Abstract
In an article written over thirty years ago, William R. Nelson outlined the procedures hy which discussions of Pauline anthropology have been traditionally carried out. Although this article is now dated, the present situation in Pauline studies has changed very little. Three approaches have dominated the discussion with Nelson suggesting a fourth. Although none of these approaches are pure types, they may be set out separately. First, Pauline anthropology has been approached from the point of view of the influence of Greek philosophy on Paul, especially with its dualist understanding of the structure of human personality; secondly, “On the basis of the assumption that the natural man can be understood prior to faith in Christ ... ,” Protestant Scholasticism typically approaches the issue from the standpoint of man as a sinner apart from God a third approach is the psychological approach which “puts emphasis on a scientific
analysis of the various terms that Paul uses to describe man" Nelson’s approach attempts to correlate Paul’s understanding of the individual in relation to Pauline christology and eccelesiology and places stress on the theological continuity of Paul’s thought.