A New Book on Paul
I have begun work on another book, a kind of sequel to The Jesus Dynasty. In chapter 16 of my book, titled, “The Challenge of Paul,” I only give a tiny glimpse of how Paul’s message began to rival that of John the Baptist, Jesus, and James and eventually achieved an influence that essentially equated it with “Christianity” itself. In terms of the history of ideas, I am convinced that Saul of Tarus, that is the Apostle Paul, is the most influential person in human history–yes, even above Jesus, Moses, Plato or Aristotle, Buddha, or Mohammed. I will argue in this new book that Paul is indeed, hands down, the Founder of the Christian Faith.
But if I am right, how did this happen? How was it that Paul was able to achieve this kind of dominance and success, even over the founders of the Jesus movement? Where did he get his ideas? What was his relationship to James and the rest of the core group of original Jesus followers?
I began my work on Paul many years ago, writing my dissertation at the University of Chicago on the “mysticism of Paul.” It was subsequently published (long ago out of print) under the title: Things Unutterable: Paul’s Ascent to Paradise (University Press of America, 1986). There is a core excerpt of that book, but without notes, archived at my University Web site: The Message and Mission of Paul. As with Jesus I consider Albert Schweitzer my mentor and pioneer in the study of Paul. His amazing work, The Mysticism of Paul the Apostle (1930), but still available in English reprints, remains in my view the most groundbreaking book on Paul in the history of modern scholarship.
Over the years I have refined and developed my own understanding of Paul and the field of “Pauline” studies has vastly developed since 1930 when Schweitzer wrote. I think we are finally in a position to full in the blanks in a way that can satisfactorily explain what really went on from 30 AD when Jesus died, to 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed and James, Peter, as well as Paul were already dead. It is that crucial 40 years period that will be the focus of my book. There are probably about as many books published on Paul as on Jesus, so the field is vast and the discussion is complex. However, I do think that my 30 years of thinking about these issues has resulted in some worthwhile insights that can help considerably to fill out my lifelong interest–how did Christianity originate and develop during its first 40 years? Expect a riveting story and some fascinating surprises. The standard heroic Sunday school version, now enshrined in the book of Acts, is badly in need of revision. It is all about parties and politics and fights to the bitter end. The stakes were high and the influence upon subsequent history was profound. I know of nothing one could study with a more potentially influential outcome.
I never get accustomed to the incredible influence that Paul has in Christian circles today–especially among more orthodox or traditional evangelical Christians, including Roman Catholics. It seems that whatever Paul says or writes or teaches becomes the last and final word for millions, feared and revered over the voice of Jesus or even Moses. Paul’s claim to have received the “final mystery” of the revelation of God lies at the heart of the issue. If we believe him we are bound to shape our ideas and our lives by his teachings. But if his message was a departure from that of Jesus and his brother James–then the most devout and dedicated Christian surely needs to rethink things from the ground up.
I have not finalized publication plans as of yet and when I know the details I will announce them but my intention is to see this book published next year–in 2007.