Paul and sophistic rhetoric: a perspective on his argumentation in the Letter to the Galations

In this article Paul’s argumentation is analysed from the perspective of sophistic rhetoric. In the first section the question is discussed what it means to label Paul’s rhetoric in his Letter to the Galatians ‘sophistic.’ To that end, an attempt is made to reconstruct the view of a contemporary cr...

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Main Author: J. S. de Vos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2007-12-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2177
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author J. S. de Vos
author_facet J. S. de Vos
author_sort J. S. de Vos
collection DOAJ
description In this article Paul’s argumentation is analysed from the perspective of sophistic rhetoric. In the first section the question is discussed what it means to label Paul’s rhetoric in his Letter to the Galatians ‘sophistic.’ To that end, an attempt is made to reconstruct the view of a contemporary critical reader who did not share Paul’s presuppositions and who was well acquainted with the discussions in the philosophical and rhetorical schools about acceptable and non-acceptable rhetorical methods. This approach is compared with other approaches to analysing Paul’s argumentation. The second section investigates more closely what it means when ‘sophistic rhetoric’ is used as a key to analyse Paul’s theology. To that end, some models which start from a ‘Platonic’ view of rhetoric are compared with a model which combines a ‘(neo-)sophistic’ or constructionist view with a ‘rhetoric of power.’
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spelling doaj-art-fe03c65600b94d299f740550e901ea052025-02-11T10:08:36ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892007-12-01910.38140/at.v0i9.2177Paul and sophistic rhetoric: a perspective on his argumentation in the Letter to the GalationsJ. S. de Vos0University of the Free State In this article Paul’s argumentation is analysed from the perspective of sophistic rhetoric. In the first section the question is discussed what it means to label Paul’s rhetoric in his Letter to the Galatians ‘sophistic.’ To that end, an attempt is made to reconstruct the view of a contemporary critical reader who did not share Paul’s presuppositions and who was well acquainted with the discussions in the philosophical and rhetorical schools about acceptable and non-acceptable rhetorical methods. This approach is compared with other approaches to analysing Paul’s argumentation. The second section investigates more closely what it means when ‘sophistic rhetoric’ is used as a key to analyse Paul’s theology. To that end, some models which start from a ‘Platonic’ view of rhetoric are compared with a model which combines a ‘(neo-)sophistic’ or constructionist view with a ‘rhetoric of power.’ https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2177
spellingShingle J. S. de Vos
Paul and sophistic rhetoric: a perspective on his argumentation in the Letter to the Galations
Acta Theologica
title Paul and sophistic rhetoric: a perspective on his argumentation in the Letter to the Galations
title_full Paul and sophistic rhetoric: a perspective on his argumentation in the Letter to the Galations
title_fullStr Paul and sophistic rhetoric: a perspective on his argumentation in the Letter to the Galations
title_full_unstemmed Paul and sophistic rhetoric: a perspective on his argumentation in the Letter to the Galations
title_short Paul and sophistic rhetoric: a perspective on his argumentation in the Letter to the Galations
title_sort paul and sophistic rhetoric a perspective on his argumentation in the letter to the galations
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2177
work_keys_str_mv AT jsdevos paulandsophisticrhetoricaperspectiveonhisargumentationinthelettertothegalations