Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul and His Letters

Rating:
Summary: Great Introduction to Paul
Review: If you are thinking about beginning a serious study of Paul and his life then this book is a wonderful place to start. Gorman is an elegant writer and does a thorough job explaining Paul and how his canononical written letters relate to his life and teachings. Gorman is very upfront with his thoughts and doubts; for instance he details his thoughts on Pauline authorship of the letters and honestly conveys how his thoughts have changed through his career.
The summaries of the letters are concise but thorough. In addition he provides an up to date bibliography on the best full commentaries currently available.
If Paul and his letters have intrigued you and you want to know more about the man and his writing, then this book will provide a solid foundation and provide you with many more avenues to explore in your reading.

Rating:
Summary: Great Summary of Paul
Review: This is ideal for a student, but more so for someone bogged down in the minutiae of Pauline studies looking to regain perspective. Gorman doesn't let you miss issues surrounding what we don't know with certainty -- text or authorship, whether a phrase is Paul's or an appropriated hymn, if he was married or haunted my some psychological demons -- but his emphasis is on reaching a more historically informed and theologically sophisticated understanding what we need to know better: Paul's proclamation of Christ crucified and raised.

This is a book that every serious student of the Bible should have.