Paul: A Novel

Paul: A Novel

Journey with Saul of Tarsus from Jerusalem's temple and the martyrdom of Stephen to a transforming encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus - then beyond to a waiting world. It is a world of bustling marketplaces filled with the smell of animals and the cry of merchants ... faces, cultures, and traditions as diverse as the varied landscape ... and human character and passions playing out in city streets, in corridors of power, and in homes of the humble. Here, in the shadow of imperial Rome, the early church is unfolding its vigorous bud. And the man Saul, whom the Gentiles know as Paul, will spread its seed, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to the ends of the known world. Saul of Tarsus, the impassioned rabbi and persecutor of Christians, had a Damascus road experience that changed his life and helped shape the future of the world. As Paul, writer of some of the meatiest chunks of the New Testament and zealous missionary to the Gentiles, he became one of the most controversial figures in history. Yet what do we know about the man, other than what's in the letters that have fashioned the Christian church for 2,000 years? Unless you are a theologian or historian, the answer probably is very little--until now. Walter Wangerin, the highly acclaimed scholar and writer, has breathed new life into this fiery, enigmatic, and passionate creature in what should be celebrated as a seriously good work of literature. The novel, which combines expert knowledge and prophetic imagination, charts the first exhilarating and dangerous years of the church after the death of Christ. It is seen through the eyes of the witnesses--Priscilla, who meets Paul in Corinth; Barnabus, Timothy, and Titus, his companions; James and Simon Peter, the "pillar" of the first Christians; and Seneca, the great Roman writer, statesman, and adviser to Nero. Wangerin serves up a feast of color and detail that brings the first century--and, even more impressively, the Bible--alive. Whatever your religious persuasion, this book serves as a fine companion to the one of the greatest yet most puzzling stories ever told. --Brian Draper, Amazon.co.uk In 1998, Wangerin wrote the acclaimed The Book of God: The Bible as a Novel. Here he turns his attentions to the tireless apostle Paul. A devout Jew fluent in the scripture of the Torah, Paul actively persecutes the fledgling Christians until Jesus strikes him blind and opens his eyes to the new faith. Then Paul casts off the hatred that led to the stoning of Stephen years earlier and shares his joy in the Lord with a disbelieving world. As Paul's story unfolds from the viewpoints of the people around him the slight, bantam rooster figure takes on an ethereal happiness that draws followers to Jesus wherever he goes. Barnabas, Prisca, Timothy, Titus, Lydia, James, Simon Peter, Simeon Niger, and others share good and bad thoughts of Paul, adding layers to an already complex figure. Paul only speaks for himself in letters. At times humorous, at times appalling, Paul's voice reaches beyond the pages of fiction to exhort a fundamental love of Jesus. For all collections. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. Walter Wangerin Jr. first came to prominence as the award-winning author of The Book of the Dun Cow. He has since won many other awards and honors for his books, including the best-selling Book of God. Wangerin holds the Jochum Chair at Valparaiso University in Indiana, where he is writer-in-residence With imagination and depth, Walter Wangerin Jr. weaves the history of the early church and its greatest apostle into a powerful epic. Paul is more than a novel. It is a masterfully crafted world of rich color, stunning imagery, and gripping immediacy. Journey with Saul of Tarsus from Jerusalem s temple and the martyrdom of Stephen to a transforming encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus then beyond to a waiting world. It is a world of bustling marketplaces filled with the smell of animals and the cry of merchants . . . faces, cultures, and traditions as diverse as the varied landscape . . . and human character and passions playing out in city streets, in corridors of power, and in homes of the humble. Here, in the shadow of imperial Rome, the early church is unfolding its vigorous bud. And the man Saul, whom the Gentiles know as Paul, will spread its seed, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to the ends of the known world. Wangerin shows you Paul and his times through many eyes: Barnabas of boisterous joy, whom Paul forces into distressful decisions. James, head of the church at Jerusalem and arbiter of the fierce clash between grace and Jewish law. Prisca, who, with the help of her husband Aquila, saves Paul s life at the risk of her own. Seneca, statesman whose ascent from exile to adviser for Nero reveals the volatile political backdrop of Rome. Luke, whose account from the book of Acts laces together Wangerin s imaginative vignettes with the strong thread of Scripture. Paul h