Paul Behaving Badly: Was the Apostle a Racist, Chauvinist Jerk?

by E. Randolph Richards, Brandon J. O'Brien

The apostle Paul was kind of a jerk. He was arrogant and stubborn. He called his opponents derogatory, racist names. He legitimized slavery and silenced women. He was a moralistic, homophobic killjoy who imposed his narrow religious views on others. Or was he? Randolph Richards and Brandon O'Brien explore the complicated persona and teachings of the apostle Paul. Unpacking his personal history and cultural context, they show how Paul both offended Roman perspectives and scandalized Jewish sensibilities. His vision of Christian faith was deeply disturbing to those in his day and remains so in ours. Paul behaved badly, but not just in the ways we might think. Take another look at Paul and see why this "worst of sinners" dares to say, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."

Genres: Theology, Christian, Religion, Nonfiction, Biblical Studies, History, Christianity

224 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2016

About the author

Ernest Randolph Richards (M.Div. and Ph.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) is dean of the School of Ministry and professor of biblical studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. He is coauthor of "Discovering Paul: An Introduction to His World, Letters and Theology" and "The Story of Israel: A Biblical Theology." He is the author of "Paul and First-Century Letter Writing" and "The Secretary in the Letters of Paul."

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Takes on the charge that there are many problems with Paul, among which that he is racist, pro-slavery, anti-woman, homophobic, and hypocritical, and suggests that while he behaves badly, it may be in different ways than we might think.

This is the third in a series of “behaving badly” books, the previous titles of which are God Behaving Badly, and Jesus Behaving Badly. As in the previous works, the authors take some of the common objections raised about Paul in a way that both takes the objections seriously, and shows through careful study of the biblical text and cultural context what may and may not be warranted in these objections.

The authors show that Paul indeed behaves badly, but not in the way one might think. While not coming out against slavery, his affirmation of slaves as brothers and sisters and his instructions to masters were quite counter-cultural and would have raised great objections. While he seems at points to make racist comments, he in fact made ground-breaking strides to build bridges to the Gentile world, and that any apparent anti-Semitism was really directed to a very specific group of Judeans (“Jews” in the narrowest sense) who tried to impose circumcision and legal observance on the Gentile churches Paul and his team had planted.

Their treatment of women and homosexuality are perhaps the chapters to which many will first turn. While I would have liked to see more of a treatment of 1 Timothy 2:9-15, which the authors leave open to differing interpretations on the matter of women teaching, they observe the radical ways in which Paul elevated women as ministry partners, in how they were to be treated by husbands, and the very fact that they were permitted to learn. Likewise, while the authors clearly see Paul speaking against same sex relationships, they are careful to point out that Paul recognizes that persons who have been involved in these relationships are in the church, and contrary to Jewish practice, neither requires their expulsion nor execution. They also observe the difference between contemporary focus on orientation to focus on specific acts between people, and in some passages, between those who penetrate, and are penetrated, which may often be the case in master-slave relationships, particularly between masters and boy slaves in the Roman context. In summary, they write:

“When Paul denounced homosexual practice both for the active as well as the passive partner, he was behaving badly in Roman eyes. But when he welcomed both into the church as sinners in need of a savior (like the rest of us), he was behaving badly in Jewish eyes. Paul did indeed behave badly in the eyes of his culture and sometimes in the eyes of other Christians” (p. 195).

The book also addresses criticisms that Paul was a killjoy, eliminating pleasure wherever he found it. They take on the charge that Paul was a hypocrite, as in the example of circumcision, where he takes a strong stand against it, and then circumcises Timothy (in this case the answer seems to be Timothy’s partially Jewish heritage, where to not be circumcised would be a repudiation of that heritage, and an obstacle to mission in Jewish circles).

Finally, the authors deal with how Paul handles scripture, which to modern eyes often seems to be a twisting of scripture. They show, rather, that Paul was using the accepted interpretive approaches of his time–literal, midrash, allegory, and pesher among them, that would not have raised the eyebrows of his Jewish listeners.

