Paul's Ascent to Paradise: The Apostolic Message and Mission of Paul in the Light of His Mystical Experiences (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798676875725)

Paul makes the singular claim to have been the "last but not the least" of the Apostles of Jesus. Paul never met Jesus, but he makes high claims for his experiences of mystical revelations that include his ascent to heaven and his claim to not only have "seen" Jesus in his glory, but to have regularly communicated with the one he calls the Risen Christ. Early Christianity, as it unfolds, stands or falls on the claims of this single man whose Message and Mission are distinct from that of James, Peter, and John. In this book Paul's Ascent to Paradise becomes an entr e into his whole world of Hellenistic mystical religious experience. This "history of religions" approach to Paul supersedes the dogmatic approaches of Christian theology and dogma. It is refreshing, gripping, dramatic, bold and fascinating. For Paul the "appointed time of the end had grown very short," to use his words. Everything has to be viewed through that apocalyptic lens and one is transported back to Paul's social world, the "battles of the apostles," and either his triumph or his failure--depending on the judgment of history.

Author: James D. Tabor
ISBN-10: 8676875723
ISBN-13: 9798676875725
Publisher: Independently Published
Language: English
Published: 08/19/2020
Pages: 226
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.64lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.52d