Paulography

I recently read N.T. Wright’s Paul, a biography of the great apostle. Although he provided a wealth of background material and writes in a lively and engaging style, he did seem to go to some trouble to try and prove a distinction between Paul’s message and Reformation-era/evangelical doctrine. He repeatedly states that Paul was not just trying to ‘get people into heaven’ (as if any Reformer or modern evangelical would actually say that) and that his message was about the redemption of the whole creation. He is a writer whose work I am prepared to read, but one whom I might not offer our pulpit (as if so elevated a figure would deign to accept).

The other slightly puzzling features of the book were his apparent neglect of the question of Paul’s Roman citizenship, and the apostle's wider attitude towards slavery, election and women, which a man of his calibre would have surely enjoyed tackling. Furthermore, being a clever chap, he uses his own translation of the New Testament, rather than the published versions with which his readers are familar, which makes it more difficult to analyse and assess his 'proofs'.

N.T. Wright’s scholarship is well recognised, and as Bishop of Durham, he was probably the best of a bad bunch. Nevertheless, his somewhat woolly views on salvation remind me why I am a Protestant dissenter and not a paid-up Anglican. He affords Paul a dear place in his affections, however, and the two shall, I think, enjoying meeting each other when the Lord calls home the bishop. We were studying Romans on our Thursday evening Bible studies while I was reading the bio, and I will confess that, despite my reservations, it did prove to be helpful. It was also rather enjoyable to read an actual biography of Paul, instead of the careful analyses of his words which one finds in the commentaries. Paul was a theologian, an apostle and a writer, but he was also a man, just like us. 

[Paul] fought the good fight...finished the race...the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7