Acknowledgements
This book represents the revised version of my dissertation at the Theologische Fakultät of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin from 2020.
Above all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude towards my Doktorvater Prof. Dr. Cilliers Breytenbach. At a time when writing yet another book on âin Christâ in Paul looked like a wild fishing expedition in bottomless waters, he provided the support, expertise, and foresight that only made this project possible. His unwavering belief in me and help with the entire endeavour in words and deeds allowed me to sail the sometimes-stormy waters to eventually steer the project into a safe haven.
I would also like to thank the many other scholars who have significantly impacted my work. Prof. Dr. Jan Stenger functioned as second supervisor and provided support regarding my conceptions of linguistics and Greek philology. Prof. Dr. Christine Gerber not only became the second examiner, but also helped with my understanding of the deutero-Pauline letters and how metaphors function in Paul.
During my term at Durham University in 2017, Prof. Dr. John Barclay took the time discussing my ideas and questions while preparing to leave for a sabbatical and his usual workload. His insights on the Pauline letters and Greek linguistics are much appreciated. Prof. Dr. Francis Watson helped me grow in my understanding of Paul and baptism in early Christianity. Both have been very welcoming and including during my stay. I am also thankful for the many others who made my time in Durham such a rich and crucial experience for my work.
My visit and multiple other opportunities were made possible by the funding, support, and staff of Excellence Cluster Topoi 264, Berlin Graduate School of Ancient Studies, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. I would particularly like to thank Dr. Carmen Marcks-Jacobs for her prompt and uncomplicated help.
A work such as this is deeply embedded in its orbit. A tremendous source of encouragement and constructive criticism were the colloquia in Berlin under Prof. Dr. Cilliers Breytenbach as well as Prof. Dr. Jens Schröter and Prof. Dr. Christine Gerber. My work has benefited greatly from the detailed perusal and many perspectives the hosts and attendants have shared with me. I would particularly like to thank Geeske Brinkmann who helped me get settled into my doctoral studies, and with whom I got to discuss Paul and life over many meals and meetings.
Other scholars have at different stages supported and impacted my work. Not only did I get to learn Greek under Prof. Dr. Christiane Zimmermann, but she also helped me navigate academia as a doctorate student. Conversing with Prof. Dr. Teresa Morgan about âin Christâ and interacting with her own work on the topic has been a thrilling experience for which I am very grateful. At the beginning of the project, I also got to share my ideas with Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Oda Wischmeyer who pointed me into some important directions.
I have also learned a lot from having worked with Prof. Dr. Christina Eschner over many years. Her deep understanding of Paul and antiquity, as well as her minute analysis of the texts and literature have inspired much of my own approach.
One of the people with the most immediate impact on this book has been Dr. Isaac T. Soon. When we met all the way back in Sydney, and then years later at a conference in London, I could never have imagined how thankful I would one day be for him. His calm openness and passionate belief in my work, his ever-probing way of life, and love for people have inspired and carried me through. On top of that, he has critically proof-read the entire book.
The years between finishing the doctorate and the publication have been enriched by the many people who have helped bring this project across the finish line. In particular, my colleagues at the university library of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and those at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg have supported my re-working of the dissertation into this book.
I would also like to thank Prof. Dr. Margaret M. Mitchell and Prof. Dr. David Moessner for including this book in Supplements to Novum Testamentum. The support from the staff at Brill from Laura Morris, Nitzan Shalev, and Rashmi Shetty has been crucial and is much appreciated.
There are many other people who have impacted this work immensely without ever having been involved in it. I am forever grateful for getting to share life with so many wonderful friends. They have both grounded me and lifted me up, they have spurred me on and been a resting place. I could not have done this without them. I would particularly like to thank my church friends and pastors for their support.
Those who deserve the greatest thanks are my family. From the little ones to the more senior ones, they are the best people to come home to. Above all, my mother and father have been a backbone of encouragement, support, and inspiration. What I have gleaned from them surmounts words. If my work should honour them, it is only a small thanks to pay.
This book is dedicated to my late grandmother who passed away over the completion of this work. Not only was sheâherself a theologian and lover of language(s)âdeeply intrigued by Paulâs âin Christâ phrases, but she exemplified in words and deeds what it means to be in Christ.
Barbara Beyer
Berlin and Erlangen, Winter 2023/24