Book Review: Galatians and the Imperial Cult: A Critical Analysis of the First-Century Social Context of Paul's Letter

(ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.) Justin K. Hardin , Galatians and the Imperial Cult: A Critical Analysis of the First-Century Social Context of Paul's Letter , WUNT 237 (Tübingen : Mohr Siebeck , 2008), pp. xiv + 190. $79.00. Paul seems to be suggesting in 6:12-13 that if the agitators abandoned their message and instead followed the gospel that he preached (Gal 1:6-9), they too would experience persecution and suffering. [...]the avoidance of persecution in Gal 6:12-13 need not be understood as a reference to a specific threat, although it is possible that external pressure provided part of the impetus for compelling the Galatians to receive circumcision. [...]even if the calendrical system reflects pagan observances, this would not necessitate the Galatians participating in the imperial cult. [...]the evidence of Gal 4:10 appears to be inconclusive for Hardin's thesis.