The Apostle Paul and His Letters: An Introduction

by James B. Prothro, Thomas D. Stegman (Foreword)

The letters of the Apostle Paul are central witnesses to the Christian faith and to the earliest history of Christianity. And yet, when students, preachers, and others turn to Paul, they find many things "hard to understand" (2 Peter 3:16) in these ancient writings.

James Prothro's new book aims to help readers see the Apostle's faith and hope at work as he evangelized the nations. Steeped in up-to-date scholarship and a passion for the gospel Paul preached, Prothro draws readers into Paul's life and letters in order to help them hear the Apostle's voice. The book's chapters offer introductions to Paul's background, life, and legacy; an introduction to ancient letter writing; a guide to understanding Paul's theology across the letters; a survey of the portrait of Paul in the Book of Acts; separate treatments of each letter's background and purpose; treatments of key theological topics in each letter and a thorough outline of each letter showing its arguments and how they make sense.

Prothro introduces complex matters with clarity, balance, and an inviting style. He not only offers answers but models how to ask questions, helping us reason through Paul's letters as ancient documents and as Christian Scripture. This book will prove a valuable introduction for those who study, teach, and preach these biblical books.

Genres: Catholic, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

Published December 14, 2021

Reviews

[Ben Eastman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I owned this book when I led a Bible Study on Romans last year! This book has a chapter devoted to every Pauline Epistle. It gives historical context, provides an outline of the letter, and explains key themes, drawing on Church Tradition and Biblical Scholarship. A great resource for Catholics And Protestants.

[Nick Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having taught intro to the Pauline letters some half a dozen times or so and having used a different textbook each time, I can say I'm happy to have found this text. When teaching Catholic students this seems likely to be my choice going forward. The book is clear and measured on issues of controversy, with solid discussion of justification and the law. It does not aim to be comprehensive, usually drawing out two maybe three points of thematic interest after a discussion of introductory issues and the presentation of a detailed outline for each Pauline letter. Occasionally, there are surprising omissions, such as no discussion or acknowledgement of the apocalyptic framing of the argument of Galatians. A teacher can happily fill in that gap, but a general reader can hardly be expected to do so, and thus a vital thread in Paul's argument, indeed, his thought in general, is likely to go little noticed or understood.