Paul Was Not a Christian: The Original Message of a Misunderstood Apostle

Pamela Eisenbaum, author of Invitation to Romans, takes a provocative new look at the life and beliefs of St. Paul. The traditional view of Paul is that of the archetypal convert, who, after a life-changing experience, devoted his life to spreading the word of the new religion called Christianity. Eisenbaum, an expert on the history of early Christianity, argues that Paul actually saw Jesus as a reformer of Judaism who would fulfill God's universal plan for humanity. Paul Was Not a Christian reverses the image students have of Paul as a model for Christian conversion, and greatly increases their understanding of both Judaism and Christianity.

Pamela Eisenbaum is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies and Christian Origins at the Iliff School of Theology. One of four Jewish New Testament scholars teaching in Christian theological schools, she is the author of Invitation to Romans, a contributor to the Women's Bible Commentary and the Oxford Access Bible, and has published many essays on the Bible, ancient Judaism, and the origins of Christianity, especially Paul. She was a featured scholar in the ABC documentary "Jesus and Paul: The Word and the Witness."

"Professor Eisenbaum offers the general reader the most realistic first-century portrayal of the Apostle Paul ever written." -- Jewish Book World

--Alan F. Segal, Professor of Religion and Jewish Studies Barnard College, Columbia University, Author of Paul the Convert