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The First Paul: Reclaiming The Radical Visionary Behind The Church's Conservative Icon (2009)

by Marcus J. Borg(Favorite Author)

3.97 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0061430722 (ISBN13: 9780061430725)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

HarperOne

review 1: Borg and Crossan put forward the theory that the original Paul wrote perhaps seven of the New Testament letters that bear his name and that subsequent Epistles and sermons were written by other writers in the division of the early church that was founded by Paul. I found the arguments persuasive, though I am the first to firmly state that I’m not a Greek scholar and I’m a student of biblical studies rather than any sort of expert. The authors put forward the further idea that later letters, presumably non-Paul, changed some of Paul’s ideas and beliefs in significant ways. Thus we have the sub title to the book, “Reclaiming the Radical Visionary Behind the Church’s Conservative Icon.” Evidently Paul was not the misogynist that he has the reputation for being in... more modern times. In Philemon, Paul clearly states his opinion that Christians are not allowed to own other Christians, and that if one’s slave becomes a Christian, he or she is to be freed. This was changed in later epistles to advise masters to treat their slaves well and to advise slaves to obey their masters. We moderns are contemptuous of any idea of slavery, but this was a real issue during the Roman Empire, as well as in Virginia prior to the 1860’s. The admonitions in later epistles that women shouldn’t speak in church or lead the prayers, cover their heads and be quiet, is belied in Romans where Phoebe, a deacon of the church is charged with transmitting the manuscript to the Christians in Rome and, a wonder to behold, to read the manuscript out loud in church to the people. My first question when I read that was to ask, Why is it OK for Paul to have a woman as deacon in the first century and the Roman church to forbid women to be deacons into the Twenty First Century? The answer seems to be that the early church rewrote early theology to fit Roman ideas. And I’m glad I read this book.
review 2: This book was an incredible read. I have never read a more intense and intricate book on Paul. The authors put Paul and his message into context according to the times and to the exact language he uses to wheedle out the most correct meaning of Paul's words. I would say that this should be on everybody's shelf. If this is how the rest of the books these two authors have collaborated on will be I am definitely going to be picking them up! less

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