The Apocryphal Epistle to the Laodiceans ─ An Epistolary and Rhetorical Analysis

Tite (comparative religion, U. of Washington) has long been intrigued by the little letter written in Paul's name that New Testament scholars and church historians dismiss as a poorly constructed forgery based on the authentic letters in the New Testament. He presents an epistolary analysis of the prescript, the thanksgiving period, the letter body the paraenesis, and the letter closing. Then he offers a theological synthesis, encompassing Pauline eschatology, ecclesiology, Christology, pneumatology, and trinitarian theology. His conclusions explore pseudo-historical letters, Paul as cultural hero, the relationship of Laodiceans to other Pauline letters, and the social currents of the second century. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Philip L. Tite, Ph.D. (2005) McGill University, is Affiliate Lecturer at the University of Washington. He is the author of several books, including Valentinian Ethics and Paraenetic Discourse (Brill, 2009) and is co-editor of the Bulletin for the Study of Religion. His research focuses on the social and rhetorical aspects of early Christianity.