Paul: A Critical LifeTraditionally the Acts of the Apostles has provided the framework for biographies of the Apostle Paul. In recent years, however, the historical value of the Acts has come into question. Many scholars argue that, despite the accuracy of many details, the text as a whole reflects the interests of Luke rather than objective reality. This book presents a completely new, and much more vivid and dramatic, account of the life of Paul than any before. While continuing to give consideration to the Acts, Murphy-O'Connor reconstructs the apostle's life--from his childhood in Taursus and his years as a student in Jerusalem, to the successes and failures of his ministry--from his own writings. Reinforcing his critical analysis of Paul's letters with close attention to archaeology and contemporary texts, Murphy-O'Connor not only charts Paul's movements, but extracts a new understanding of his motives and the social and cultural aspects of his ministry. Most important of all, this biography transforms a fountain of theological ideas into a human being. |
Contents
Growing Up in Tarsus | 33 |
A Pharisee in Jerusalem | 57 |
Conversion and its Consequences | 73 |
Copyright | |
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accepted Acts 18 Antioch Apollos Apostle appear argument Asia Minor assume authenticity authority Barnabas believers Betz Boismard and Lamouille Christ Christians church circumcision Claudius Colossae Colossians concern confirmed converts Corinth Corinthians covenant Damascus death Dio Cassius Dio Chrysostom Dunn Epaphras Ephesus Epistles fact Fitzmyer Galatians Gallio Gentiles Geography gospel Greek Haenchen hint History hymn hypothesis Ibid implies interpretation intruders Jerusalem Jesus Jewett Jewish Jews Josephus journey Judaism Judaizers letter lived Longenecker 1990 Lüdemann Luke Luke's Lycus Lycus valley Macedonia means mentioned ministry mission missionary Nabataeans pagan Paul Paul's Pauline persecution Pharisees Phil Philem Philemon Philippi Philippians Philo possible preaching precisely Prisca and Aquila problems response rhetorical rightly road Roman Rome situation slaves spirit-people Strabo Suetonius suggests synagogue Syria Tarsus Testament Thess Thessalonians Timothy tion Titus tradition trans Troas Via Egnatia winter words