What I most appreciated is that this is not a whitewash on Paul. The authors observe how he could be stubborn, as when he resisted prophetic counsel that he not go to Jerusalem. We should not put him on a pedestal, though we may learn from him, such as how he avoided financial entanglements, and for his courage in “behaving badly” by going counter to culture in the cause of Christ, sometimes at great personal and physical cost.

This can be a helpful book if you have a hard time reading the Pauline works, or know friends who object to Paul. We tend to see Paul through our own cultural lenses and this work helps us see Paul in his own context, and goes beyond particular verses to the whole character of Paul’s work. No alabaster saint here, but rather a very human person, whose indeed “behaved badly” at times, but in ways that we may end up admiring rather than censuring.

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a really enjoyable way to look at the whole scope of Paul’s writings. For an overall structure, the authors use common criticisms of Paul, with each chapter presenting one of the areas of criticism, the reasons it seems to make sense, and the responses that explain the deeper context of what was really going on in Paul’s day. The chapter titles/topics covered are

**Paul was kind of a jerk
**Paul was a killjoy
**Paul was a racist
**Paul supported slavery
**Paul was a chauvinist
**Paul was homophobic
**Paul was a hypocrite
**Paul twisted Scripture

Fun stuff! :)

The writing is accessible and engaging, and the answers the authors suggest for the criticisms are very helpful. I haven’t had all of these problems with Paul’s writing, but I certainly have struggled with several of them. This is a book I’ll keep close on the shelf as I continue to read the New Testament, and I know I’ll refer to it again whenever one of these issues comes up again.

We read this with our Thursday evening Bible study group (some of my favorite people in the world). Discussing a chapter or two at a time provided plenty of great discussion together.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. Some chapters were stronger than others, but overall it's a good read.

This is a short review because minimalism is the way of the future. I'm not just tired.

Love,
Sam

[Miss Polymath · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The authors dig into history and culture of the first century to explain who Paul was and how he wrote the Bible. It isn't exhaustive concerning each issue, but the authors go over common misunderstandings and questions critics and Christians alike have for the apostle. Was Paul a jerk? No, he was just passionate for Jesus and the church.

Was Paul a killjoy? No, he just cared about the church's image in how they presented Christ since Christians no longer live for themselves.

Was Paul a racist? No, our definitions of racism are a far cry from what racism was in Paul's day; in fact, Paul is more radical than his contemporaries on issues like these and shocked the church by his bold stances.

Did Paul support slavery? No, though he didn't explicitly condemn slavery, he worked with the culture of his day and presented what would have been considered radical new understandings of the issue. It wasn't the final word, but it was a major step forward for the church.

Was Paul sexist? Again, Paul is misunderstood; what he taught on women was radical for his day and wasn't meant to be the final word (I'm a little biased in liking this chapter slightly more than some others).

Was Paul homophobic? No, we understand homosexuality differently than the pagans did in Paul's day; in fact, they were farther along in permissiveness regarding sexuality than the western world allows today. Paul made both the strict Jews and licentious Gentiles uncomfortable, paradoxically emphasizing self-control as well as grace for these kinds of sinners.

Was Paul hypocritical? No, he dealt differently with situations because they required different emphases and commands according to different contexts.

Did Paul twist Scripture? Actually, the apostle used different methods of interpreting the Bible that would have violated how western Christians do interpretation today but was inspired by the Spirit in doing so.

One gets the impression that we haven't even begun to understand Paul. This book reveals how complicated and amazing this apostle was, but even more so, how complicated and amazing God is. Paradoxically, the Bible is trustworthy, inerrant, authoritative, and consistent, but it also shatters our understanding on issues and reveals the mysterious side of God.

Rest assured this book will leave many saints uncomfortable or surprised as much as they will be informed. But I don't think Paul would have had it any other way. Bringing cultural and interpretive misconceptions to the Bible can be dangerous and vitally needs to be addressed. This book does an excellent job of clearing these mistakes up.

