The Mystery of Romans: The Jewish Context of Paul’s Letter
Fortress Press, 1996
1996 National Jewish Book Award for Jewish/Christian Relations
Endorsements from the back cover:
“As one who has argued that Romans 9–11 is the climax of the letter (esp. 11:11-36); and that 15:14-33 are decisive for understanding the letter as Paul’s apologia for his mission… I find myself outdone by this tour de force…. Nanos’s construction is fascinating and ‘productive’… and will stay in my head as I continue to read and ponder Romans…. This is a well done book, and its extensive notes constitute an interesting tapestry of relatively recent insights in Pauline studies.”
— Krister Stendahl, Harvard Divinity School
“A provocative new book on Paul that takes seriously the notion that Paul was a Jew within the Jewish community and yet also a person for whom the experience of Christ made an important difference. This book will challenge older notions … and help build a new consensus.”
— Alan F. Segal, Barnard College
“Nanos’s stress upon the Jewish background of Paul combined with the new perspective enables him to bring meaning from familiar texts in such a way that exciting new interpretive vistas are opened up.”
— William S. Campbell, Westhill College, University of Birmingham
“Worthwhile reading for every student of Paul and for everyone interested in Jewish-Christian relations in the first century.”
— Sarah J. Tanzer, McCormick Theological Seminary
“Nanos views Romans through an insightful prism. His arguments are made with clarity and fairness.”
— Thomas H. Tobin, S.J., Loyola University of Chicago
Reviews
By N. Elliott, S. Stowers, and E. E. Johnson, with a reply by M. Nanos, from the 1997 SBL Annual Meeting. Pages 149-77 in Critical Review of Books in Religion. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1998.
By Ronald Allen, in Homiletic 25.1 (2000): 34-36.
By Richard Ascough, in Religious Studies Review 24.1 (1998) 94.
By John Barclay, in Theology (1997): 217-18.
By Douglas A. Campbell, in Toronto Journal of Theology 13.2 (1997): 284-86.
By John J. Clabeaux, in Journal of Ecumenical Studies 35.1 (1998): 123-24.
By John J. Clabeaux, in Explorations: American Interfaith Institute/World Alliance of Interfaith Organizations 12.2 (1998): 5.
By James D. G. Dunn, in Journal of Theological Studies 48.2 (1997): 599-602.
By Pamela Eisenbaum, in Jewish Book World 15.2 (1997): 31-32.
By Neil Elliott, in Catholic Biblical Quarterly 59 (1997): 587-89.
By Neil Elliott, in Journal of Beliefs and Values 18.1 (1997): 103-7.
By Kenneth Grayston, in Expository Times 122.
By J. P. Holding, on Tektonics Web Site, July, 1999.
By Charles Kiker, in Christian Century (Sept. 25 – Oct. 2, 1996): 905-6.
By Brian Kvasnica, in Mishkan 28 (1998): 97-98.
By Amy-Jill Levine, in Jewish Quarterly Review 89.1-2 (1998): 222-24.
By Rich C. Nichol, in Messianic Times (Spring, 1997): 26.
By Mary C. Orr, in Interpretation (1997): 317.
By J. Murphy-O’Connor, in Revue Biblique 4 (1996): 621-23.
By Heikki Räisänen, in Teologisk Tidskrift 6 (2000): 545-46 (in Finnish).
By Bradford B. Taliaferro, in Currents in Theology and Mission 25.1 (1998): 57.
By Virgil Thompson, in Augsburg Fortress Book Newsletter 568 (Spring, 1996): 1.
By Peter Tomson, in Journal for the Study of Judaism 28.3 (1997): 345-47.
By James C. Walters, in Bible Revue (Dec., 1996): 53-54.
By Henry Wansbrough, in Journal of Jewish Studies 48.1 (1997): 151-54.