Book: The First Paul by Borg and Crossan

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I found this compelling book at my local public library. It’s provides a great insight into understanding the “real” “first Paul.”

It’s a Catholic scholarly view that all the letters attributed to Paul were not written by him. The authors try to reveal the first, radical Paul, who varies with or downright contradicts the “deutero-Paul.”

212 pages. They provide a selected exegesis of Paul’s writings, to illustrate who they think he really is and what he really wrote.

For budgetary reasons, I’m not going to put this book on my home shelf, but I think it is otherwise required reading.

The rear dust cover says that Borg is a type of high-quality writer and you should read everything he’s published.

This book hits me deeply and challenges me to work harder developing myself as Christian disciple.
 
Well, I’m glad you’re interested in textual criticism, but Borg and Crossan are mostly interested in voting in their own version of Christ (and Paul).

When you read textual criticism of the Bible, you have to keep your BS meter tuned pretty high, because the entire field is largely based on 19th century guessing and assumptions by guys with an agenda. Then Crossan and his Jesus Seminar buddies pile on their own bunch of 1960’s guessing and assumptions and agenda.

This isn’t to say that they can’t have useful insights, or that works cited in the footnotes might not be good to check out. You just have to know when to roll your eyes and sigh, which is often.

The best living scholar on Paul is generally acknowledged to be N.T. Wright (he’s an Anglican). You don’t have to believe everything he says, either, but he’s quite solid in his academic work. (Feel free to dial up your BS meter on his non-academic speeches.) He’s written some very huge and awesome books on Paul and on Christ, so they could keep you quite busy!
 
First off, let me freely confess that I have never read anything by Crossan. I am aware of what his agenda is and quite frankly I suspect that taking that turning leads to a dead end.

On the subject of the two Pauls, I would recommend a short (thirteen-page) chapter entitled ‘Christos’ in Paul, in Martin Hengel’s book Between Jesus and Paul, published in 2003. Hengel lists the authentic Pauline epistles as

Romans
1 and 2 Cor.
Galatians
Philippians
1 Thess.
Philemon

― just seven letters altogether. In fact I would recommend the whole book. It isn’t very long, only 220 pages, including the very extensive notes and the index.
 
Mintaka said:
The best living scholar on Paul is generally acknowledged to be N.T. Wright (he’s an Anglican). You don’t have to believe everything he says, either, but he’s quite solid in his academic work. (Feel free to dial up your BS meter on his non-academic speeches.) He’s written some very huge and awesome books on Paul and on Christ, so they could keep you quite busy!
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There’s Tom Wright, yes. I’d actually recommend ‘New Perspective on Paul’ scholars: Wright, E.P. ‘Ed’ Sanders, James Dunn. They all have their differences, but their ‘new perspective’ is interesting in the respect that they generally argue that the traditional Protestant understanding of Paul is actually in many ways incorrect.
 
Never read the book, but one bit of advice, be careful of anything by Cuossan. :eek: :p:p
 
If you want a laugh, go to the nearest Jesus Seminar roadshow when it comes to a city near you. The amount of ignorance and faulty assumptions and just plain political nonsense is stunning.

And, oh yes, they have tables and tables full of books they are willing to sell you.
 
I found this compelling book at my local public library. It’s provides a great insight into understanding the “real” “first Paul.”
Click to expand...
It’s a Catholic scholarly view that all the letters attributed to Paul were not written by him. The authors try to reveal the first, radical Paul, who varies with or downright contradicts the “deutero-Paul.”
Click to expand...
212 pages. They provide a selected exegesis of Paul’s writings, to illustrate who they think he really is and what he really wrote.
Click to expand...
For budgetary reasons, I’m not going to put this book on my home shelf, but I think it is otherwise required reading.
Click to expand...
The rear dust cover says that Borg is a type of high-quality writer and you should read everything he’s published.
Click to expand...
I am very glad for your interest in Saint Paul and the Sacred Scriptures.

Those writers however are not presenting a Scholarly Catholic View…

It is rather to be avoided. It is not actually about Saint Paul but their own ideas. Which are not about him.
 
Yes, I know who Crossan is.

When I said I found the book compelling, I was referring to the rather visible contraditions between the “first” Paul and those who wrote later in his name.

The “radical” Paul is about equality of men and women, whereas the later writings attributed to Paul are more strident about issues of male dominance.

Rather than knee-jerk reactions, I’d like to know if anybody else finds those things intriguing, like the parallel conflicts between the verses on slavery?

You’ve got to admit, there’s some divergent comments made the “first” Paul and the later Paul(s).

Alternately, how is one supposed to reconcile those opposing verses?
 
sirach2v4 said:
You’ve got to admit, there’s some divergent comments made the “first” Paul and the later Paul(s).

Alternately, how is one supposed to reconcile those opposing verses?
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You’ll have to cite some references for this assertion, because so far as I know there is no contradiction in the writings of Paul.

Also, no one is giving knee-jerk reactions. We’re pointing out that the author of that book has a decidedly-anti-Catholic bend in mind. He’s trying to build Paul around his ideals, rather than accepting Paul as Paul presents himself in his writings. This is the same thing people writing about “The real Jesus” do, they shape an image of Christ to fit their beliefs rather than allowing Christ to shape them. If you’re interested in some good Biblical Exegesis, you should check out Pope Emeritus Benedict’s Jesus of Nazareth. I’m reading it right now and it is excellent.
 
I like both Borg and Crossan, and I have gotten a lot out of their works. Which is not to say that I agree with everything they write.

I think that if you are Catholic and are only going to read one or two books on biblical scholarship, then neither Borg or Crossan are good choices. As have been pointed out, neither are Catholic, and their work is not always orthodox. I would turn to a Catholic scholar like Brown, or maybe the Pope Emeritus. But if you want to read more than a couple books I think it makes sense to read more broadly. It is a mistake to only read books you think you will agree with.
 
TMC said:
It is a mistake to only read books you think you will agree with.
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I agree with your post up unto this point. It’s not a matter of not agreeing with the authors, it’s a matter of them actively fabricating motivations which aren’t even remotely supported by the text or history. It’s the same as the people who claim that Jesus was a revolutionary, which isn’t supported by history or anything written about him (as early as twenty years after his death, while eye-witnesses and personal friends are still alive, as are a significant number of the people involved in his execution.); or as some mere “nice teacher” who inexplicably came to a bad end. Again, neither of these stances is supported by the literature or known history, and yet they, much like the authors of this book, present these notions as fact.

It’s not a matter of disagreeing with their conclusions, it’s a matter of them fabricating history.

Other than that I agree with your post though, you shouldn’t limit yourself to only things you agree with, otherwise you’ll never develop and learn about your beliefs. That’s part of why I love these forums so much, engaging in debate here forces me to learn about the faith I love!
 
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