THE EPISTLES OF PAUL

This journey follows 21 readings in the letters attributed to Paul and in texts close to them. Paul's letters are among the oldest writings of the New Testament, from the early 50s onward, and were written for real situations: a divided church in Corinth, Christians in Galatia tempted to go back to the law, a community in Rome he did not yet know. The first reading, Romans 1:1-17, is precisely Paul introducing himself to that church he did not found.

The route follows three blocks. The first days bring Romans, with justification by faith (3:21-31) and life in the Spirit (chapter 8), and the two letters to the Corinthians, with the hymn to love in 1 Corinthians 13. Then come the letters about freedom and the church: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and the two to the Thessalonians, on the return of Christ. The final block includes the pastoral letters (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus), Philemon and the letter to the Hebrews, with the priesthood of Melchizedek and the list of the faithful in chapter 11.

A caveat of method: Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians and Philemon are generally accepted as Paul's. On Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians and the pastorals there is debate among scholars. Hebrews does not name its author, and Origen, cited by Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History 6.25), already said that only God knows who wrote it. The journey reads them together by theme, without deciding the question for you.