Reading James with New Eyes: Methodological Reassessments of the Letter of James

The letters of James, 1 and 2 Peter, and Jude are among the most neglected letters of the New Testament. Thus, methodological advances in New Testament study tend to arise among the Gospels or Pauline letters. But now these letters are beginning to receive increased attention in the scholarly community.

Reading James With New Eyes is the first of four volumes that incorporate new research in this area. The essays collected here examine the impact of recent methodological developments in New Testament studies to the letter of James, including, for example, rhetorical, social-scientific, socio-rhetorical, ideological and hermeneutical methods, as they contribute to understanding James and its social context. Each essay has a similar three-fold structure, making them perfect for use by students: a description of the methodological approach; the application of the methodological approach to James; and a conclusion identifying how the methodological approach contributes to a fresh understanding of the letter.

• Table of contents
• Introduction - Robert L. Webb and John S. Kloppenborg
• Ideological Strategies in the Letter of James - Alicia Batten, Pacific Lutheran University
• Reception and Emulation of the Jesus Traditions in James - John S. Kloppenborg, University of Toronto
• The Languages of 'Household' and 'Kingdom' in the Epistle of James: A Socio-Rhetorical Study - Wesley H. Wachob, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
• A Reassessment of the Rhetoric of the Epistle of James and Its Implications for Christian Origins - Duane F. Watson, School of Theology, Malone College
• Anti-Imperial Discourse in James 2:14-26: A Postcolonial Reading - Jason Coker, Drew University
• 'Pure and Undefiled Religion': Purity and Pollution as a Means of Cultural Antagonism in the Epistle of James - Darian Lockett, University of St. Andrews
• The Letter of James as a Document of Paulinism? A Study in Reception-History - Margaret M. Mitchell, University of Chicago