[Paul C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drawn in by the title as well as some of the endorsements, I am currently finishing up the November release by IVP titled 'Paul Behaving Badly: Was The Apostle A Racist, Chauvinist Jerk?' It’s refreshing to discover a new book written by academic authors that is not dense, (you won’t need to keep a dictionary close by for this one!). A delicate handling of individuals texts is definitely a trademark throughout the reading as the authors (E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien) pay very close attention to detail in their examination of Paul’s letters. Though proving to be basic, Paul Behaving Badly is definitely not "dumbed down" in its content.

An undertone in the book is the importance of context. “If you want to understand someone’s motives and the significance of their of their beliefs or actions, you have to consider them in light of the age and culture in which they acted” write the authors (p. 18, Introduction). We cannot overstate that Paul was a man of his time and not a “twenty-first-century American” (p. 19, Introduction).

I found Paul Behaving Badly to be very refreshing in many ways, one of them being that the authors don’t try to give easy answers to a complex topic, leaving room for ambiguity as well as room for the reader to come to his or her own conclusions. There is no shoving of an agenda down the reader’s throat, something that is a problem in both “liberal” and “conservative” Christian literature.

WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR?

Anyone who tends to avoid Paul’s letters, preferring perhaps Jesus (or the Psalms?), should pick up a copy. For those also who have made up their minds about Paul as a sexist or homophobe, this book may (or may not) prove to challenge such common assumptions.

I would also recommend this to anyone interested in NT studies and yet doesn’t want to delve into the heavy academic reading right away. This book bridges the gap pleasantly between the academy and the lay person.

*I received an electronic copy of this book for an honest assessment from NetGalley.

[Christian Orton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous book. Highly readable (i.e. you don't have to have a seminary degree). It's really the only book I think I've read where an attempt was made to contextualize Paul's writings that isn't sugar-coated, or written in a way to make Paul out to be another member of the Trinity.

The author's present their case(s) in a way that doesn't lean towards conservatism, fundamentalism, progressivism, or any other type of -ism at all. It's written completely without any bias (or as much a book can be).

Randy and Brandon's first book "Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes" was a home-run and on my "essential reads" list, and this one will join it. MUST READ.

[Jared Greer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty good broad-gauge treatment of Pauline controversy; the authors engage with plenty of scholarship and offer thoughtful commentary throughout. But I think the scope of the book is just entirely TOO broad. Most of the matters they tackle are too complex to treat sufficiently in a full-length book, let alone a single chapter. The authors do the best they can; but the majority of the issues are ultimately left under-treated. I understand this is not really the fault of the authors; they were commissioned with the task of writing a Pauline apologetic, and that’s what they did. And, as I said before, they did a good job in light of those circumstances! But they were delimited from the start by the scope of the project.

[Zachary Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richards and O’Brien accomplished their purpose of showing the humanity of Paul. They boldly engage the claims that Paul was racist, homophobic, chauvinistic, supported slavery, etc., with the seriousness each claim deserves, by exploring the culture and literary contexts in which Paul wrote. They did this in a surprisingly accessible way, though at points the last chapter on Paul’s method of interpretation was especially difficult to track. The chapters on Paul’s potential chauvinism and homophobia were especially helpful, and most of the chapters were good (only a couple slight misses).

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those of us who love and study scripture, we understand that context is everything. Pulling a scripture out of context, without understanding as to where or to whom something was being written and only getting one half of the story (many of Paul's letters were written in response to letters received from various early churches) is done more often than not in modern society, unfortunately, even by those in the church. This addresses so many of those questions so many of us have had about Paul for years and gives in-depth explorations of the times and the context each of Paul's numerous letters were written. Highly recommended for any Biblical scholar.

