Phoebe: A Story

by Paula Gooder

Sometime around 56 AD, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. His letter was arguably his theological masterpiece, and has continued to shape Christian faith ever since. He entrusted this letter to Phoebe, the deacon of the church at Cenchreae; in writing to the church that almost surely met in her home, Paul refers to her both as a deacon and as a helper or patron of many. But who was this remarkable woman?

In this, her first work of fiction, Biblical scholar and popular author and speaker Paula Gooder tells Phoebe's story - who she was, the life she lived and her first-century faith - and in doing so opens up Paul's theology, giving a sense of the cultural and historical pressures that shaped Paul's thinking, and the faith of the early church.

Written in the gripping style of Gerd Theissen's The Shadow of the Galilean, and similarly rigorously researched, this is a book for everyone and anyone who wants to engage more deeply and imaginatively with Paul's theology - from one of the UK's foremost New Testament scholars.

(P) Hodder & Stoughton Ltd

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Theology, Christianity, Christian Fiction, Religion

Audible Audio

Published May 23, 2019

About the author

Paula Gooder is a speaker and writer on the Bible, particularly on the New Testament. She began her working life, teaching for twelve years in ministerial formation first at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford and then at the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education in Birmingham. Following this she spent around eight years as a speaker and writer in biblical studies travelling the country and seeking to communicate the best of biblical scholarship in as accessible a way as possible, after that she spent six years working for the Bible Society as their Theologian in Residence and then for the Birmingham Diocese as their Director of Mission Learning and Development. She is currently the Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Reviews

[Derek Winterburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a curious book, but well worth a read. Gooder has gone from interview from interview defending it's existence while saying it is not a novel. She is right in that there is very little 'direct action' in the story part of the book. Rather there is a lot of talking - the characters telling what has happened to them. She has conjured up individuals from the 'small print' of the New Testament although Paul, Jesus and Peter get significant roles (only Peter is a actual person in the book). The action fits inside the NT history, rather setting it out. Gooder has found space in the NT to create Phoebe with a big back story, and sketch out the Roman churches in the late AD 50s.

Gooder wears her learning lightly. Only in reading the last third of the book which contains all the footnotes does the reader realise how much history has been absorbed following the fictional story of Phoebe.

Clearly the author wishes to offer the 21st century church a lesson in 'disagreeing well' and there are one or two sermonic set pieces along the way. Then there are some curious moments e.g. Phoebe lives with her benefactor for weeks before he realises she is a Christian - she had just stopped meeting with her Christian family. But on the whole the story of Phoebe sits comfortably within the Biblical material, while offering an imaginative telling of the early church's culture-challenging life.

[SK Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phoebe: A Story by Paula Gooder was THE BEST book. (I mean except the Bible). I literally can’t explain how much it means to me. I know it will impact my life for many years to come. It is one of those books that I will read over and over again. One that I can sit down and think about time and time again (which is good because I have to write a 4-5 page paper on it!). The Gooder tells stories is captivating and relatable. Her portrayal of the early church in Rome is one of beauty and grace. This books has given me a new angle as to how to approach the New Testament, specifically Paul’s letters. So many good thoughts! 10/10 i will buy you the book recommend. Also if you can get your professor to read it to you in audiobook form it makes it all the more beautiful.

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romans 16:1-2 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

This is the only mention of Phoebe anywhere in the Bible. Yet Gooder, through extensive historical research of the early church time period and thorough Biblical research of the characters in the Roman Christian church at this time, as mentioned by Paul, brought the early home church movement to life. I felt like I was in the midst of Rome with all its scents, sounds, people, and the excitement of the newly developing Christian church. Watching as the followers faith grew and converts increased in number and learning more about Paul and Peter was intriguing. Following the book itself, Gooder includes extensive notes as to her research and the Biblical passages that led her to the writing decisions she made for each chapter. Well researched and well written Biblical fiction.

