Pistis as Relational Way of Life in Galatians

Abstract

Using the Septuagint as an example, this article supports Teresa Morgan’s recent contention that is essentially relational. On the basis of the prevalence of relationality, the article offers a critique of readings of Galatians that privilege other concepts, such as Benjamin Schliesser’s emphasis on spatiality. The study then argues that, instead of Morgan’s ‘pistis is a relationship’, it would be more accurate and exegetically useful to bring out the action-reference of with an expression such as is a relational way of life’. The article will argue that the most likely relational reading of in Galatians is one in which primarily represents trust, loyalty and/or trustworthiness in the relationship between the current Christ and people. This raises questions over the focus of on past events in the work of scholars such as Richard Hays and John Barclay. If is to be read as involving an ‘objective genitive’ it probably denotes people’s trust in and loyalty to Christ and also possibly to God through Christ. If it is to be read as a ‘subjective genitive’, it would probably primarily denote Christ’s current reliability and loyalty in his relationship to people, and conceivably also to God. Various directions of between people, Christ and God are possible in Galatians but the one most often clearly evidenced is between people and Christ.