I feel fortunate in this class though because I have recently read all of Paul's letters because of the congregation's goal to read the New Testament in a year, in the order the books were written. Because Paul's letters date as the earliest Christian writings, I have read them all. Now, through this course, I have the opportunity to delve deeper into these ancient writings by Paul.
As a congregation, we are currently reading Colossians, a book that has been attributed to Paul, but many now believe was probably written in the 80's, about 20 years after Paul's execution. There are also inconsistencies in the letter that mark it as written by someone other than Paul. The sentences are much longer and more complex and sometimes the contents within the letters conflict with Paul's ideas. For example, in Paul's letter to the Galatians, he affirms that Jew and Gentile, male and female, and slave and free are all one in Christ. The author of this letter leaves out male and female and later in the letter includes the subordination of wives to husbands and slaves to masters.
Because these words have been attributed to Paul, Paul has received a lot of criticism over the years. Many fighting for equal rights for women or those in opposition to slavery have spoken very strongly against Paul.
Fifty years after Christ and even twenty years after Paul, ideas changed and people approached the gospel in different ways. Theologian Marcus Borg states, "The radicalism of Paul's early communities is being accommodated to the hierarchical normalcy of the Roman world." (Evolution of the Word) In other words, Paul's radical words were being tamed over the years and made to suit those already in power, in this case, men and slaveowners.
What is your opinion of Paul? Have you been persuaded by those who have criticized Paul and his writings? How does it make you feel to hear that letters you had always believed were written by Paul are now being questioned?
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