The Apostle Paul, Man of Mystery

by G. Jeffrey MacDonald, Religion BookLine -- Publishers Weekly, 2/1/2006

Of all the controversial texts of the Bible, few evoke as much passion—both pro and con—as the Apostle Paul's 13 letters, which compose much of the New Testament. But although these letters share dictates on subjects ranging from idolatry to homosexuality and the role of women in the church, they say next to nothing about the man whose name graces them.

Four new and recent books aim to remedy this dearth of biographical insight and provide what publishers regard as some much-needed context. Approaches vary widely according to the background of each author.

Best known among the new tacklers of this old subject is N.T. Wright, a prolific British bishop known for helping popularize Christian orthodoxy. In his new book, Paul: Fresh Perspectives (Fortress Press, Jan.), Wright re-casts Paul in light of his Jewish background and his attitude toward the Roman Empire. Wright says he aims "to think Paul's thoughts after him and constantly to be stirred up to fresh glimpses of God's ways."

For a less theological but equally admiring portrait, British journalist Edward Stourton offers Paul of Tarsus: A Visionary Life (HiddenSpring, Sept. 2005). The BBC reporter and veteran of the Reagan-era White House press corp traces the three missionary journeys of Paul as intently as he followed the trail of arms-for-hostages 20 years ago. What emerges is a detailed picture of the social environment that gave rise to perspectives that might seem antiquated to progressive-minded readers almost 2,000 years later. Paul's "views make perfect sense in his time," HiddenSpring managing editor Paul McMahon told RBL. "They have a certain context that makes them valid."

Going one step further, James Cannon brings to life a practical and strategically minded apostle in his fictionalized account, Apostle Paul: A Novel of the Man Who Brought Christianity to the Western World (Steerforth, Nov. 2005). A former Newsweek journalist and aide to President Gerald Ford, Cannon imagines a crafty, savvy Paul trying one approach and then another until the gentiles started embracing the gospel message.

"He's not treated as some kind of holy figure who couldn't be treated as a human being," said Steerforth publisher Chip Fleischer, who acquired the manuscript himself. Distributed by Random House and sold primarily through non-religion bookstores, the book has sold briskly enough to warrant a second printing in paperback in November, Fleischer said.

And for those not satisfied by more popular fare, Bible scholar Udo Schnelle has compiled Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology (Baker Academic, Dec. 2005). Anyone with $49.99 to spend and enough time to read 695 pages will find plenty of theological and historical grist for the mill.