Paul the Storyteller

“Recent scholarship has applied narratology to the Corpus Paulinum. In contrast to the macro-narrative constructions of Richard Hays and N. T. Wright, Christoph Heilig argues for micro-narratives or implicit narratives in Paul’s letters on the basis of textual linguistics. The result is a persuasive case for protonarratives in Paul’s letters that provides a new framework for reading the letters. I recommend the work enthusiastically.”
—Gregory E. Sterling, Yale Divinity School
 
“The important controversies concerning ‘narrative substructures’ in Paul’s theology have lacked methodological rigor—until now! Heilig uses his expertise in narratology and text grammar to set this scholarly discussion on a firm footing, starting from the myriad mini-narratives explicit in Paul’s texts. The analysis may be demanding for those unfamiliar with the concepts, but the results are richly rewarding, as Heilig here charts the only plausible and secure path for future research in this field.”
—John M. G. Barclay, Durham University
 
“Christoph Heilig masterfully shows how in the apostle Paul’s letters, the Word has become a story; in other words, how Paul’s theology is deeply embedded in episodic and grand narratives. Heilig explains how narrativity works and how narratives work out in Paul’s letters. A terrific resource for studying Paul and the storied nature of Paul’s theology.”
—Michael F. Bird, Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia
 
“Narrative study in Paul takes a giant step forward with Paul the Storyteller. Heilig delivers a brilliant, comprehensive analysis of both explicit and implicit narratives in Paul’s letters, providing in-depth research, clear definitions, and numerous examples of the importance of narrative structures for interpreting Paul.”
—Lynn H. Cohick, Houston Theological Seminary
 
“Stories are everywhere, if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. Christoph Heilig’s book helps us attune our senses to notice both explicit and implicit storytelling in Paul’s letters. More than that, time and again his book offers a close analysis of Paul’s precise wording and a compelling case that our typical translations and interpretations flatten and obscure the richness of Paul’s expression. The result is a book that mediates to us a greater understanding of what Paul wrote and a heightened appreciation for what has made these texts so compelling over the span of millennia.”
—James McGrath, Butler University
 
“Few Pauline scholars have considered narrative as closely as Christoph Heilig, and those who have will need to reconsider in light of this book. Monumental, penetrating, and utterly compelling, this book is a game-changer.”
—Constantine R. Campbell, Sydney College of Divinity
 
“In Paul the Storyteller, Christoph Heilig demonstrates his characteristic care in probing issues that are both significant and disputed within scholarship. Proposing a fresh narratological approach to the question of whether Paul can be considered a storyteller, Heilig points a way forward in an area of study that has been at something of a standstill. This book might well be the start of the second quest for the narratological Paul.”
—Bruce Longenecker, Baylor University
 
“I welcome Christoph Heilig’s unusually thorough volume on the narratology of the apostle Paul. In it, he masterfully examines the linguistic and metalinguistic factors by which the narrative side of the Corpus Paulinum can be meaningfully interpreted. I am particularly pleased with his consistent inclusion of text-grammatical factors.”
—Heinrich von Siebenthal, Staatsunabhängige Theologische Hochschule Basel
 
“Christoph Heilig takes the narrative approaches of Richard B. Hays and N. T. Wright and shifts them onto a foundation in narrativity, correcting some missteps and grounding his own exegesis more solidly in linguistics and, thus, in the text. The readings that emerge from Paul’s letters, both narratives and implicit narratives, will provide much fuel for future discussion and debate. As did his earlier work with Bayes’ Theorem, Heilig’s narratological methodology paves a new and theoretically solid way forward for biblical scholarship.”
—Laura J. Hunt, University of Wales, Trinity St. David
 
“In this thought-provoking book, Christoph Heilig applies the theory of narratology to the analysis of Paul’s letters in much more depth than any other work that I am aware of. Paul the Storyteller not only offers valuable insights into Pauline thought but also abandons the old prejudice that Paul does not tell stories. In so doing, Heilig contributes greatly to Pauline scholarship and also provides biblical scholars with a profound introduction to narratology.”
—Nils Neumann, Leibniz Universität Hannover
 
