"Unity or Union? Deconstructing the Soma Christou in Paul's Corinthian Correspondence"
Abstract
This essay challenges the traditional interpretation of Paul’s soma Christou (Body of Christ) in 1 Corinthians as a metaphorical organism focused on hierarchical unity (homonoia). Utilizing Derrida’s deconstruction and a hermeneutics of suspicion, it argues that such readings often mask power dynamics and enforce conformity. Instead, the essay proposes reading the "body of Christ" as a "Christic body"—an ethical mandate for union with Christ rooted in kollao (1 Cor 6:17). This reinterpretation shifts the focus from institutional cohesion to a transformative, ethical solidarity that embraces diversity and justice within the community.