THE FIRST PAUL Reclaiming the Radical Visionary Behind the Church's Conservative Icon

Mel Foster presents Borg and Crossan's well-researched account of the Apostle Paul and his writings. With assurance, Foster portrays the authors’ vision of Paul as one of the most contentious figures in Christian history, but also one of the most misunderstood. With compelling clarity, Foster perfectly renders Paul's statements condoning slavery and the subordination of women and condemning homosexuality. Foster clearly details the differences the authors find between Paul's early letters and his later "disputed epistles." In a persuasive tone, Foster offers the authors' observations that Paul’s writings move between the radical, the conservative, and the reactionary. The reason for this, they contend, is that the early church edited some of Paul’s writings to "de-radicalize" his views with respect to Roman social norms. Overall, Foster presents the authors' views on Paul’s letters—the authentic and the inauthentic—with eloquent warmth. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2009]