I listened to a podcast recently: “How Saint Paul Changed the World.” This podcast (also in video, below) is chock full of wonderful insights.
The podcast conversation features two brilliant scholars—N. T. Wright and Tom Holland—who speak with “Unbelievable?” podcast host Justin Brierley about the life and writings of Apostle Paul. Central to this discussion is the gospel which Paul puts forth in his letters—the gospel of believing in a crucified God in the social context of the brutal Roman Empire.
I found this conversation compelling, even delightful. A gospel featuring a horribly shamed, crucified Savior (who three days later rises from the dead)—is a gospel which remains as relevant as ever, as challenging as ever, as hope-filled as ever.
This conversation reinforces the principle that understanding the social context of the Roman Empire is essential for a richer understanding of the New Testament.
The conversation features two guests:
- N. T. Wright is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and one of the world’s most renown Bible scholars. He now serves as the Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews. The author of numerous books, his most recent work, Paul: A Biography, is featured in this podcast conversation. (I read Paul: A Biography earlier this year. I found the book exceedingly rich and readable—and a great encouragement to my faith.) See N. T. Wright’s Amazon page here.
- Tom Holland is the author of several books: … on the Roman Empire … the rise and fall the house of Caesar … the rise of Christianity and the West … and the rise of Islam. See Tom Holland’s Amazon page here.
Enjoy the conversation …
