My interest in Paul dates from my doctoral studies at the University of Fribourg,
Switzerland, where I wrote a thesis ‘Paul on Preaching’ in 1962. At that point I
was already convinced that Paul was the New Testament theologian who had the
most to say to the church of the twentieth century. It was only in the academic
year 1975–6, however, that the École Biblique gave me the opportunity to move
into full-time Pauline studies. The flexibility of the programme at the École
Biblique gave me the freedom to teach whatever I wanted within my assigned
field. I opted for 1 Corinthians, because I saw that it dealt with the greatest
variety of subjects. I felt that it would introduce me in the most concrete way to
the facets of Paul’s thought in their glorious variety.