The Pauline Churches : A Socio-Historical Study of Institutionalization in the Pauline and Deutero-Pauline Writings. By Margaret Y. MacDonald. CAMBRIDGE : 1988.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. First Edition . Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good. 8vo. FIRST EDITION. CAMBRIDGE : 1988. [ Series: Society for New Testament Studies. Monograph series 60. ]. Hardback. Original dark blue cloth; gilt lettered spine. In pale blue printed dust-jacket. In tight, bright and clean condition. Neat owner name of ROY COAD (the Brethren scholar and historian), dated 1989.or internal markings. Slight fading to jacket; now in a clear protective sleeve. VERY GOOD INDEED. In Very Good jacket. (xii), 286 pages. Bibliography: p270-280. Index. Uncommon in jacket. CONTENTS: Preface; Abbreviations; Introduction; 1. The project; 2. The social sciences and New Testament interpretation; 3. Methodological limits and possibilities; 4. Where from here?; Part I. Paul: Community-Building Institutionalization: 5. Attitudes to the world/ethics; 6. Ministry; 7. Ritual; 8. Belief; 9. General conclusion; Part II. Colossians and Ephesians: Community-Stabilizing Institutionalization: 10. Attitudes to the world/ethics; 11. Ministry; 12. Ritual; 13. Belief; 14. General conclusion; Part III. The Pastoral Epistles: Community-Protecting Institutionalization: 15. Attitudes to the world/ethics; 16. Ministry; 17. Ritual; 18. Belief; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Index of Biblical passages discussed; Subject index. SUMMARY: The author studies the Pauline corpus in order to trace the process of institutionalisation in the Pauline communities. She claims that development can be traced since we have not only letters from Paul himself, but also the Pastoral epistles from the beginning of the second century, as well as Ephesians and Colossians, writings which are characteristic of the ambiguous period following the disappearance of the earliest authorities. This is the first substantial examination of the Pauline corpus from this angle; it also incorporates effectively insights from the social sciences. **Will be well-packed for posting/shipping**. 8vo. [ Rosley Books for Antiquarian books, CHS, Cumberland, Everyman, GKC, Inklings, Keswick, Literature, MacDonald, Rarities, Theology and History. ].