[David Olsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I shouldn’t have expected a novel. The amount of research put into this book is rather impressive. It’s got great historical content, and taught me much about the Greco-Roman world, but as a narrative I found it very lacking.
Characters are prone to long explanations of their story that feel shoehorned and trite. There’s almost no one plot, so it drags.
If I could, I’d give two ratings. 2 stars for the narrative content, and 5 for the historical and cultural content.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn’t call this book a literary masterpiece, nor would the author expect it. Her extensive notes explain that this is a work of historical imagination, based on extensive scholarly research. I appreciate the way this story illustrates the times and culture of the New Testament, with many endnotes to support the imaginative text and references to other resources if the reader is curious. In addition, the story is a clear presentation of the gospel, the good news of Jesus. A worthwhile read.

[Caroline Groce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story of life in Christ. Redemption, sacrifice, community, and incredible grace are all exemplified so well through the telling of Phoebe’s story!!!! Love. It.

[John Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book ahead of time to review for a magazine so I will have to be a little economical here until that review is published. This is a first for Paula Gooder a bible scholar a work of fiction to make the world in which the apostle Paul wrote his letters easier for us to understand because it is a very different world from ours. There is widespread travel so Jews and those from modern Turkey and Greece mingle with the Italians. Slaves and freed slaves and aristocrats are all mixed up together. It is a complex world which is easier understood using the device of a story. Phoebe from Cenchrae near Corinth travels to Rome to deliver Paul's letter to the Romans - the book starts with it being read out and as the book progresses you learn more about Phoebe and the characters who are listed as Paul greets them in Romans 16 at the end of the letter. This is more than sword and sandals fare -the book contains a solid section of explanation at the back in case you want to see what Paula's footnotes are. well worth a read and much easier than reading a commentary!

[Eoin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the book I was expecting but enjoyed nonetheless. I'm fascinated by the biblical history, not from the point of view of a believer (which I'm not), but looking at the subject in terms of who were these massively influential people, what did they believe andwhat do we actually know about them and how did they shape the religion that emerged from the middle east 2000 years ago.

Although this book is fictionalised I thought it would add colour to what I know about the subject. Quickly it became clear that the book was written by a Christian who believes that most of the new testament, including the miracles accounts, is a depiction of events as they actually happened.

But despite this clash in viewpoints between the author and this reader, i quite enjoyed it. I found the story compelling and really enjoyed the fleshing out of the major and minor characters in the bible.

Recommended for believers and non believers who are interested in life in Rome at the advent of christianity

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel part of the book was interesting, but nothing special. But in conjunction with the endnotes, I thought this was a really good book!

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

So so creative. Hard to put down and so much fun to read.

[Terrance Lively · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. Such an engaging story woven into the historical narratives with established characters and back stories. It is also a fascinating insight into the culture of Rome in the first century. Well worth the read although it does end in a bit of a cliffhanger. The cultural notes in the back are helpful as well and should be read with each chapter or before the book itself. It is nice to see some theology woven into the narrative (since it is biblical) and it is placed in a way that is unobtrusive. Definitely worth the read.

[Geoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I want other people to read and enjoy like I did. The author has wanted to convey the historical setting of the Letter to the Romans in a more powerful manner than classroom lectures. She has achieved her intent beautifully with some beautiful writing and a moving story. I particularly enjoyed her depictions of Paul and Peter, the latter being quite an uplifting presence when he turns up.

My favourite quote: [Peter speaking] I of all people know that forgiveness is complex. It's like a huge tangled ball; like one of my nets after a particularly frustrating night at sea. One moment, one phrase, "I forgive you", might loosen one of the threads, but the rest remains, and takes much, much more work. Jesus knew that too. p147-8

We can't pretend it didn't happen. Forgiveness is not about forgetting - it's about refusing to be chained up by the past; accepting that a door has been opened for us, and walking through the door to freedom....You will probably need to return to this moment again and again. Like me, you will need to live forgiveness every day of your lives....Living forgiveness is a long and winding road. Navigating it takes courage....It is only when you stop carrying a heavy load that you realise how heavy it has been. p149-150

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Phoebe" is 72% historical fiction that begins in 56 AD, when the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. The author's intent is to help Christians to better understand what it would have been like to live at that time. The story follows Phoebe as she delivered Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome and found healing from her past along with a better understanding of the freedom found in Christ.

