Exclusion and Judgment in Fellowship Meals : The Socio-Historical Background of 1 Corinthians 11

Published in 2016 by Wipf and Stock, this scholarly monograph is an adaptation of Lanuwabang Jamir’s doctoral dissertation. The work emerged from the field of New Testament studies, specifically focusing on the social dynamics and theological implications of the early church's communal meals in Corinth. By examining the Greco-Roman cultural context of the first century, Jamir explores how social stratification and honor-shame codes influenced the gathering practices of the primitive Christian community.

The book serves as a rigorous academic investigation into 1 Corinthians 11, dissecting how exclusionary practices during communal meals contradicted the egalitarian ideals intended by the early church. Jamir employs a socio-historical methodology to challenge traditional interpretations, arguing that Paul’s corrective instruction was a direct response to the socio-economic divisions mirrored by the church from the surrounding society. It is regarded primarily as a reference for graduate-level students and scholars of Pauline theology.