Reclaiming Paul

The Apostle in the Emerging World

October 22-24, 2008
Kansas City, MO

presented by Nazarene Theological Seminary
in partnership with Emergent Village
hosted by Jacob’s Well Church

Reclaiming Paul: The Apostle in the Emerging World brings together emerging church leaders and Pauline scholars for a robust theological conversation on Paul and the Church. This event includes four presentations by Pauline scholars, responses by emerging church leaders and a variety of related workshops.  There will be plenty of time for interaction between all participants.

Conversations in the emerging church tend to have an immediate affinity with the gospel narratives. There does not seem to be a similar affinity for Paul’s writings, prompting the critique that emerging churches have not come to terms with Paul. Many emerging church leaders have indeed had great difficulty with an extremely forensic and individually focused view of Paul, a view based mostly on particular interpretations of Romans and Galatians.

In academic circles, many Pauline scholars also react to this particular view of Paul based on careful historical, exegetical, and theological arguments. The resulting portrait of Paul among the scholars, while still a bit fuzzy around the edges, is easier to relate to the Jesus of the gospels than the extremely forensic, individually focused view of Paul to which many in emerging churches react.

The purpose of Reclaiming Paul is to provide resources for appropriating Paul to leaders of local churches and at the same time provide several leading Pauline scholars with an exposure to leaders of local communities where some of their proposals about Paul are already being instinctively embodied.

We invite you to join the conversation on October 22-24, 2008.  Click here to register online.  The cost of this conference is $189.  Registration is capped at 300, so reserve your place today.  University & Seminary students may register for $95 by calling Virginia at 816-268-5413.

The Reclaiming Paul conference is hosted by Jacob’s Well Church, located at 1617 West 42nd Street in Kansas City, Missouri 64111.  Click here for a map.