Two problems with Detering's views about Paul and Marcion

[Giuseppe]

My problems with Detering's views about Paul are basically two:

1) Detering has translated in German the mythicist book of Earl Doherty, saying he likes his Argument of Silence about the Gospel Jesus in Paul's letters. And he thinks that that strong silence is evidence of the absence of a Gospel Jesus in the mind of who wrote the epistles. According to Detering, Marcion and some Gnostic precursor of him wrote the epistles. How can Detering resolve the enigma of a Marcion unaware of the Gospel Jesus in his ''pauline epistles'', when Marcion himself is principally known to be the author (or the editor) of a Gospel?

2) there are passages in the epistles where ''Paul'' (presumed to be Marcion by Detering) seems to be very apocalyptic and eager for a revenge of God against all the rulers, principalities and powers. How could Marcion be equally apocalyptic in the same extent as was Paul? My impression is that Paul expected the imminent end of the world - the Roman Empire and the end of all earthly kingdoms - while Marcion could not be so interested in the world to worry about a reversal of the world order. For him, the world would probably have continued to exist (under the rule of his creator god), the important thing was that the souls of men go up to heaven where was the Good God. It's difficult to imagine the God of Marcion as vengeful against the killer of his Son. It's difficult to imagine the God of Marcion as the true author of the destruction of the temple in 70 C. It would be like to imagine that a Buddhist wants the revenge of Buddha against his heartly enemies (conceding that Buddha had enemies).

What do you think?

I am curious in particular to know the opinion of those who share the ideas of Detering about Paul.