RABBI PAUL

Drawing on the Apostle Paul's own writings, the New Testament book of Acts, and historical documents, Bruce Chilton draws a detailed portrait of the apostle who started as a strict Pharisee who persecuted the followers of Jesus and then developed into one of Christianity’s leading advocates to the non-Jewish world. It's a warts-and-all profile, and Chilton shows how some of Paul’s character flaws (his extremism and garrulousness, for example) proved to be valuable as he spread the word of Jesus. The book is dense, and listeners need to pay attention. Narrator Tom Weiner adds to the problem a little by increasing his pace in several passages, as if he’s trying to get everything in before he runs out of time. Overall, though, his voice is clear and easy to listen to. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2009]