Dr. Matthew Pawlak Wins Award for Sarcasm in Paul’s Letters

Matthew Pawlak, our Academic Network Leader has just won the Beare Award from the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies (CSBS) for his book Sarcasm in Paul's Letters (Cambridge University Press, 2023). Named for renowned Canadian biblical scholar Francis W. Beare, the Beare Award recognizes one outstanding book per year in the areas of Christian Origins, Post-Biblical Judaism, and/or Graeco-Roman Religions.

Sarcasm in Paul’s Letters is the first treatment of sarcasm in New Testament studies. It provides an extensive analysis of sarcastic passages across Paul’s letters, showing where Paul is sarcastic, and how his sarcasm affects our understanding of his rhetoric and relationships with the Early Christian congregations in Galatia, Rome, and Corinth.

This research has an important link with Dr. Pawlak’s current work as the Academic Network Leader of Trust & Society – The Global Network on Trust. Sarcasm, as well as other forms of irony and humour, are all important ways in which humans communicate implicit information about relationships. Depending on the situation, they can be used to build trust by expressing connection and solidarity or create distance and express distrust.