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Fifteen years ago, Dr. Pamela Eisenbaum released a paradigm-shifting book with a provocative title: Paul Was Not a Christian. Since then, her work has reshaped how scholars, pastors, and everyday readers understand the Apostle Paul—his mission, his message, and his identity as a Jew within Judaism.
In this episode, Ryan Lambert sits down with Dr. Eisenbaum to explore:
Why Paul must be understood within Judaism, not outside of it
How Krister Stendahl influenced a generation of Pauline scholarship
Why Paul’s letters should be read as addressed to Gentiles
How misunderstandings of the Pharisees distort Christian readings of Paul
The rise of Jewish engagement with Paul in recent years
Why Paul sometimes sounds “more anti-Jewish in English than in Greek”
What Dr. Eisenbaum would update if she rewrote the book today
How a better reading of Paul can help Christians confront modern antisemitism
This is a deeply relevant conversation about how we read Paul and why it still matters for Jewish–Christian relations today.
If you care about understanding Paul in his original context, building bridges between communities, or engaging Scripture with greater clarity and humility, this episode is for you.
Here's a link to Pamela Eisenbaum's book, Paul Was Not A Christian: https://a.co/d/38QZcZC
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The Weird Apostle
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