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‘I Am Astonished That You Are So Quickly Turning Away!’ (Gal 1.6): Paul and Anatolian Folk Belief

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2005

CLINTON E. ARNOLD
Affiliation:
Department of New Testament, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, La Mirada, CA, USA
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Abstract

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This article explores dimensions of the pre-Christian religious beliefs of Paul's converts in Galatia to gain a better understanding of the contextual setting of his letter. The research draws on a corpus of inscriptions that have come to be known as the ‘Lydian-Phrygian confessional inscriptions’, as well as inscriptions from the cult of Hosios and Dikaios (‘Holy’ and ‘Just’). The author concludes that the obligation to fulfill cultic requirements and perform good works to maintain a favorable standing with the local deities in their pre-Christian religious experience would have made the Galatian Christians susceptible to the message of Paul's opponents.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2005 Cambridge University Press