Page - 14 - in Limina - Grazer theologische Perspektiven, Volume 2:1

14 | www.limina-graz.eu While the Biblical prophecy addresses the “house of Jacob” (Isa 2:5), the UN text now pledges that “we” – in reference to the peoples lead by God – pursue bringing about peace. The universal horizon reflected within the development towards mono- theism in the Scriptures of Israel (for the gathering of peoples see also, for example, Isa 56:6–8 or 66:18–23) reappears as a radically inclusive vision in the letters of Paul, who sees himself, following prophetic tradition, as the ‘Apostle of the nations’ called upon by God, in contrast to traditional contemporary discourses of identity and difference:5 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28) According to the baptismal formula, collective identity is defined irrespec- tive of ethnic-cultural, socio-economic and gender categories. Of course, the moment of unity is conceptualised with Christ at the centre in order to articulate the universal adoption of “Abraham’s offspring” (Gal 3:29) as children of God. People who do not believe in Jesus Christ are not part of the scope of discussion here. The purpose is not to negate differences but to free people of exclusionary and hierarchical differentiation as all are called into a reconciled community of salvation, mutual tolerance and peace. Additionally, a post-Pauline re- lecture of the formula also refers to the creation tradition and the therein enshrined notion of humanity being the image of God in talking about the “new self” renewed after the “image” of the creator as the principle defi- nition of identity (Col 3:10–11).6 The heterogenous multi-cultural ecclesia is not represented by a concept of ‘the people’. Instead it is described by using metaphors of family or ancient metaphors of the body to establish a sound shared identity for people of different backgrounds – a model that tran- scends ethnicity as a primary boundary marker. Referring to Christ as the head of the ecclesial body, giving it corporate identity, also reveals a critical stance opposing Roman imperia ideology with its equally universal claim, where the emperor embodies the head of the state. 5 The aim of the ‘New Perspective on Paul’ (keyword ‘Paul the Jew’) is not to contrast Christian universa- lism with ethnically defined Juda- ism. 6 In Col 3:11, the even more pro- nounced focus on ethnical-cultural differences goes hand in hand with the exclusion of gender aspects, which is problematic for the recepti- on of Paul as well as Christian deve- lopment. The purpose is not to negate differences but to free people of exclusionary and hierarchical differentiation. lImIna 2:1 | new nationalisms and the vision of a shared humanity | editorial