E. P. Sanders

E. P. Sanders (1937-2022) was a pioneering New Testament scholar whose work revolutionized understanding of Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity. His groundbreaking "Paul and Palestinian Judaism" (1977) challenged prevailing Protestant interpretations that depicted Judaism as a legalistic religion of works-righteousness, proposing instead the paradigm of "covenantal nomism" - the view that salvation in Judaism was based on God's covenant grace, with law observance as the response to, not cause of, election. This work fundamentally reshaped how scholars understand Paul's theology, particularly his views on justification and the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. Sanders' historical methodology, emphasizing comparison of whole religious systems rather than isolated texts, influenced subsequent discussions about religious diversity, divine election, and the nature of salvation. His later works on the historical Jesus further contributed to understanding how Jesus related to Jewish concepts of God's kingdom and covenant.