[Heidi Goehmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise and accessible tome focused in on the work of Paul in the Bible and the cultural nuance surrounding his epistles. The authors, as they note about Paul as well, do a pretty good job of threading the needle between all the things people say and assume to reveal what we know about Paul and his words, as well as what we do not. I highly recommend Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes first, which is much more expansive. This edition was a little concise for me, but I did really appreciate the touchpoints of the book. I also appreciated the author’s ability to note Paul’s challenging personality and rhetoric at times.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this was gonna be clickbait based on the title, but actually a really nuanced account of objections to Paul. The authors both presented thoughtful arguments that were opposed to their opinion and unpacked them well while pointing to solid evidence that Paul most certainly was far from a racist, sexist, hypocritical jerk. Can confirm, Paul was not wylin out.

[Nathan Bozeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I will recommend over and over again. Many modern critiques have been thrown at Paul. This book takes them head on, refuting them, while also showing that Paul was a man of his time, as we all are.

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, did I desperately need this book.

[Matthew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors do a very good job of addressing each of the questions at issue. There were times when they didn’t give as much time to the opposing side as I would have expected. It actually answered a ton of questions in a way that checked out and satisfied me.

[Cliff · Rating 4 out of 5]

In an accessible way, this book addresses some of the most serious criticisms of Paul's teaching and demeanor. They set Paul in his own context (rather than our own) to help us understand his ideas, and they repeatedly conclude that Paul challenges both modern and ancient readers. For example, we might think Paul doesn't go far enough in his condemnation of slavery, while his contemporaries likely thought he was going way too far when he asks Philemon to treat his slave, Onesimus, as a beloved brother. The authors use a similar line of argument when addressing Paul's views on women and homosexuality.

Lying just beneath the surface of the book—though I don't recall it being addressed directly—are assumptions about what it means for the Bible to be inspired. Christians need to discuss these assumptions, and this book will help spark those discussions even if it doesn't address them directly. If Paul was a man of his time, shaped by cultural baggage of his own context, can his words be universally normative for Christian communities of all times and places? If Paul was an imperfect human being, do his writings bear the marks of that imperfection? If so, should that upset some evangelical claims about the verbal inerrancy of Paul's writings?

To these questions, the authors imply the answer "Yes and no." Even though they don't directly engage these issues (as I recall), their book will prompt these healthy conversations and encourage Christians to think deeply about what it means when we claim the biblical writings are inspired.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The apostle Paul got himself into a lot of trouble with both Jews, Romans, and even fellow Christians of his day—and he still gets himself in trouble today. He was whipped five times, beaten three times and stoned once. Why? For causing a riot when preaching against Roman gods, for preaching against circumcision, and much more. Today he gets criticized for being pro-slavery, anti-women, homophobic, hypocritical, and just a general, all-around killjoy.

In this solid companion to God Behaving Badly and Jesus Behaving Badly, the authors do a fine job of laying out the problems with Paul (both in his day and ours) as strongly as possible. No straw men here. Each chapter, taking up a different sort of bad behavior, then seeks to put Paul clearly in the historical, religious, and cultural context of his day.

Randy Richards and Brandon O’Brien, writing in a clear, nontechnical way for ordinary readers, are frank about Paul’s faults. He was not perfect. The book of Acts makes clear that made at least two serious errors about how to proceed in his ministry. But the teaching and guidance he gave that caused and causes him so much trouble become much more understandable when we know the background.

[Greg D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aside from just a few contextual insights, I didn't feel I gained much more knowledge about Paul than what I already knew. Most of the book was written using primarily scripture to first raise the issue (slavery, women, racism, homophobia, etc.) and then to defend Paul, though there were certainly some extra-biblical sources (i.e. Athenagoras, Tertullian, Luther). It did appear to me that the authors more or less defended Paul's reasoning, rather than truly challenge him. In other words it was, by definition a Pauline apologetic. And, anyone could glean these defenses from an assortment of books already written on the topic for the average layman (see "What Paul Meant" by Garry Willis"), or seminary level text (see "Pauline Christianity" by John Ziesler). On a positive note, the author was honest in that the issues many have with Paul are real and concerning. And, it was just as equally balanced with a justifiable understanding in most part. In a nutshell, for all the concerns we have of Paul, he was truly, a man of his time. And, just like we should with all of scripture, read Paul within the proper context.

