Constructing the Self: Thinking with Paul and Michel Foucault

Description

Using some of the works of Michel Foucault (1926-1984) as a conversation partner, Valérie Nicolet-Anderson focuses on the manner in which Paul constructs the identity of his audience in his letter to the Romans. In particular, she analyzes how the notions of autonomy and self-agency function for both authors. In this dialogue, Valérie Nicolet-Anderson examines whether Paul can still play a relevant part in contemporary discussions around the notion of identity. The approach to Paul presents a narrative reading of Romans and displays an interdisciplinary hermeneutics which brings together New Testament exegesis and post-modern philosophy. The author constructs a dynamic picture of Paul as engaged in the shaping of the ethos of his communities through various strategies. She highlights Paul's actuality, reflecting the current use of Paul by continental philosophers and invites more interdisciplinary reflection between exegesis and philosophy.