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The authentic Paul is the Paul of his “authentic” letters, the letters he actually wrote. While Paul has always been viewed–after Jesus–as the major personality in the shaping of the early Christian Church, at the same time, he has been widely criticized–mostly for what people assume to be his views on women, slavery, and hierarchy in the church– based on letters Paul did not write. Paul’s detractors have also accused him of distorting the message of Jesus with their lofty teachings in the Sermon on the Mount and with Jesus’ personal commitment to social justice.

One of the theses of this book is that, in fact, Paul and Jesus have much in common. Indeed, more than distorting the message of Jesus, Paul’s teachings appear to complement Jesus’ message. Having said this, it is the author’s thesis that Paul has been largely misunderstood and is deserving of a fresh hearing. Simply put, he deserves to be understood and evaluated based on the letters he actually wrote and distinctly not on letters attributed to him but which he did not write.

 

Rediscovering the Authentic Paul: 

A Review By Rick Herrick 

There is no question that the Apostle Paul played a leading role in the development of Christianity, particularly in the formation of the early churches.  There is considerable debate, however, on Paul’s legacy.  Many have been critical of Paul’s teachings on women and slavery.  Others have criticized the idea of easy grace, claiming Paul changed the focus of Jesus from his emphasis on social justice, inclusion, and nonviolence to a post-Easter emphasis on personal salvation. 

Jeffrey Frantz takes on these critics in his new book, Rediscovering the Authentic Paul, to demonstrate convincingly that Jesus and Paul actually had much in common and that Paul shared Jesus’ radical teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount.   

With regard to the social teachings, the key for Frantz is to judge Paul based on his authentic letters, the letters he actually wrote (Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon) and decidedly not on letters attributed to him but which, as most scholars suggest, he did not write (Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus).  In the authentic letters, Frantz demonstrates that Paul, like Jesus, is a first-century feminist and no supporter of slavery, and it is in the disputed letters that you find support for slavery and the treatment of women as second-class citizens.

Frantz spends considerable time analyzing Paul’s famous Damascus Road enlightenment experience.  This notable encounter with the living Christ dramatically reshaped his personal identity and life purpose.  To have such an experience–to be in Christ–is “to have a spirit transplant, a new identity, a total change in character.”  This transformation comes as a gift from God.  It is an act of grace revealing a transformed life.

Frantz concludes his well-researched book with a focus on Paul’s concept of how to achieve global peace.  The Romans had their own understanding of this. For them, global peace was always achieved through military might.  In contrast, for Paul, peace is achieved through non-violence and the pursuit of economic and social justice. 

Again, the central argument of the book is that Paul has been largely misunderstood and is, therefore, deserving of a new hearing–a hearing based on his authentic letters, the letters he actually wrote.  For Christians open to a fresh understanding of Paul, this book is a must-read.   

 

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The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Frantz is a retired United Church of Christ minister.  He had long-term pastorates in San Diego County and in Miami Lakes, Florida.  His service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama in the late sixties spurred his commitment to social justice ministries and to a spirit of ecumenism as a local church pastor.  He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Pacific School of Religion. He is the author of The Bible You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In, The God You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In, and his just-published book: The Jesus You Didn’t Know You Could Believe In. Dr. Frantz and his wife, Yvette, are now retired and living in Florida.