Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "To be great is to be misunderstood." If Emerson was right, then the Apostle Paul might be one of the greatest men to ever live. Few religious leaders have been as grossly misunderstood as Paul. Unlike Jesus, who most people regard as a great moral teacher, Paul is routinely accused of the most egregious sins according to modern sensibilities: misogyny, classism, homophobia, anti-Semitism. The idea that Paul invented Christianity is so fashionable nowadays that many people take it as a given, as if it's obviously true. The irony in all this unexamined Paul-bashing is that fewer people today are taking the time to ponder the crux of his moral message: "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" -- a message that both society and the Church need to hear.
Yes, there are passages in Paul's letters that would seem to paint him as pro-slavery, anti-women and homophobic. But just as Muslim scholars insist that the passages of the Quran that seem out of step with modern ethical norms be read in light of their historical context, the same is true with Paul's letters. Paul's advice to slaves (obey your masters) and their masters (treat your slaves well) may seem off-kilter today, but given the historical situation, his advice can hardly be described as unreasonable. It should also be noted that Paul insisted that slaves who could attain their freedom should do so -- and that he condemned slave traders.
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