Operation Messiah : St. Paul, Roman intelligence and the birth of Christianity / Thijs Voskuilen, Rose Mary Sheldon.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Voskuilen, Thijs, 1974-

Contributor:

Sheldon, Rose Mary, 1948-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Paul, the Apostle, Saint.

Paul.

Church history--ca. 30-100.

Church history.

Romans--Political activity--Middle East.

Romans.

Political participation.

Middle East.

Military intelligence--Rome.

Military intelligence.

Physical Description:

xxxvi, 284 pages : illustrations, maps, plans ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

London ; Portland, Or. : Vallentine Mitchell, 2008.

Summary:

Most people are taught the same cluster of 'historical facts' about Saul of Tarsus, the Jew with Roman citizenship who was a Pharisee and a tent-maker. On his way to Damascus to continue his persecution of the followers of Jesus, he experienced a vision of Jesus. From then on he became a missionary named Paul, spreading the message of Christianity. He was sent to Jerusalem for trial by the Romans, but asked to be tried in Rome. He spent two years in the capital under arrest until he was executed under Nero around AD 67.

Suppose, however, that there was another version of this story? A sub-narrative running simultaneously alongside the accepted, pious story that has been handed down to countless generations of Christians? This exciting new reconstruction focuses on an aspect of Paul's life that has sometimes been hinted at but never treated at length - his possible connections to Roman intelligence. As with all intelligence history, one must read between the lines to get inferences about what people did in undercover work. Clandestine operations are rarely discussed openly unless an operation is blown, and the operatives are exposed. There are enough traces in Paul's story to suggest a connection to the Roman authorities.

While the traditional view of Paul as theologian, apostle to the gentiles, martyr and saint has the imprimatur of the Church, other interpretations should be considered. If we strip away the religious veneer that was added to Paul's story by later Christian writers, and rely on rational explanations instead of resorting to supernatural ones, we discover a very different Paul than has come down to us through Christian dogma.

Contents:

1 Roman Intelligence and Security in First-Century Palestine 1

2 The Jesus File 10

3 The Mysterious Saul of Tarsus 40

4 Saul the Persecutor 57

5 The Incident at Damascus 74

6 On the Road with Paul: Tarsus, Antioch and the Two Jerusalem Conferences 99

7 Paul's Independent Missions 122

8 Paul's Trial in Jerusalem 142

9 Paul in Rome 170

10 Paul, the Message, and Rome 193.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [246]-278) and index.

ISBN:

0853037019

9780853037019

0853037027

9780853037026

OCLC:

226166230