The Cosmic Drama of Salvation

Sang M. Lee studies the cosmic drama of salvation which Paul describes in his undisputed writings. Utilizing the two pillars of Paul's theology - anthropology and cosmology - his aim is to understand how God's salvific drama develops in Paul's narrative world against the backdrop of the intellectual world of Judeo-Hellenistic traditions, including Greek philosophical works, Jewish wisdom and apocalyptic literature, and Philo's writings. Paul's salvific drama is woven from four interrelated acts: Act I (the law-less period), Act II (the law period), Act III (the age of the church) and Act IV (the Parousia). Special attention is paid to the key elements of the drama: God's master plan as its plot, time and space as its stage, and its various characters who can be divided into three main categories (evil, double-faced and good). In particular, the author focuses on the main characters - conscience, the Mosaic law, and Christ and the Spirit - who play important roles for God's long-range soteriological and pedagogical plan for humanity.