Date

4-17-2024

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Chair

Rusty Small

Keywords

Paul, Apostle Paul, Self-Identity, Social Science, Identity

Disciplines

Religion | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

The Apostle Paul possessed a multifaceted background unusual for the period in which he lived. It is now well-known by scholars and laypeople alike that Paul was a Hebrew, Pharisee, Roman citizen, persecutor of the church, Christian, and Jew who hailed from Tarsus (Acts 21:29). Paul utilized each distinct portion of his background to advance the gospel. Throughout the New Testament, the apostle sets the example of using everything at his disposal for the cause of Christ. Paul himself writes that he became “all things to all people” with a direct purpose in mind that he “might save some” (1 Cor 9:22 ESV). Thus, his method for the advancement of the gospel becomes clear. The famed apostle sought to bring many to salvation, and his words indicate that he was willing to use every resource God had provided him with to reach those goals. Paul knew that his identity was that of an apostle of Christ. He was sent to spread the message of the gospel. This identity repeatedly emerges throughout Scripture as his primary focus and the way that he refers to himself. The research shows that Paul's entire identity circled around Christ and the apostleship that the Lord had bestowed upon him. It flowed outward through his values, character traits, and actions, the defining markers of identity. The main and only fitting designation for this man who has shaped the church for centuries is Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus—the very way in which he referred to himself.

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