Thinking with, against, and after Ernst Käsemann’s appropriation of the biblical metaphor of eschatological birth pangs, this article seeks to reassess our understanding of what it means to be a theologian of the cross. It does so by way of a depiction of Paul’s apostolic practice as a social and embodied—and yet cruciform—mode of epiphanic manifestation. Thinking with Käsemann, it brings to the fore the significance of this apocalyptic understanding of apostolic practice for contemporary theological reflection at the interface of biblical studies, philosophy, and ethics. Thinking against Käsemann, it demonstrates ways in which this reading of Paul enables us to address more effectively major criticisms of a theology of the cross and Pauline theology in general. Finally, thinking after Käsemann, it discusses the ways that this portrayal of Paul’s practice funds resources for reconfiguring theological education ‘after whiteness’.

Ernst Käsemann 对圣经中末世诞生阵痛的比喻的挪用、反对和思考之后，本文试图重新评估我们对成为十字架神学家意味着什么的理解。它通过将保罗的使徒实践描述为一种社会和具体化——但十字形——顿悟的表现方式来实现这一点。与 Käsemann 一起思考，它突出了这种对使徒实践的启示性理解对于在圣经研究、哲学和伦理学的界面上进行当代神学反思的重要性。与凯瑟曼相反，它展示了如何阅读保罗，使我们能够更有效地解决对十字架神学和一般保罗神学的主要批评。最后，考虑到 Käsemann，