Conflict in Corinth: Redefining the System

The apostle Paul faced a double dilemma in the first-century church in Corinth: although there appears to have been a divisive spirit in the congregation, there was little conflict between the church and its relational environment. Conflict in Corinth examines the situation in Corinth and Paul’s response to it by utilizing principles and imagery from systems thinking. Inadequate group boundaries and confusion regarding the unique identity of the Christian community gave rise to numerous seemingly unrelated problems. As illustrated throughout the work, Paul used family relationships and images to redefine the church system and reconfigure its internal relationships.