[Patrick Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This by far is now one of my top 3 favorite books I've ever read. I was introduced to the behaving badly 'series' with 'God Behaving Badly' by David Lamb, which proved to be a great read. To be honest, before picking this up, I didn't know if following it well was even possible! (I haven't read 'Jesus Behaving Badly' but after this one, I'm certainly throwing it on my list!

Richards and O'Brien did a MASTERFUL job at collecting some popular objections that people have about Paul, presenting them in such a way that makes you AGREE and possibly even hate Paul, and then carefully and methodically address each of these claims in a whimsical and intelligent manner. I don't think I've ever before read something so educational, enriching, challenging, and humorous!

This is DEFINITELY a book that I recommend and will continue to do so for the remainder of my life! If you've ever been troubled by Paul (great or small) or have been challenged/asked about controversial writings of Paul, this little book is a MUST READ! Do yourself a favor and order a copy! =)

[jess ~has abandoned GR~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is required reading for readers of the New Testament. As the writers point out, when we read biographies of famous people, we are often a bit familiar with their time period. However, how many modern Christians have a scholarly knowledge of the Roman Empire around the beginning of the common era?

The authors seek to remedy this by placing the writings of Paul both within the realities of the world in which he lived and within the context of the scriptures he references. They manage to approach often-controversial topics such as gender roles and sexuality while maintaining a scholarly neutrality that presents the facts, not interprets them, for the reader. While packed full of notes and references, this book maintains a readability that prevents it from feeling overwhelming or like homework.

I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is helpful for a couple reasons. First, it takes what often is very scholarly discussions and puts them in common, accessible language. Second, the books does a good job of emphasizing the cultural context within which Paul was living and wrote (and the many differences between that culture and present time).

Those who don't like the trajectory hermeneutic may find a few of the chapters to be lacking, as the author's main argument in defence of Paul follows that line of thinking.

[Clint Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down one of the best books I've read in quite some time (save for the Bible of course). If you want an easy reading, "five ways to be better that six of your friends," self help book, move along, this isn't for you. This book shows through context and proper exegesis just what Paul meant about some of his more controversial writings. This is a breath of fresh air in today's culture, where people cherry pick verses to suit their needs. I highly highly recommend this!

[Aaron Case · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book in a nutshell forms various arguments against the Apostle Paul, and then explains the Apostle against his historical backdrop. Many stances the Apostle held, currently thought of as anti-feminine or pro-slavery, were actually quite liberal for their day, creating a trajectory for liberation. Other positions of Paul were simultaneously conservative (among Gentile/Romans) and liberal (among Jews).

This is a good book for understanding the historical background of Paul.

[Greg Reimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short book, but one which does not beat around the bush. The authors present Paul in an honest light, highlighting his flaws, presenting him as a human, but ultimately as a human within a different time and context than our own. I highly recommended this book for both those who struggle with Paul's writings and for those who are daily inspired by them.

[Ed "samaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yea, so Peter was right about Paul, he writes some things which are hard to understand. At best, some of Paul’s passages seem conflicting and confusing, other sections seem homophobic, misogynistic and anti-Semitic. Here is a critical, and loving, assessment to help you work it through.

[Tim Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent. It helps us see Paul in his world, not try to make him fit ours. It is not afraid to show he was human; but he’s not what his harshest critics say he is either. I loved this book!

[Thomas Creedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUPERB book on Paul, with a genuine challenge to commonly held misunderstandings about Paul and his culture.

The chapters on women and homophobia are probably the best short and readable treatments of the issues that I've read.

[K B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done! Good research and great interpretational skills employed by the authors! Worth your time!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another thought provoking book.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clever little book and the third in this "Behaving Badly" series. Recommended.

[Lisa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of good insight into where Paul was coming from. Also shows that he was human and had flaws like the rest of us.