Paul: A Critical Life

The foundations of many of the central doctrines of Christianity, such as original sin and justification by faith, can be traced to the letters of Paul of Tarsus. While the third-person historical narratives of the book of Acts describe Paul's dramatic conversion from the persecutor of the early followers of Jesus to tireless proselytizer for the Christian faith, his letters intimately reveal the psychological and spiritual complexities of Paul's character. Using historical and literary criticism, Murphy-O'Connor (The Holy Land) draws his account of Paul's life and work primarily from Paul's letters. After an opening section in which he establishes the chronology of Paul's life and ministry, the author then explores Paul's early life and religious training and its contribution to an understanding of his life and work. Murphy-O'Connor devotes the major portion of his study to an exploration of the ways in which Paul's life and theology intersect in his letters. Lucid prose and exhaustive coverage make this biography the standard by which future lives of Paul will be measured. (July)