Two-Way Trauma in Paul's Letter to the Galatians

Muir, Steven

Two-Way Trauma in Paul's Letter to the Galatians

dc.contributor.author	Muir, Steven
dc.date.accessioned	2024-07-19T09:26:11Z
dc.date.available	2024-07-19T09:26:11Z
dc.date.issued	2024
dc.description.abstract	This essay considers the blunt and controversial statement of Paul at the conclusion of Galatians (Gal 6:17). Paul says, “from now on, let no one trouble me, for I bear on my body the marks (stigma, brand or tattoo) of Christ.” Scholars agree that Paul is speaking metaphorically about the scars he received in ministry. By calling his scars “tattoos,” Paul makes an odd sort of honour claim, since tattoos typically were inflicted on low-status slaves in the Roman empire as a mark of ownership and punishment. This essay looks at a common thread of trauma and violence in the letter to the Galatians. Paul works through the traumas he received in two ways. First, he presents a variety of traumatic episodes in the Galatian community – at times, lashing out at his opponents. Second, he deliberately inverts honor and status categories. By boldly claiming to be Christ’s slave Paul asserts his status and finds meaning and vindication in his suffering. This essay takes a more wholistic view of the letter to the Galatians that has previously been done.
dc.identifier.citation	„Vox Patrum”, 2024, Vol. 90, s. 41-55
dc.identifier.doi	10.31743/vp.16835
dc.identifier.issn	0860-9411
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/7637
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher	Wydawnictwo KUL
dc.rights	Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International	en
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/
dc.subject	Paul
dc.subject	Galatians
dc.subject	Trauma
dc.subject	Therapy
dc.subject	Stigma
dc.subject	Crucifixion
dc.subject	Scar
dc.subject	Tattoo
dc.subject	Slave
dc.subject	Violence
dc.subject	Freedom
dc.subject	Status
dc.title	Two-Way Trauma in Paul's Letter to the Galatians
dc.type	info:eu-repo/semantics/article