Explain the contribution to the development and expression of Christianity of Paul of Tarsus.

Analyse the impact of this person OR school of thought on Christianity.

The contributions that Paul of Tarsus made to the development and expression (as well as the foundation) of
Christianity were pivotal in terms of the direction that the new religious tradition took. Born in Tarsus
(modern-day Turkey) around 10 CE, Paul grew up as a devout Hellenistic Jew who persecuted Christians.
However, whilst travelling to Damascus, Paul had a vision of Jesus and subsequently converted to Christianity.
These events are described in Acts 9:3-7. As a result Paul became the great missionary, the first recorded
interpreter of the message of Jesus of Nazareth and the first writer of the New Testament. Paul of Tarsus laid the
foundations for Christianity.
His extensive travels and writings to proclaim the good news saw him establish Christian churches
throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. For this contribution to the development of Christianity he is known as
The Greatest Missionary and the Apostle to the Gentiles In Romans 15 he describes himself as:
A minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God.
Paul undertook four missionary journeys through the Mediterranean and Asia Minor as he travelled to the
Gentile lands of Cyprus, Antioch, Corinth, Thessalonica, etc. On these journeys Paul preached the message that
redemption came through the person of Jesus Christ. This contribution proved to be a very attractive alternative
to the pagan practices of the Graeco-Roman world and the Jesus movement flourished. Pope Benedict
comments: "How could we not admire a man such as this? How could we not give thanks to God for having
given us an apostle of this category?" (General Audience, 25 October 2006).
The success of Pauline evangelisation was predicated on a revelation that the message of Jesus of Nazareth
was intended for Gentiles as well as Jews. The pivotal contribution that Paul of Tarsus made to the development
of Christianity was his willingness, unlike earlier Christian preachers, to baptise Non-Jews (Gentiles). Paul
interpreted that Christianity was not merely founded in the Jewish doctrine of the Messiah but that the
sacrifice of Jesus brought about salvation for all people
Gentile or Jew, servant or free, woman or man (Gal 3:28).
In the Letter to the Ephesians it is written that Christ has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.
By evangelising communities of Gentiles this inclusive approach was instrumental in the development of
Christianity by changing the norms for being a Christian. Paul was flying in the face of the accepted
understanding of belonging to the people of The Way.
The impact of these contributions was that from what had been a sect of Judaism Paul engineered a new
religious tradition. But by loosening the shackles of the Mosaic Law his impact enabled Christianity to
explosively spread over the next three centuries. The argument that Paul put to the Council of Jerusalem, that
Christians should not have to follow the traditional Jewish Law with regards to circumcision and the
prescribed dietary habits, was foundational to the development of the Christian tradition.
Man is not made holy by observance of the Law but by faith in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 2:16)
By sidelining the Mosaic Law and proclaiming that faith in the risen Jesus was enough for salvation, Paul,
perhaps unwittingly, engineered the break with Judaism. Christianity is now the largest religious tradition in
the world and is practised on every continent.
Pauls epistles are the earliest writings of the tradition has, they predate the Gospels. The epistles are a
fundamental part of the New Testament and are a lasting contribution to the expression of Christianity. Paul
clarified the major teachings of the Church:
1.

The theology of Christ: Col 2:9 For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity.

2.

The Church 1 Cor. 12: 12 Christ is like a single body which has many parts; it is still one body, even
though it is made up of different parts.

Grace and Salvation: Rom 10:4 For Christ has brought the Law to an end, so that everyone who
believes is put right with God In his letters Paul consistently taught that believers were justified by
their faith in Christ:
4. Sexual morality: 1Cor 6: 19, 20 Dont you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who
lives in you and who was given by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to Godso use your
bodies for Gods glory.
3.

The theology of Christianity is largely the product of Paul of Tarsus. Such is his impact that his teachings
about Christ as Saviour are at the core of Christian beliefs. Pauls message was that humanity had been
saved by the sacrifice of Christ: his death and resurrection. It is an elementary and often repeated doctrine of
Paul that Jesus Christ saves us through the Cross, that we are "justified by His blood", that "we were
reconciled to God by the death of his Son" (Rom 5:9-10). Today, Paul is the writer to whom Christian thinkers
have turned for guidance, inspiration and the example of his faith. Love is patient and kind. Love is not
jealous or conceited or proud. It is through these epistles and Pauls expansion on the teachings of Jesus
Christ that contributed to the development of Christianity.

Pauls writings had a huge impact on later Christian theologians such as Augustine of Hippo and Thomas
Aquinas who in turn have had a profound effect on Christian thought and practice. Augustines teachings on
grace and God are the basis of Catholic doctrine. Pauls teachings have been the basis of the theologies of the
Protestant reformers. Martin Luther took the concept of justification by faith form the teaching of Paul and
John Calvin also looked to Paul for fundamental understanding of Christian teaching.
In conclusion the contributions of Paul of Tarsus have been integral to the development and expression of all
denominations of Christianity. Through his epistles and his expansion of Jesus teachings, Paul allowed for the
development and subsequent expression of Christianity. He continues to inspire Christian communities
through prayer, use of his letters in sacred liturgy and personal prayer.