Cultural and historical details were woven into the story along with things like the recipients debating what Paul meant, conflict between Jewish and Gentle believers and between non-believers and believers. She also included events recorded in the Bible, like references to Jesus' life and things like Paul's arrival in Rome in chains. The characters were engaging and acted realistically. I enjoyed the fiction section, and it was generally consistent with the information found in the Bible even if I didn't agree with how she portrayed some things.

The remaining 28% was end notes, which briefly explained things like why the author described Paul the way she did or how slavery worked in the Roman Empire. I found this section informative. But I was disappointed that in the end notes for the last few chapters (which focused more on events actually described in the Bible rather than fictionalized events), she apparently favored the opinion of those who doubt the historical accuracy of the Bible.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.

[An Te · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paula Gooder does a good job at revivifying the lives of early Christians. What I like most is the delicate weaving of the stories, parables and epistles throughout this historical fictional piece. What makes this unique and worthy of a read is both the narrative and the careful weaving of the New Testament scholarship. Firstly, Phoebe (Greek for 'shining') is a female deaconess from Cenchrea (today 'Kechries') with the narrative told from her perspective. It is compelling to contemplate that not all women were downtrodden and muzzled. And it is a genuinely believable account which speaks to modern sensibilities but still remains faithful to the anachronisms of slavery and property rights unique to this period of Roman occupation. And secondly, the second part of the book's content contain gems of hidden allusions, references and tidbits which are both credible and insightful. This is where Paula's New testament scholarship weighs in; and it weighs in well. She simplifies the complex but yet offers gateways for further exploration for the interested.

All in all, a thoroughly good and compelling plot, supported with historical details, makes for a telling debut novel for Dr Gooder. What's there not to like here!

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paula Gooder has given us a gift! She calls this book "an exercise in historical imagination," and that's a perfect description for this non-novel. It's too faithful to history, the Scriptures, and NT scholarship to be a novel, but it's not bound to the text's every jot and tittle.

A quick tour of things that made me fall in love:
- The third person narrative interspersed with conversational stories
- Dynamics between wealthy/poor, Jewish/Gentile, slave/free, male/female Christians
- JUNIA
- ALSO PRISCA
- STRONG FEMALE LEADERS
- Backstories!!
- Paul's characterization
- Glimpses of Peter's ministry
- The feels

Truly, Phoebe: A Story is excellent. It's captivating and enlightening and wonderful. The extensive notes at the end are helpful, pointing to good resources. Gooder gave us a glimpse into her process, which I deeply appreciate. I'll be reading this again and recommending it to others along the way!

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phoebe A Story is a charming read, capturing the imagination from the beginning. I couldn’t put it down. The book is well researched, exploring what life may have been like for a Biblical character many have wondered about. Being well researched, this is a painless way to absorb the historical background of Phoebe and friends. The characters are vividly painted and endearing. The themes that are explored are from an historical context but have modern application. The notes at the back are thorough. A great read for anyone interested in the historical background of the New Testament.

[Emily Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paula Gooder does an amazing job of setting the scene of the early church as made up of ordinary, relatable people. It is a really humbling and encouraging read to recall that the biblical accounts of these people are made up of men and women who have the same struggles, doubts, conflictions and anxieties that we hold today. They lived in an uncertain and chaotic world and yet their bonds with one another, held by Jesus is a tangible reality of what the good news of Jesus does in everyday lives and struggles.

[Grant Klinefelter · Rating 4 out of 5]

We often wonder what it would be like to be present at one of Jesus’ miracles. We put ourselves on the shore when he feeds the five thousand; on the hill when he preaches the Sermon on the Mount. But what would it be like to receive a letter by Paul? This book is a beautiful combination of astute biblical scholarship and creative sanctified imagination. Paula Gooder uses the best of what we know of the biblical deacon, Phoebe, and creates a fabulous story about her life. It’s so hard to put down!

