Recovering Paul's Mother Tongue, Second Edition

Book excerpt: Paul’s letter to the Galatians begins with the proclamation of liberation from destructive powers, and ends with the confident cry, “new creation!” Throughout the letter, Paul encourages his listeners to stand fast in the confidence that God in Christ will bring them from their beginning in the faith to their completion. His language is emotional, relational, and powerful, as he “uses the intimate imagery of family life to draw his converts back into the thread of conversation that mediates their life together.” This study investigates the powerful effects of Paul’s maternal imagery—his embodied, vulnerable, and authoritative “mother tongue”—in catalyzing and sustaining the communal life of faith.