Paul Was Not the Founder of Christianity, Thank You Very Much

It is a common assumption among liberal biblical scholars that Jesus was not the founder of Christianity, Paul was. They contend that Jesus' goal and Paul's were/are at odds. Jesus had no intention of founding a new religion, but Paul did. Robert Wright propounds similarly in his new book, The Evolution of God. Greg Easterbrook, in review of Wright, writes,

Paul wanted Christianity to become a global faith, appealing to anyone from any land or ethnic group. So he offered something no faith had offered to that point -- universal brotherhood. Did Jesus intend to start a new, broader-based religion? That's hardly clear -- Christ never used the word "Christian" or instructed his disciples to promote a new faith. Paul, by contrast, actively wished to start a cross-borders, proselytizing system of belief.

Now you must understand that this sort of claim is specious at best, and delusive at worst. In formulating such theses, preconceived notions are much more important than historical truth. Accordingly, large parts of the Bible must be dismissed in order that the intended theses remain accurate. In a letter to the editor this morning, Dave Reed deftly responds:

Amazing! Did neither the book's author nor its reviewer consult the Bible? After all, the Bible describes the unfolding plan in great detail.

Even Sunday schoolers know Jesus's final words on earth in the Great Commission, "Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19, ESV). They also know about his personal conversion of Paul. In Acts 9:15, Jesus says of Paul, ". . . he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the gentiles [non-Jews] and kings and the children of Israel."

The Old Testament, throughout, points to "a righteous God and a Savior" for "all the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 45:22, 23). Jesus further reveals, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14).

Perhaps Mr. Wright shall pen many anthropologic theories, and Mr. Easterbrook many nonfiction reviews, before the end arrives. Meanwhile, for those interested in the facts on the outreach of grace through faith, please consult a Bible.