St. Paul of Tarsus: From Persecutor to Persecuted

Leaving no stone unturned, this authoritative book offers fresh perspectives on the life, times, and zealous ministry of St. Paul. Historian and professor Rev. Waldemar Chrostowski provides the chronology of the luminary apostle’s life in fascinating detail, from his transformation at Damascus to his numerous escapes from mortal danger that rivaled those of an action-film hero. But these stories of persecutions, trials, sentencings, tumultuous missionary journeys, and encounters with remarkable people are all true. In these expansive pages, you will experience the heart-pounding events of St. Paul’s life as never before, while noting his growth in spiritual maturity all along the way.

Drawing from his extensive historical, theological, and archaeological research, Chrostowski reveals compelling information on:

• St. Paul’s youth and the historical, cultural, and geographical context of his times
• The motifs in Paul’s teachings and in the Acts of the Apostles in light of contemporaneous societal customs and religious traditions
• Three aspects of St. Paul’s “mission statement,” and anointed methods he used to evangelize
• The relationship between Christians and Jews of St. Paul’s time and today
• St. Paul’s letters, associates, and apostolic journeys, and why an evangelist painted him as “a Christian Seneca”
• Paul’s real belief regarding the controversy on whether the law is necessary for salvation, including his six proofs

The genius of St. Paul is revealed throughout this unparalleled work, whether in his miracles, the groundwork he laid for the early Church, the way he encouraged his spiritual children toward deeper trust in God, or his explanations of the mysteries of Christology—including the Eucharist and the Resurrection—and the Final Things. Through this deep dive into his humanity and sanctity, you will discover anew the indomitable St. Paul and his heroic life as an apostle of the Lord.

Waldemar Chrostowski is a Polish Catholic priest, professor of theology, biblical scholar, senior adviser to the Council of the Polish Episcopate for Religious Dialogue, professor at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, and chairman of the Association of Polish Bible Exegetes. He is one of Poland's most important publicists and intellectuals and enjoys an enormous audience. Until 1998, he was also co-chairman of the Polish Council of Christians and Jews, the official dialogue forum of Christians and Jews in Poland. He is a member of the Committee of Theological Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the author of more than two thousand popular scientific publications. From 1978 to 1983, Chrostowski studied at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, and from 1979 to 1980, he studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. From 1990 to 2000, Chrostowski was a member of the International Council of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. In 1991, he was one of the