Paul: The Man and the Myth

by Calvin J. Roetzel, D. Moody Smith

Overview

Winner of Biblical Archaeology Society Award - Best New Testament Book"We are left to construct a portrait of Paul with only scraps of what was once a large and imposing canvas - a small collection of letters and a historical narrative written a generation after his death. This reconstruction focuses on important parts of the image that usually fall in the shadows, parts dealing with Paul's sexual asceticism, his preoccupation with holiness - holy Spirit, holy community, and holy ethos - the evolution of his theology, and his emergence as a legendary figure. Although I have tried to follow the strict rules of historical investigation, of necessity much guesswork is involved in any exploration of Paul's life... All of these efforts are attempts to deal with the gaps in the text, understood in the broadest sense to include not just Paul's written words but also the culture, social world, and political realities surrounding them.

- From the Introduction

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780800631734
Publisher:	1517 Media
Publication date:	11/30/1999
Series:	Studies on Personalities of the New Testament
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.64(d)

About the Author

Calvin J. Roetzel is Sundet Professor Emeritus of New Testament Studies at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He is a noted authority on Paul.

D. Moody Smith is George Washington Ivey Professor Emeritus of New Testament at The Divinity School, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Introduction

1. The Early Paul

2. The Apostle to the Gentiles

3. The Letter Writer

4. The Theologizer

5. "The Model Ascetic"

7. The Mythic Apostle

Excursus on Pauline Chronology

Notes

Bibliography

Index of Scriptural Passages

Index of Subjects

Editorial Reviews

Characterizes the most influential apostle of the early Christian church as an evangelist anxious about the welfare of his churches; a theologian facing fierce opposition; a missionary at the mercy of the elements; and a man suffering physical assaults, slander, and imprisonment. Also contrasts the depiction in the Bible by presenting him as physically weak, even sickly, and a letter writer and preacher unskilled in speech. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)

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