The Apostle Paul’s letters to early Christians comprise nearly half of the books in the New Testament. Together, these letters paint a picture of a man who cared deeply about building a church that was both righteous and inclusive. As we covered in the last section, Paul advocated emphatically for the inclusion of Gentiles in the early church. Many other Christians at the time disagreed with him, arguing that Gentiles were sinners according to the law laid out in scripture because they were uncircumcised. These Christians wanted to accept only circumcised Jews into their new religion. But Paul was adamant that the apostles open up Christianity to Gentiles and went to great lengths in his letters to attempt to persuade other Christians to abandon their narrow view of Jewish law-- which they cited as the reason for the Gentiles’ exclusion. He argues that Christians should extend grace to Gentiles just as Jesus extended grace to all people and abandon the idea that people are saved by good works or behavior. The inclusion of Gentiles in the church played a big role in its growth, and set the stage for Christianity to become a major world religion.

But while Paul argues that Christians are not justified by works, he also writes at length about the righteous behaviors that Christians should adopt. Christians, he says, should be generous, humble, loving, patient, and kind and should avoid engaging in theft or idolatry. He encourages reverence and at multiple points instructs slaves to be obedient to their masters. Many Christians focus on Paul’s guidance about sex and gender roles. He repeatedly warns early Christians to avoid sexual immorality and instructs women to submit to their husbands, avoid divorce, wear head coverings, and be silent in churches and assemblies– though he appears to contradict this last instruction in a letter where he acknowledges the leadership of a number of women in early churches. Some scholars see Paul’s thoughts on gender as ahead of their time, because in the context of ancient Rome, they were progressive. Roman patriarchy emphasized women’s submission to men, but Paul pushed back on that cultural norm by also calling for men to not treat their wives harshly.

Some Christians interpret two sets of verses in Paul’s letters to be a condemnation of homosexuality, though the exact meaning of those verses in the original Greek and within Paul’s cultural context has been disputed. For example, some scholars believe, based on the Greek words Paul used and the social context of Paul’s critique, that he meant to specifically condemn sexual relationships between men and boys, prostitution, or sexually abusive behavior— not marriage between people of the same gender.

Paul’s letters have been a source of debate throughout American Christian history. In the 1800s, many Christians used Paul’s letters to oppose giving women the right to vote as well as the abolition of slavery. In the past century, Paul’s views on gender and homosexuality have shaped debates about who can participate in church or serve in ministry, as many denominations have begun to welcome women and LGBT people into their leadership. How should we approach Paul’s letters in light of the tensions in them and the evolution of social norms? How should we view his push to include Gentiles and his views on sex & gender in light of modern debates about sex and gender? If Paul were alive today, who would he have pushed for us to include?

As you read selections from these letters, consider the role that tradition should play in our reading of the Bible, our faith practice, and our politics.