Has God Not Chosen the Poor?: The Social Setting of the Epistle of James

by David Edgar, James the Just

The significance of the Epistle of James within early Christianity, when not neglected, has been disputed. In recent years the letter, and its author, have received renewed attention, and this contribution to the revival examines the way in which the author and his addressees are depicted within the social world of emerging Christianity. Edgar finds strong points of contact with the sayings of Jesus and with early Christian itinerant proclaimers, who are often seen as having been active in preserving and transmitting these sayings. The Epistle challenges the shaky commitment of its readers to their new allegiance, and, in the light of the coming of God's eschatological ruoe, employs the model of patronage to lay out the choice between loyalty to God and identification with the earthly value system dominated by the rich.

261 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

David Edgar is an English playwright. He was born in Birmingham into a family with longstanding links to the theatre. His father and mother both acted at the Birmingham Rep before moving into broadcasting, and by the age of five Edgar had written his first play and performed it in a 12 seat theatre his father built for him in his back garden.

From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ed...

Reviews

[Michael Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although his central thesis, that the poor in James are itinerant radicals whom the congregations are refusing to accept and provide for, is intriguing, Edgar fails to convince. Nevertheless, there is enough valuable social background and application to the text to make this book worth reading. His analysis of the rhetorical structure of passages is insightful.

[Charlie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adapted PhD dissertation, this is A responsible and disciplined application of the social-scientific method to the analysis and interpretation of the book of James. it provides many insights into the probable meaning of the text.