Ian Y. S. Jew. Paul’s Emotional Regime: The Social Function of Emotion in Philippians and 1 Thessalonians

Abstract

This revised Durham University 2017 dissertation by Ian Jew, under the supervision of John Barclay, examines the social function of emotion in Philippians and 1 Thessalonians. Taking joy in Philippians and grief in 1 Thessalonians as representative emotions, it argues that “emotions are intrinsic to the proper formation and stabilizing of identity and community, because they emerge from and encode structures of belief, and also influence patterns of sociality” (p. 182). This work’s primary contribution is the application of Ole Riis and Linda Woohead’s sociological concept of an “emotional regime” (A Sociology of Religious Emotions [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010]) as a tool to understand the social function of emotion in the Pauline congregations.This study consists of five chapters. Chapter 1 surveys the state of NT research regarding emotions. It also includes a brief account of the nature and terminology of emotion from different disciplines. Chapter 2 sets forth the Stoic understanding of emotion and its therapy, supplemented with further discussion on how Seneca and Epictetus view grief and joy. Chapters 3 and 4 investigate joy in Philippians and grief in 1 Thessalonians, respectively. Both chapters begin with introductory remarks concerning the literary integrity, purpose, and motif of suffering in each letter. Each chapter then exegetes pertinent passages, concluding with an analysis of the basis and function of joy and grief, respectively. Chapter 5 is the most interesting chapter. Jew first explains the concept of a religious emotional regime. It is an “ordering of emotion, closely bound up with the social world of which it is a part and informed by the system of religious symbols to which it is intricately connected, that simultaneously structures and regulates the emotional responses of its members in accordance with the reality framework that is deemed as normative for them” (p. 139). He then explores how Paul institutes his own emotional regime through the use of symbols, instructions, exemplars, and rituals. The purpose of such a regime is to structure the emotional life of his readers so that the tripartite interrelationships between the individual believer, the church, and God may accord rightly with the truths of the gospel. Jew then concludes the study with a comparison between Pauline and Stoic emotional regimes.Jew’s dissertation is significant in three ways. First, it is a welcome contribution to the small number of monographs on emotions within the NT. Indeed, his work is the first full-length exploration of emotion in a Pauline letter. Second, it utilizes both ancient and modern theories of emotion. Jew shows us how ancient Stoicism’s understanding of emotion and modern sociological theories of religious emotions can help us come to a better grasp of how Paul hopes “to instill feeling patterns that legitimate [the Christian] ordering of life” (p. 154). Third, while earlier studies examine the rhetorical use of emotional appeal or note how emotion is related to cognition and evaluation, Jew focuses on the social function of emotions. Emotions can bring about social integration and differentiation. They not only have the potential to integrate individuals into the shared experiences and belief structures of a community, they also have the power to differentiate that community from those outside.Jew’s prose is clear and lucid. His exegetical discussion is compelling, and it is refreshing to see him take a stance on an interpretation that is different from that of his Doktorvater (see p. 118). His comparison of Pauline and Stoic understandings of joy could be further enriched, if it was also seen through the lens of friendship. This frame might then help us appreciate how mutual affection and genuine joy may be possible among friends, without compromising the self-sufficiency of the individual. Despite this comment, Jew’s work is highly commendable. I will be incorporating his insights into my future research.