Get to Know One of the Most Controversial Men Who Ever Lived a Little Better

A book review

“Saint Paul” by Pompeo Batoni ca. 1740 (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

The man known both as Saul of Tarsus and St. Paul the Apostle is, without question, one of the most controversial figures of the past 2,000 years. For some, he is the greatest missionary and evangelist who ever lived; for others, he is an intolerant misogynist better consigned to the dustbin of history. For most, he’s just the guy who wrote the verse about love being patient and kind that they recited during their wedding.

All of that is subjective, of course; what you think about Paul is typically dependent on the worldview you bring with you to the question. What is not subjective is the impact he has had on both Christianity and Western Civilization. He wrote just under 25% of the New Testament, and his letters to the churches of his day have been the basis for much of Christian theology to the present day. Martin Luther’s interpretation of two of those letters (to the Galatians and to the Romans) triggered the Protestant Reformation, changing both Christendom and Europe forever.

And yet, the only firsthand account we have of him comes from the second half of the Acts of the Apostles and the little he shares in his letters. We know his theology, yes, but do we know him? Knowing the man is crucial to understanding the message he preached…