Rediscovering Paul: An Introduction to His World, Letters and Theology

For some of us, the apostle Paul is like a distant uncle. We've heard he's pretty important. We've read the good parts of his letters. But sometimes he comes across as prickly and unpredictable. Not someone you'd like to hang out with at a coffee shop. He'd raise his voice, try to convert the barista, and we'd want to slink out the back door. For a mid-afternoon latte, we'd prefer Jesus over Paul. But actually, this is the guy who, from Ephesus to Athens, was the talk of the marketplace and the raconteur of the Parthenon. Maybe it's time to give Paul a break, let go of some stereotypes and try to get to know him on his own terms. If that's where you are, Rediscovering Paul is your guide. This is a book that helps us find Paul again--holding forth in the marketplace of Corinth, working with a secretary in framing his letter to the Romans, or pastoring the messy emerging churches of Philippi and Thessalonica. Drawing on the best of contemporary scholarship, honed by teaching and conversing with today's students, Rediscovering Paul is a textbook that rises above the rest.

"It is unusual that Bob Dylan, Larry Norman and the movie The Godfather all make it into a book about Paul the apostle. But they do here! David Capes, Rodney Reeves and Randolph Richards have written an introductory textbook to Paul that attempts to place him with one foot firmly in his own world and the other squarely in today's. The authors correct a number of misconceptions about the world in which Paul lived and wrote, and help us as readers to come to terms with the significance of his letters and theology for our times. This book will serve as a useful introductory guide to undergraduates and seminarians alike." (Stanley E. Porter, president, dean and professor of New Testament, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)

"A vast, sometimes overwhelming array of data and issues confronts today's student stepping into the study of Paul for the first time. Yet weaving together insights from recent research, Rediscovering Paul offers a helpful, accessible introduction to the rich tapestry of cultures, events, theology and mission that shaped the great apostle and his writings." (George H. Guthrie, Benjamin W. Perry Professor of Bible, Union University)

"Many people who think they understand Paul actually misunderstand him. Professors Capes, Reeves and Richards have given the beginning student of Paul a much-needed, readable and insightful entrée into the apostle's social world, ministry, letters, theology and legacy. The Paul they help us rediscover speaks the gospel of Christ crucified and raised not only to the first century, but also to the twenty-first." (Michael J. Gorman, Dean, The Ecumenical Institute of Theology, and Professor of Sacred Scripture, St. Mary's Seminary & University, Baltimore, Maryland)

"Several good textbooks cover the background, life, letters and theology of Paul at a seminary or graduate-school level, which some advanced college students can handle. But nothing currently in print accomplishes all of these tasks well, with the representative undergraduate as its primary target audience, at least not from an evangelical perspective. Capes, Reeves and Richards now admirably fill this gap, not only with excellent, readable content but also user-friendly sidebars explaining the significance for modern life of numerous ancient events and customs. At the same time, they teach us to think more like members of Paul's first-century Mediterranean audiences to interpret Paul's writings more accurately. A rare gift to both the church and to academia!" (Craig L. Blomberg, Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary)