Regarding Paul’s Obsession With Death
I’m making an effort this year to reread the writings of Paul the Apostle. Over the years we’ve had some disagreements that have caused me to push him aside. While some of my Christian acquaintances were drawn in by Paul’s letter to the Romans or heard his poem about love and wanted more, I was radicalized by Jesus.
There was something about his message that grabbed my imagination. His story kept me coming back for more despite my run-ins with the Christian Church. Those I interned and trained alongside dove deeper into Paul’s well-organized religion. I, on the other hand, dove deeper into the anarchic mystery of Jesus.
Upon reading Paul’s letter to the Galatians again, something stood out to me that I couldn’t ignore.
Paul is obsessed with the death of Jesus.
Galatians is considered by scholars to be the earliest letter we have a record of. So it made sense to start here rather than Romans. This letter should have the root of Paul’s theology and man was I right there.
