Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ

Thomas Schreiner's systematic examination of Paul's theological vision emerged from his conviction that previous Pauline theologies had failed to capture the apostle's central organizing principle. Writing as both biblical scholar and systematic theologian, Schreiner sought to demonstrate that God's glory serves as the unifying theme that makes sense of Paul's diverse teachings on justification, sanctification, ecclesiology, and eschatology.

Schreiner argues that Paul's entire theological framework revolves around the revelation and vindication of God's glory in Christ. He traces how this theme shapes Paul's understanding of salvation history, showing that God's salvific work serves primarily to display his righteousness and glory rather than merely to rescue humanity. The book systematically works through major Pauline themes—from anthropology and soteriology to pneumatology and ethics—demonstrating how each serves the overarching purpose of magnifying God's character. Schreiner contends that even human salvation, while genuine and gracious, functions within the larger narrative of God's self-glorification through covenant faithfulness and triumphant justice.

The work has influenced evangelical Pauline scholarship by providing a God-centered alternative to anthropocentric readings of Paul that emphasize human benefit over divine glory. Schreiner's theocentrism has shaped subsequent Reformed approaches to Paul while engaging constructively with the New Perspective on Paul without abandoning traditional Protestant emphases on justification by faith. This book serves pastors and theologians seeking a comprehensive yet accessible survey of Pauline theology that maintains confessional moorings while engaging contemporary scholarship. Readers looking for devotional material or those skeptical of systematic approaches to biblical theology will find this academic treatment less suitable than Schreiner's more popular works.