BRUCE CHILTON is the Bernard Iddings Bell Professor of Religion at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson and priest at the Free Church of Saint John in Barrytown, New York. He is the author of many scholarly articles and books, including the widely acclaimed Rabbi Jesus.
In this follow-up to Rabbi Jesus, Chilton turns his attention to the life and work of Christianity's most enigmatic figure, Paul of Tarsus. Raised as an observant Jew in the commercial center of Tarsus, Paul not only absorbed the traditions of his fathers but also witnessed the worship and celebration of the city's pagan gods. Since scant information about Paul's early life exists, Chilton re-imagines Paul's youthful religious enthusiasms and his training as a Pharisee. Once Paul became a follower of the Jesus movement, he combined his deep-seated legal learning with a spiritual fervor that emphasized an internal encounter with the Son of God rather than an experience of God confined to the external revelations in the Temple. Paul thus emerges as a shaman or spirit guide, a "master preacher [and] oral poet" whose teachings about the spiritual life in Christ spurred the growth of early Christianity. Although Chilton adds nothing especially new to our knowledge of Paul, his inviting prose, ability to recreate the cultural contexts of Paul's life and deep affection for the Apostle bring new life to a tale that has been told many times before. (Aug. 17) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
In this in-depth intellectual biography of the Apostle Paul, Chilton, a priest and a professor (religion, Bard Coll.), draws on Paul's own words, other scriptures, and historical manuscripts. Informative and impressive, particularly in its historical details concerning Paul's hometown of Tarsus, the places he visited, and the religions with which he was familiar, the book provides intellectual and historical context that helps to explain many of Paul's motivations. Chilton writes that Paul went to Damascus to "convince synagogues there to join in the denunciation of Jesus' movement." He saw Christianity as a threat to Judaism and everything he had been taught in his rabbinical training a fact not discussed in the New Testament and rarely found in New Testament commentaries, which usually focus on Paul's conversion on the way to Damascus. Chilton helps to dispel many modern, negative notions of Paul, like his alleged antifeminism and homophobia. He also writes much about Paul's humanity, a fact lost on many and overlooked in most Pauline biographies. Christian scholars and lay readers alike will enjoy this lively, engaging, and often moving book. Recommended for all libraries. Wesley A. Mills, Empire State Coll. of SUNY at Rochester Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Praise for Rabbi Jesus: Bruce Chilton s masterpiece of religious narrative marks a genuinely new and important step beyond the now-faltering historical Jesus movement. Jacob Neusner, Jerusalem Post Open this book and see Jesus as you ve never seen him . . . This is one heck of a good read. And it left me feeling better than ever about the Jesus we try to serve and follow. National Catholic Reporter Engaging and lively . . . Chilton has done an admirable job of taking us into Jesus world and witnessing the life of one of history s most important figures. Charlotte Observer Rabbi Jesus is a scholarly pursuit that reads more like a novel. The biography flows with the fluidity of an adventure tale, rich in characters, texture, and detail. The Herald-Sun (Durham, North Carolina)"
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