About the Course

The Apostle Paul writes a passionate letter that sheds light on the difficulties he experienced in his relationship with the Corinthian church. Prof. Wright teaches how Paul dealt pastorally with misunderstandings and assumptions in this church that he longed to correct. After his painful visit to Corinth, Paul writes from a distance and addresses the challenges to his apostleship and ministry with boldness and Godly sincerity. In this second letter to this fledging church, you will study how the practical issues of ministry and mission caused times of darkness for Paul. Yet, out of these struggles a fresh beam of light emerged in his life through his partnership with Titus, and ultimately from God who raises the dead. Through the ages, the Church has benefited from the Apostle Paul’s ‘theology of weakness’ and his vision of God’s strength and sufficiency through it all.

1. This is a timely and relevant course for followers of Jesus in today’s world to examine what is going on in terms of the larger Biblical story of God’s unbreakable love for his people. You will learn about God’s purposes to establish the Church as a Messiah-shaped family in which people live together with rebuke and forgiveness, grief and joy, and suffering and comfort. Prof. Wright will connect Paul’s vision of apostleship to Jesus’ death and resurrection, which will help you recognize when and how God is at work in your own life and the world.
   
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Who should take this course:

• Anyone interested in examining the practical issues the Apostle Paul faced, including pastoring from a distance with boldness and sincerity.
• Those who wish to explore the challenges and joys of church planting and mission, or handling misunderstandings in the church while maintaining unity and holiness.
• Clergy looking to be inspired and encouraged by examining Scripture, or as a resource for preaching, teaching, and other work in the church.
• Those who wish to nourish their personal ongoing spiritual journey by studying the New Testament in general and the letters of Paul in particular.
• Students interested in Professor Wright’s teaching and insights, which adds theological depth to their spirituality in their family, work, or personal life.

What you’ll learn:

• Learn about Paul’s struggles and joys of apostleship and mission.
• Examine how the early Church navigated first-century cultural influences and pressures.
• Gain an understanding of what ‘apostleship’ meant for Paul and the relationship to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• Learn the Biblical meaning of boldness and strength.
• Grasp the importance of humility and weakness for the Christian faith and life.

Registered 501c3 non-profit organization
Courses developed for N.T. Wright Online are made possible by the generous donations of people who support the Wisconsin Center for Christian Studies, Inc., a registered 501c3 non-profit organization. Tuition paid enables us to provide scholarships for those in need and allows us to fund new courses and translations of existing courses, and we are able to offer courses at significant discounts.