The Radical Apostle Paul - Marcus Borg

John Dominic Crossan and Marcus J. Borg-two of the world's top-selling Christian scholars and the bestselling authors of The Last Week and The First Christmas-once again shake up the status quo by arguing that the message of the apostle Paul, considered by many to be the second most important figure in Christianity, has been domesticated by the church. Borg and Crossan turn the common perception of Paul on its head, revealing him as a radical follower of Jesus whose core message is still relevant today.
Book Description
Bestselling authors of The Last Week and The First Christmas, Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan join once again to present a new understanding of early Christianity-this time to reveal a radical Paul who has been suppressed by the church.
Paul is second only to Jesus as the most important person in the birth of Christianity, and yet he continues to be controversial, even among Christians. How could the letters of Paul be used both to inspire radical grace and to endorse systems of oppression-condoning slavery, subordinating women, condemning homosexual behavior? Borg and Crossan use the best of biblical and historical scholarship to explain the reasons for Paul's mixed reputation and reveal to us what scholars have known for decades: that the later letters of Paul were created by the early church to dilute Paul's egalitarian message and transform him into something more "acceptable." They argue there are actually "Three Pauls" in the New Testament: "The Radical Paul" (of the seven genuine letters), "The Conservative Paul" (of the three disputed epistles), and "The Reactionary Paul" (of the three inauthentic letters). By closely examining this progression of Paul's letters-from the authentic to the inauthentic-the authors show how the apostle was slowly but steadily "deradicalized" to fit Roman social norms in regards to slavery, patriarchy, and patronage. In truth, Paul was an appealing apostle of Jesus whose vision of life "in Christ"-one of his favored phrases-is remarkably faithful to the message of Jesus himself.

[@ncprice777]

This man has saved and strengthened my faith over and over again.

[@theguyver4934]

Are you a Christian?

[@shriyanidemel9401]

So relevant for the times. Religion and Politics. What a tragedy.

[@TheSmithDorian]

Borg is correct - it was fairly common. You've got half the epistles in the NT as evidence of this, not to mention all the others that didn't make it into the canon. Borg isn't saying that it wasn't forgery or that it was acceptable. He's just pointing out that it happened a lot.

[@brianellison18]

Blasphemy????? ..... Oh no, not "blasphemy", but GLORY!!!! ....the earth is not flat, it is time to come into modernity

[@ComradeAgopian]

You hit on one of my major peeves . They were not ' former Jews ' they were Jewish . One is not a ' fomer Nigerian ' or ' former Russian ' when you accept the claims of Christianity , one do not lose their ethnic idenity .

[@hosanabonikhuayang1368]

If we go through the book of Act you will see exactly what Paul did and went through his Missionaries To ignore him you are ignoring God , when Paul talks about woman and he referred to the verse in Genesis about who is man and woman to be

[@pandirasbox]

Irenaeus was the one who first toned down Paul, then Tertullian and Clement. He wrote 6, not 7 of them.

[@EWETUBER2]

The "JEWS" spoken of in Galatians were actually the Jerusalem Church members who were really former Jews. There is no group called the "Judaizers" in scripture. The Jerusalem Church was the "Judaizers" when you put what scripture says all together. Acts 2..Acts 15..Acts 21 shows the progression from a good start..to a bad finish..!

[@pasquino0733]

'Slavery in Christian communities was abolished' - where is the primary source evidence for such an assertion?

[@greenbank4800]

another suggested read books.google.com.au/books/about/Slavery_in_Early_Christianity.html?id=N0MDOY6XvhUC&redir_esc=y

[@EWETUBER2]

COMARADEAGOPIAN.. Well they were former Jews in a religious sence..no longer Jewish in their worship of God. Plus not all of them were of Judah..so a case coud be made that they were not Jews in the tribal sence. PS, you should change your mail controls so I can send you a letter..

[@Marksnotebook]

I will simply say this----speaking of Paul and the Bible---we believe that the entire Bible is God breathed truth without error.

[@Marksnotebook]

Who is this you tube here? I mean what religion? I always like to know who I'm dealing with such as a Lutheran, Catholic, Calvinisim, Baptist, Jew, etc?

[@DillPhobia]

Marcus Borg was an Episcopalian, ex-Lutheran.

[@crucisnh]

I've got to disagree with the author here with his comments on "forgeries". Forgeries are forgeries no matter how you dress it up.

[@marlenetalbott-green6815]

I'm sorry, but I disagree with this dogmatic statement. Forgeries have the intent to decieve.

[@pandirasbox]

Actually, writing something in someones name to deceive others into thinking it was by them was always considered forgery. Borg's argument is bogus. No it was not fairly common.

[@jborg980]

So Marcus for you Jesus is a teacher ? God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself: well I guess to be able to sell many copies of your book Marcus you need to come up with a "scholarly " theme

[@hilej]

blasphemy!

[@keithk8275]

you keep saying that word, I'm not sure it means what you think it means.

[@hilej]

Your mind wonders very stupid things, if that's anything to go by than you are in trouble

[@keithk8275]

+Olehile John Kaelo inconceivable!

[@hilej]

You have a stupid mind that's not my fault and don't blame yourself its not your fault, not your fault you such a duchebag!