[Emily P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful, interesting book about the life of Phoebe! So much relevant information to help you understand the historical, spiritual and personal importance of Phoebe and her missions alongside Paul. I am sure the reason why I enjoyed it is because I am in the middle of the ordination process, but I would recommend this title to those who love Biblical history. Phoebe was a remarkable woman!

I received a PDF copy from #netgalley. I chose to review, and all opinions are my own.

[Julie Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me. Having read a fictional account of the life of Dinah, I was more than ready to read a fictional life story of Phoebe. I am now looking for something similar for Lydia.
Phoebe was incredibly well written and I could imagine living in Rome at the time and meeting Peter and Paul etc.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this enough to finish it, but felt very unsatisfied by it. It didn't work for me as a story, the characters are one dimensional and prone to declaiming short sermons instead of doing conversation, and there was no sense of time or place. I think I would have preferred a readable study of Pauline scholarship over the last 20 years or so.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. There are few words that would describe it better. It is beautifully written, imaginative but theologically and historically based, and encouraging as a woman in church history. Highly, highly recommend.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book! Truly brings biblical characters to life and helps readers to visualize what it might have been like to be part of the early church. Superb research evidenced by the over 80 pages of notes. You will enjoy greatly! Official print review forthcoming!

[Carmen Imes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Captivating story. Enlightening look at the world of the early church. Well-researched and yet winsomely written.

[Debbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I hate that 2 stars on Goodreads means its "okay" and 3 stars means "I liked it." ... I would call it medium okay and give it 3 stars. That said, I was disappointed with this book. I had read it was heavily researched so I assumed it wouldn't fall into what I call romance novel. Not that there's romance, but that the backstory is very very like a 50s epic Biblical movie... (think Charlton Heston's "The Ten Commandments" or "The Robe"). We can't have our lead character just have a boring upbringing... she has to have a backstory that includes slavery, rape, and a child torn from her arms. I actually enjoyed all the other characters in the book except Pheobe. If you enjoy and are looking for Christian fiction, this would be worth looking at. But, don't assume you'll be getting an accurate glimpse into the early church. This would not be the book for that. 2.5-3 stars

[Katedurie50 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an unusual, even extraordinary attempt to embed New Testament context (especially the Epistle to the Romans, though chunks of Acts and bits of the gospels appear also) in an imagined narrative. The reader is drip-fed information on slavery, the role of women, Pauline theology etc in an easy-to-read format; the end notes indicate the scholarly background for all this. Initially, I was impressed - the recreation of a crowded gathering in a Roman house church is plausible. But as it developed, although Gooder denies it is a novel, it's hard not to see it as a novel and as such it is a clunky one, full of wonderful Christians and only the odd unbelieving villain. Throw in a couple of saccharine kids and I was almost tempted to wonder whether the exposure of babies was such a bad thing. Overall, interesting, doesn't quite work for me.

[Becker · Rating 2 out of 5]

The scholarship behind the book is good. Paula Gooder is a well-known New Testament scholar and I have benefitted from her work. This book, however, wasn’t for me. I don’t think there was anything new that I learned concerning the 1st century Roman world or the early church. As a novel, I found it to be simplistic and a little cheesy. However, I think high school students or people with little/no background in biblical scholarship could really enjoy this book and learn a lot from it. The narrative is just over 200 pages long and there are 80 pages of endnotes at the end of the book, so that the reader can learn from the scholarship that the novel is built upon. In my opinion, this book is best for those who are taking a first step into the historical and cultural context of the New Testament world.

[Jenne-Wil Visscher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een prachtige, kleurrijke invulling van het leven van deze bijzondere vrouw. Ik werd werkelijk ondergedompeld in een realistische historische context. Ook al was 'Febe' een roman, het verhaal voedde mijn inlevingsvermogen en begrip voor het chaotische, piepjonge, maar zeer warme en liefdevolle gemeenteleven in de tijd van de apostelen.
'Febe' vormde een essentiële spiegel voor het huidige gemeenteleven waar ik deel van ben.

