Paul and Culture

Paul is seen as a contextual, pastoral or missionary theologian
than a systematic theologian. His letters are “unrivaled in offering ex­-
amples of doing contextual theology for diverse Christian communities,” 
and are “case studies in contextualizing of the gospel.” We shall briefly
discuss the gospel Paul inculturated, present his cross-cultural personality
as a model agent of inculturation, and analyse Paul’s methods of
contextualizing as affirmation of culture, use of cultural language and 
imagery, relativization, confrontation and transformation of culture, and
indicate some pointers for possible relevant Indian readings of Paul.
The question whether Paul is relevant or not to India will depend whether 
we can preach and live the gospel Paul preached and lived. The gospel 
Paul preached and lived was the radical newness God accomplished in
Christ Jesus: “A new creation” or “a new humanity,” which is but another
version of the old story of enabling “people and communities to be re­
stored into the image of God.