Why the New Perspective on Paul was Necessary: A Pictorial Argument
There has been much commentary on the theological implications stemming from the "New Perspective on Paul," both positive and negative, and usually focusing on the views of N.T. Wright, the most prominent spokesperson of the NPP. Some random samplings from the blogosphere, just from the last few days, can be found here , here , here , here , here , and here . I can join in on the theological musings, analyze the pros and cons of the NPP, but I think others are better equipped to do so. What I wanted to introduce into the debate is this. The NPP was a subset of an overall shift in Christian theology to try to view the New Testament within the 1st century Jewish categories in which it was written. Again, I could ramble on for pages an pages about why that overarching paradigm shift was necessary, but I think the point is better made from a random sampling of Christian art through the centuries. This sampling concerns "the Parable of the Prodigal Son," which happens to...