In this definitive biography, renowned Bible scholar, Anglican bishop, and bestselling author N. T. Wright offers a radical look at the apostle Paul, illuminating the humanity and remarkable achievements of this intellectual who invented Christian theology in the first-century Greco-Roman world—transforming a faith and changing the world.
For centuries, Paul, the apostle who "saw the light on the Road to Damascus" and made a miraculous conversion from zealous Pharisee persecutor to devoted follower of Christ, has been one of the church's most widely cited saints. While his influence on Christianity has been profound, N. T. Wright argues that Bible scholars and pastors have focused so much attention on Paul's letters and theology that they have too often overlooked the man behind the texts and the extreme unlikelihood of what he achieved.
To Wright, "The problem is that Paul is central to any understanding of earliest Christianity, yet Paul was a Jew; for many generations Christians of all kinds have struggled to put this together." As a world-renowned biblical scholar, Wright contends that our knowledge of Paul and appreciation for his legacy cannot be complete without an understanding of his Jewish heritage. Giving us a thoughtful, in-depth exploration of the human and intellectual drama that shaped Paul, Wright provides greater clarity of the apostle's writings, thoughts, and ideas and helps us see them in a fresh, innovative way.
Paul is a compelling and definitive modern biography that reveals the apostle's greater role in Christian history—as an inventor of new paradigms for how we understand Jesus and what he accomplished—and celebrates his stature as one of the most effective and influential intellectuals in human history.
How did a zealous Pharisee become the herald of a new faith without abandoning his Jewish identity? This landmark biography reveals:
- Saul of Tarsus, The Pharisee: An immersive look at Paul's early life, exploring the fierce devotion and zeal that first led him to persecute the followers of Christ.
- The Damascus Road Re-examined: A radical reinterpretation of Paul's famous "conversion," showing how he remained a Jew while transforming his understanding of Israel's God and Messiah.
- The Greco-Roman Context: A vivid reconstruction of the political, cultural, and religious world Paul navigated, revealing the extreme unlikelihood of his mission's success.
- The Birth of Christian Theology: An authoritative exploration of how Paul, the intellectual, shaped a new faith and laid the groundwork for the theology that would change human history.
