About the Book
In this definitive biography, renowned Bible scholar, Anglican bishop, and bestselling author N. T. Wright offers a radical look at the apostle Paul, illuminating the humanity and remarkable achievements of this intellectual who invented Christian theology—transforming a faith and changing the world.
For centuries, Paul, the apostle who "saw the light on the Road to Damascus" and made a miraculous conversion from zealous Pharisee persecutor to devoted follower of Christ, has been one of the church’s most widely cited saints. While his influence on Christianity has been profound, N. T. Wright argues that Bible scholars and pastors have focused so much attention on Paul’s letters and theology that they have too often overlooked the essence of the man’s life and the extreme unlikelihood of what he achieved.
To Wright, "The problem is that Paul is central to any understanding of earliest Christianity, yet Paul was a Jew; for many generations Christians of all kinds have struggled to put this together." Wright contends that our knowledge of Paul and appreciation for his legacy cannot be complete without an understanding of his Jewish heritage. Giving us a thoughtful, in-depth exploration of the human and intellectual drama that shaped Paul, Wright provides greater clarity of the apostle’s writings, thoughts, and ideas and helps us see them in a fresh, innovative way.
Paul is a compelling modern biography that reveals the apostle’s greater role in Christian history—as an inventor of new paradigms for how we understand Jesus and what he accomplished—and celebrates his stature as one of the most effective and influential intellectuals in human history.
About the Author :
N. T. Wright is the former bishop of Durham in the Church of England and one of the world's leading Bible scholars. He is now serving as the Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews. For twenty years he taught New Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill, and Oxford Universities, and he has been featured on ABC News, Dateline, The Colbert Report, and Fresh Air. Wright is the award-winning author of Surprised by Scripture, The Case for the Psalms, How God Became King, Simply Jesus, After You Believe, Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, Scripture and the Authority of God, The Meaning of Jesus (coauthored with Marcus Borg), as well as being the translator for The Kingdom New Testament.
Review :
"In eloquent and inviting prose, one of the world's leading New Testament scholars retells the story behind the story, the story of the Apostle Paul. A master teacher here communicates Paul in language every reader can understand." - Craig S. Keener, F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of New Testament, Asbury Theological Seminary
"The life of one of Christianity's founders is told by renowned biblical scholar N.T. Wright, who believes that in focusing on Paul's letters and theology, scholars and pastors have not considered Paul as a person and in the context of his times." - Publishers Weekly
"An enthralling journey into the mind of Paul by one of the great theologians of our time, a work full of insight, depth and generosity of understanding." - Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, author of Not in God's Name
"Wright's excellent book not only brings Paul to life but places that life in the complex and overlapping array of Jewish and non-Jewish communities, all set within the Roman empire." - John Richardson, Emeritus Professor of Classics, University of Edinburgh
"In his monumental, meticulously detailed and elegant study, Wright presents a fascinating portrait of a man who went from persecuting Christians to being their biggest advocate." - BookPage
"A fresh look at the Jewish heritage and the essential place in Christian history of the man converted on the road to Damascus." - Tampa Bay Times
"It's that revelatory presentation -- understanding Paul as first and always a Jew -- that makes Wright's work so imperative. What makes Wright's work a joy is that he so brilliantly holds his ground as a scholar, yet writes with a storyteller's narrative mastery. . . . Wright illuminates all angles of Paul's humanity." - Chicago Tribune
"NT Wright takes the most controversial and influential author of scripture and does something remarkable: he humanizes Paul. I was hooked from the first page." - Mike McHargue, author of Finding God in the Waves as co-host of The Liturgists Podcast
"Written with the usual Wright combination of erudition, intuition, mature wit, and wisdom, Paul should serve us well as we seek to unlock the keys to the first great Christian theologian." - Dr. Ben Witherington, III, Amos Professor of NT for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary
"One of Wright's best books . . . Eloquent and moving." - Bible and Culture
"A very deep dive into Paul. Professor Wright has such a gift in taking truth and presenting it [so] it just comes alive. I can't say enough about it. I love the book" - Relevant Radio
"The great N.T. Wright [offers] this grand biography of Paul. An exciting book." - The Eric Metaxas Show
"Paul is a compelling modern biography that reveals the apostle's greater role in Christian history--as an inventor of new paradigms for how we understand Jesus and what he accomplished--and celebrates his stature as one of the most effective and influential intellectuals in human history." - Englewood Review of Books
"C. S. Lewis spoke of three artistically construed figures who jump off the page--Plato's Socrates, Boswell's Johnson, and the evangelists' Jesus. I am tempted to add a fourth candidate, having encountered Tom Wright's careful, tender, and bracing enfleshment of the apostle Paul!" - Edith M. Humphrey, William F. Orr Professor of New Testament, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
