Topics in Christian Thought

The letters of the apostle Paul now constitute a significant section of Christian Scripture in the New Testament and are often read by Christians as timeless truths for proper lifestyle and belief. But what situations, questions, and controversies prompted Paul to write these letters in the first place? This course examines Paul's travels and travails as a missionary in the cities of the Greco-Roman world, and how his views are shaped by the Classical cultures in which he lived, including ancient Judaism and Greco-Roman society. We will study specific problems that Paul had to overcome in the course of his lifetime - such as competition from other missionaries, challenges to his credentials as an apostle, even accusations of fraud - and how he formulated his own religious beliefs in response to these situations. The multicultural and cosmopolitan world of Greco-Roman cities that Paul worked in will be brought to life through archaeology and classical literature, and religious alternatives to the early Christian movement will be considered, such as communities devoted to the goddess Isis.

Course Attributes: EN H; BU Eth; AS HUM

Topics in Christian Thought

CLASSICS 3821

Section 01