I wrote my Ph.D. dissertation at the University of St. Andrews on how divine warfare ideology shapes the argument of Ephesians. While finishing it, I envisioned writing a more popular version for the church. Just after completing the dissertation, my family and I became involved in an urban missional church in poverty-stricken Springfield, Ohio. This book was written in that wonderfully life-giving ministry context. I’ve called it a cultural and theological reading of Ephesians, but only because I hope measures up to something like that. It has received some very kind reviews thus far, but none better than by my friend Steve Guthrie, who told me that “it doesn’t read like a book of New Testament scholarship.”
I was asked by the series editors (who obviously hadn’t contacted anyone more qualified to that point) to contribute the volume on Paul to the series T&T Clark was publishing called Guides for the Perplexed. I wrote this volume as the introduction to Paul that I wish I had in my hands as an undergraduate. As a young Christian person I was eagerly studying Scripture but couldn’t find anything that got me right into Paul’s letters rather than difficult-to-follow debates in early 20th century Germany. At that point, I couldn’t put together how those discussions had anything to do with what I was reading in my Bible. I’ve come to realize that many scholars write introductions for one another rather than for students. I understand why. It’s difficult to generalize on issues and debates that have so many fine distinctions. One begins to write in order to avoid getting hammered in the scholarly reviews. I took the risk and wrote an introduction that I hope is helpful to undergraduates, beginning seminary students, and anyone interested in studying Paul.
Faith Improvised 
Daniel Hanlon
Hi Tim,
I’m about half way through The Drama of Ephesians. I was thinking that your reading of “the powers” in chapter 2 has some resonance with C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy with its depiction of cosmic spiritual beings and their ordering of the universe. Not sure if he ever wrote on “the powers” as you have but I thought such works of fiction could be formative for our Christian imaginings.
Rick Hilliard
Hey Tim,
I hope this message greets you well. I am new to the podcast and to your work. My friend recently introduced me to you via a gifting of “Power in weakness”. First off, I am only a quarter of the way through it and I love it. Your picture of pre-conversion Paul is a completely new and helpful perspective for me. I hope to finish it soon, but am slow going as I am neck deep into a busy seminary semester and starting a new ministry job. Before I ask this question, I want to give you as much of a context for myself as I can as I think it really is essential for this question. I am 30 years old and am a full time student at Fuller Theological Seminary, and as of recently a young adults pastor working in Southern California. I am originally from Florida, but have lived all over the world (my wife and I recently returned to the states due to COVID after living in SE Asia as church planter). On the theological spectrum, I would place myself somewhere in the center moving progressive. On the political scale, I have no idea (I could not bring myself to vote for either of the most recent candidates). All this to say, I recently listened to your “love the evangelical, hate the evangelicalism podcast”. This was the first of yours I’ve listened to and so far have loved it. However, I was a bit put off in the beginning as you were talking about Fox News and the insurrection at the Capitol (uh-oh, sound the MAGA signal haha). Perhaps “put off” is the wrong term, because I think your assessment of both are correct. I don’t trust Fox News and I certainly condemn the actions and the ideology of those that stormed the Capitol. With this being my first experience of your podcast, I have no other basis by which to understand your thoughts on these matters, so I wanted to ask. Are you equally critical of “liberal” news outlets that also spew lies and are you also critical of the takeover that happened in Seattle? And if not, could you please explain your reasoning. I ask this from a standpoint of curiosity in love. After listening to this podcast, I would assume you and I agree with the frustrations associated with politicizing our faith. My gut reaction to your initial comments on these issues was disheartening. The same way I feel, though to a lesser extent, when Jerry Falwell endorses Trump and my fellow believers have more hope in Reaganism than in the Kingdom to come. I hate that this conversation has to be had via this medium (I would much prefer to talk to you on the phone), but alas this is our medium. I once again hope that this message is read out of through the lens of a curious brother in Christ. Even if you respond completely with explicatives and obscene emojis, I will still regard you as a wisdom filled brother and will continue to glean from your knowledge via podcast and books. God Bless.