The Mind of A. N. Wilson

Paul: The Mind of the Apostle, by A. N. Wilson (Norton, 288 pp., $25)

PAUL the Apostle is unquestionably the most powerful, provocative, and puzzling character in the history of Christianity. We know more about him, from the lively account of his adventures in the Acts of the Apostles and from his letters, than we know about Jesus. The case has been made that Christianity owes more of its character to him than to Jesus. Small wonder that Paul tempts biographers of every sort. And because coming to grips with Christianity means in some way coming to grips with Paul, it is even less wonder that biographers come up with the most widely varying portraits. Paul is like Jesus at least in this respect, that his biographies reveal more about their authors than about their subject.

LJ

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Luke Timothy Johnson

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Paul: The Mind of the Apostle, by A. N. Wilson (Norton, 288 pp., $25)

PAUL the Apostle is unquestionably the most powerful, provocative, and puzzling character in the history of Christianity. We know more about him, from the lively account of his adventures in the Acts of the Apostles and from his letters, than we know about Jesus. The case has been made that Christianity owes more of its character to him than to Jesus. Small wonder that Paul tempts biographers of every sort. And because coming to grips with Christianity means in some way coming to grips with Paul, it is even less wonder that biographers come up with the most widely varying portraits. Paul is like Jesus at least in this respect, that his biographies reveal more about their authors than about their subject.