[Louise Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up after seeing an advert for a talk with the author at Southwark Cathedral which just so happened to be while I was in London (this never happens!). I booked onto the event straight away, and the kindle version of the book was only 99p, so I dug straight in. Unfortunately, the event was cancelled for personal reasons, but I’m so glad that the event was what caused me to pick the book up in the first place, as it was fantastic.

“Reading requires imagination. As we read, we see in our mind’s eye the characters, the setting, the events as they unfold. This is why seeing a well-loved book in film or on the stage can be so disappointing; if the imagination of the director is different from our own it looks all wrong. “

I’ve never considered before reading a book like this, fiction but heavily based around facts from the Bible. The story (as you can probably guess) revolves around a character called Phoebe, who delivered one of Paul’s letters to Rome, and her reception and subsequent life in Rome.

It’s something I’ve never really thought of before – reading the Bible, it’s easy to just think about how it applies now, but I’ve not spent much time thinking about how the letter would have been received in those times. The book was also beautifully written, the phrasing, the timing, just everything about it made me smile and want to devour the book – take this from the very start:

“The resonant, almost melodic, voice of the reader had at last fallen silent. The final syllables of the letter seemed to hang for a few moments and then waft out into the humid air of the Roman summer evening. All around the garden a silence settled; a silence so profound that Phoebe heard, or at least thought she heard, a solitary leaf part company from the plant next to her and flutter slowly to the ground. Only then did she realise that she was holding her breath, and the odd tingling at the end of her nose suggested that it was some time since she had last remembered to breathe. “

I think I genuinely got chills when I read this for the first time, and many other parts like it, just beautiful descriptions that made me hold my breath while I was reading.

We read a lot of (imagined) back-story of Phoebe, bringing to life what it was like to live in those times, and especially for a woman in the Church. I will warn you, some of Phoebe’s story was heartbreaking and left me a little broken at times.

“Forgetting wasn’t an option. So instead I learnt to live one tiny step at a time. I also learnt that life is like a bubbling stream. It does just carry on, whether you want it to or not. Sometimes the best thing to do, even amid the greatest blackness and despair, is to surrender to its movement, to let it carry you along with it . . . and so I did. “

I really appreciated the personal relationships that unfolded throughout the book, it made it so engaging and brought real warmth to the characters. I also really appreciated the fact that the last section of the book was full of references to elements that the author had added to the story – it was so well researched, I was very impressed!

There were so many quotes that stood out to me while I was reading that I could probably have highlighted half my kindle, but some stuck out to me more than others.

“The message of Jesus is offensive.’ Junia shrugged. ‘For those who love success, he represents failure; for those who are comfortable, he brings disquiet; he topples those who know themselves to be right; he disturbs those who are pleased with themselves. I’d be more upset if they weren’t offended. I sometimes wonder what the Good News of Jesus will look like when it doesn’t upset people any more.’ “

Two thousand years on from when this was ‘written’, and this is possibly more true than ever – the message of Jesus is difficult, and we’ve seen this in our church recently when learning more about justice – it’s not something that sits comfortably with everyone, but the fact that it’s disquieting means we’re doing it right, we’re growing and learning about what being a follower of Jesus really means.

“What I’m suggesting is that with the Holy Spirit the most surprising, delightful things can happen. Prayer isn’t like giving in your order for hot food: submitted one moment and delivered the next. But prayer does place us in God’s presence. Prayer opens us up to see what God is already doing. Prayer invites God to be present at the heart of what we’re worried about. “

As I said before, the talk I was going to was cancelled, but the vicar at my church has said he’ll look into it and see if he can perhaps ask the author to come up north for another talk, which would be absolutely fantastic. I could tell when reading the book that the subject is something the author has real passion for, and I’d love to hear her talk.

Hopefully I’ve managed to make this book sound compelling and you’re already on your way to pick up a copy, and I’ll definitely be looking out for more books like this (fiction/non-fiction) in the future, really really great.

Posted on: https://emmaloui.se/2019/06/22/paula-...

[Kim Koi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the imaginative look into the life of Roman followers. While the storyline is mostly fictional, it was great to get a sense of the historical and cultural background of the Bible and to imagine those greeted by Paul as real people with real stories.