Krister Stendahl (1921-2008) was a Swedish theologian and New Testament scholar, Stendahl received his doctorate in

New Testament with his dissertation “The school of St. Matthew and its use of the Old Testament”. Stendahl made
enormous writings in the field of New Testament. Stendahl is perhaps most famous for his publication of the article
"The Apostle Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West." This article, along with the later publication of the
book Paul among Jews and Gentiles, conveys a new idea in Pauline studies. His work challenged the old notions and
understanding of the church about the person and work of Paul, the Apostle.

School of the New Perspective on Paul (NPP)

The New Perspective on Paul also called New Perspectivism is a system of thought in New Testament scholarship that
seeks to reinterpret the Apostle Paul and his letters.
Though it was James D. G. Dunn in his Manson Memorial Lecture at the University of Manchester, who coined the
term in 1982, the new style began with Krister Stendahl who was followed by E.P. Sanders, N T Wright etc. In fact,
many writers are still writing on this subject today.
By using three broad statements, the common characteristics of the scholars of the NPP can be drawn out: 1)
they take issue with the Reformation’s understanding of Paul, 2) they see Paul within the context of contemporary
Palestinian Judaism, 3) they all attempt to reinterpret Paul’s epistles in light of the first two categories.

Stendahl’s Pauline understanding

In 1963 Stendahl published an essay in the Harvard Theological Review entitled “The Apostle Paul and the
Introspective Conscience of the West” in which he first argued that Augustine’s reading of Paul was impacted by his
conversion experience. The personal struggles felt by the bishop of Hippo not only then impacted Augustine’s
understanding of Paul, but served to impact all of western Christianity that followed in the same manner. Augustine is
the one who made Justification the most important doctrine in Christendom.
This introspective thought came to Luther via the middle ages and as he dealt with his personal struggle with sin he
found psychological relief in his personal understanding of Justification by faith alone. The result of his sensitivity
regarding sin led Luther to a more individualistic understanding of salvation as per the Apostle Paul. The doctrine of
Justification by faith alone became the controlling doctrine from which the rest of the bible was read. Stendahl
contrasted the Reformer’s “introspective” conscience with the Apostle’s “robust” conscience and determined that the
two did not match.
Due to Lutheran influence, people view Paul as a legalistic Pharisee who suffered from immense guilt because he
couldn’t live up to the law. In his desperate state, Jesus revealed himself and let him know how grace saves a person
apart from works. Stendahl says that Paul didn’t have this attitude about his previous life before becoming a Christian.
His wasn’t a conversion from being a self-righteous sinner to justified saint, rather it was going from one glory to a
greater glory. Stendahl believes that Paul didn’t have a conversion but received a vocation from Christ. He was a Jew
that became a Jew with a mission to the gentiles. So in Stendahl’s NPP we see that Paul is receiving a calling within
Redemptive history to bring all the gentiles into the reality of the lordship of Jesus Christ. This contrasts with the
traditional view that Paul was converted from legalism.
According to Stendahl, Paul’s central issue did not have to do with personal, individual sin; rather his primary concern
was community relations. Stendahl understands Paul to argue that the Law drove Jews to belief in the Messiah in order
to show that Gentiles did not need to have the Law imposed upon them in order to be included in the people of God.
The Gentiles have now become partakers of the promises given to Abraham, and this not through the Law but through
faith.
Stendahl decentralizes justification. He clearly states that the relationship between Jews and Gentiles is the primary
point of interest. Stendahl wonders how justification functions to help resolve the tension between Jews and Gentiles.
His solution is to understand justification as a synonym of vindication. People are justified when God, who is the
object of faith, vindicates his people in light of their present circumstances. He vindicates them by rewarding those
loyal to Him and punishing the wicked, who stood against Him and his people. By having this understanding of
justification, Stendahl shows how faith unites Jews and Gentiles because it breaks down ethnic barriers and produces
vindication for Jews and Gentiles alike. Justification is decentralized and turned into a solution to ethnic conflict.

Significance of Stendahl’s thoughts

Krister Stendahl argues for a radical return to the early church’s interpretation of Paul.
Stendahl really harps on the idea that justification was a doctrine meant to unify the Church, but today it has become
one of the most divisive doctrines.