The Messy Bible

What if Paul's theology were examined the same way historians evaluate any other body of writing?

Paul v. Paul - Part 1: The Uncontested Pauline Texts begins with the seven New Testament letters that virtually every modern scholar agrees were written by the apostle Paul. Rather than assuming perfect harmony-or searching for contradictions-this book follows the evidence wherever it leads.

Each major doctrine is examined using the same four-part framework:

• • What Paul actually says
  • What the Old Testament says
  • What Jesus says
  • Whether Paul remains consistent with himself

Topics include:

• • Justification by faith
  • The Mosaic Law
  • Election and predestination
  • Universal sin
  • Resurrection
  • Wealth and generosity
  • Women in the church
  • Judgment
  • Grace and obedience
  • And many more

Rather than arguing for a particular denomination, Paul v. Paul evaluates Paul's own arguments on their own terms while placing them alongside the broader biblical witness.

The result may surprise readers expecting a relentless critique. Across the undisputed letters, Paul proves considerably more consistent than his reputation often suggests. That finding becomes the foundation for the later volumes of The Messy Bible, where disputed letters and other biblical voices are examined using the same transparent methodology.

Whether you are Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Jewish, or simply curious about the Bible's development, this book invites you to read the texts carefully, weigh the evidence honestly, and reach your own conclusions.

Read the text. Follow the evidence. Decide for yourself.