“The work of Richard B. Hays and N. T. Wright has put the exploration of the narrative dimensions of Paul’s theology at the center of scholarly debate. More recently, however, these discussions seem to have reached an impasse, with positions becoming entrenched, fresh arguments rare, and old misunderstandings remaining. In Paul the Storyteller Christoph Heilig presents his innovative suggestions for moving forward. He offers English readers a concise and highly readable summary of his extensive research on the theoretical and methodological foundations for critically assessing and properly appreciating the narrative dimensions of Paul’s letter. Even readers who do not share all his assumptions or conclusions will have much to learn from his sophisticated and cutting-edge engagement with narratological and text-linguistic theory and the new insights into Paul’s stories it affords.”
—Simon Dürr, Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas
 
“While narrativity in the Gospels has been researched extensively and with a high degree of methodological specialization in recent decades, Paul’s letters have received less attention. Christoph Heilig’s new book is now devoted to the apostle’s explicit and implicit narratives with great expertise.”
—Uta Poplutz, Bergische Universität Wuppertal
 
“Heilig has made a significant contribution to the narratological analysis of Pauline epistles through his incorporation of text linguistics, text grammar, and cognitive linguistics. The clarity of his writing and his command of the relevant scholarly discussions make Paul the Storyteller a commendable entry point for newcomers or those desiring to keep abreast of new developments.”
—Steven E. Runge, Biblica
 
“I recommend this book as a milestone in narratological research on Paul’s letters. It offers profound methodological insights into storytelling and new perspectives on Paul’s communicative strategies.”
—Ute E. Eisen, Institut für Evangelische Theologie, Justus Liebig Universität Gießen
 
“Rarely have we seen such a meticulously crafted method for analyzing narratives in Paul. Heilig is quickly establishing himself as a leading scholar in the field. Both critics and proponents of narrative perspectives on Paul will find this book stimulating and useful, propelling the conversation beyond its current limits. Heilig articulates a way forward for analyzing Pauline stories with unmatched rigor, excavating at once both the grammar of narrative and higher-level concepts that drove Paul’s storied approach. If you hope to be spoon-fed quick aphorisms about Paul the storyteller, look elsewhere. Instead, expect a firehose of detailed textual work, grounded in the best narratological theory the field has to offer. It will take some time to digest, but Heilig’s work is a true interdisciplinary gem, unrivaled in its scope and thoroughly original. This study stands as the most comprehensive attempt to date at uncovering the mechanisms at work in the texts that shape Pauline narratives. Heilig’s work should challenge those sympathetic to narrative studies of Paul to reconsider the ways that we have uncritically and imprecisely applied narrative language to Paul’s letters, while also encouraging further movement toward recognizing that narratives are, in fact, an important component in the writings of the apostle.”
—Justin Winzenburg, Crown College
 
“Paul the Storyteller is the new standard work that no one who is interested in a narratological approach to Paul can ignore. In fact, this well-argued and accessible monograph is a must-read for everyone wanting to gain a deeper understanding of Paul’s letters and theology. Heilig provides not only a fascinating discussion of previous scholarship on narrative dynamics in Paul, but also opens up new horizons of interpretation by delivering a well-founded, novel approach that will be the starting point for future engagement with Paul.”
—Volker Rabens, Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena
 
“While the application of narratological methodologies to the Gospels and Acts has advanced considerably in recent years, approaches to narrative in Paul’s letters have largely continued relying on poorly defined methodological grounds. Proceeding on a grammatical-narratological methodological footing considerably more meticulous than those in prior narrative approaches to Paul’s letters, building upon his own previous narratological work in Paul, Christoph Heilig’s Paul the Storyteller shows that Paul not only refers to implicit stories but also constructs explicit narratives in his epistolary corpus. Along the way, Heilig provides a helpful introduction of current German narratology for all scholars of the New Testament. In so doing, he makes great gains in both areas of study from which future narratological approaches to Paul’s letters, and the rest of the New Testament, will benefit considerably.”
—Paul D. Wheatley, University of Notre Dame