endeavours. / Prof. J. A Du Rand

The focus of this work is on parallels between Old Testament and New Testament. We chose specific texts that will help us to show how these two parts of the Bible are connected. We want to examine Paul's use of Psalms in his First letter to Corinth and decide whether his quotations have similar theological context and motifs. We would like to present three main topics that are connecting Paul's use of the Psalms: human wisdom, God's sovereignty and Christ's sovereignty. The first one covers Psalm 94:11 in 1 Cor 3:20, the second one covers Psalms 24, 89 and 50 in 1 Cor 10:26 and the third covers Psalms 8 and 110 in 1 Cor 15:25,27. In addition to quotations we work with allusions which are included in mentioned chapters as well as one other chapter dealing with topic of Exodus in various psalms and Ps 31:25. Our goal is to prove that Paul had theological reasons to use Psalms in his First epistle to Corinth; therefore we conduct an exegesis of the passages above.

Despite the fact that scholars regularly overlook the theme of the kingdom in Paul’s letters, the thesis of this work is that the kingdom is a foundational component of God’s saving work in Christ in 1 Corinthians. This thesis can be demonstrated by observing three primarily lines of evidence: (1) the relationship of the kingdom to the effects of Christ’s death, resurrection, and saving reign, (2) the consistency of Paul’s kingdom references with respect to his inaugurated eschatological schema, and (3) the connection between the kingdom and Paul’s ethical teaching, or what might also be referred to as the transforming work of the Spirit. Chapter 1 provides a history of research concerning the different approaches to Paul’s theology of the kingdom in modern scholarship. Relatively few scholars have addressed the topic in a comprehensive way, and where the kingdom has been addressed, it has commonly been suggested that Paul has replaced it with another theme. Chapters 2 through 4 examine Paul’s references to the kingdom in the following texts: 1 Corinthians 4:8, 20; 6:2-3, 9-11; 15:20-28, 50. In addition to examining Paul’s use of words in the βασιλ– word group, these chapters also focus on Paul’s use of kingdom-related concepts, such as the reign of Christ, the reign of believers, and the future judgment of the saints. A number of connections are also drawn between the kingdom and related eschatological themes. Chapter 5 compares Paul’s kingdom theology in 1 Corinthians with the rest of his epistles. It is argued that there is a consistency to the apostle’s theology of the kingdom, even as different contexts require different aspects of the kingdom to be emphasized. The conclusion in chapter 6 provides a summary of the findings in the previous chapters, including a recap of how the thesis has been demonstrated. Also included are some limitations and implications of this work, along with suggestions for further study on this topic.