Meeting God in Paul

"Forget the notion that Williams’ writing is dense. This is chatty and colloquial. It should help preachers to get Paul ‘right’ (perhaps supplemented by some of Tom Wright’s commentaries)."

"It is quite extraordinary how much Rowan Williams manages to include in one chapter – all beautifully, briefly and clearly explained... It is difficult to imagine a better short introduction to St Paul than this."

"Rowan William's patiently paced exercise represents, as a cover blurb puts it 'a lifetimes' learning and praying....distilled into profound simplicity."

"Is ideal not only for personal reading but for work in groups. Indeed, it includes questions at the end for discussion, as well as selected readings for use during Lent. This is a book which draws on all the best Pauline scholarship of recent years while showing also the author’s characteristic independence of mind and judgement. At the same time, it succeeds admirably in its aims of making that scholarship available in non-technical language."

"An asset to scholar and general reader alike."

"Vintage Williams - an antidote for anyone who has ever struggled with Paul himself or with large, complicated books about the apostle! Three beautifully written chapters explain clearly the social world of the man himself, his disturbing idea of the universal welcome in Christ, and his understanding of the new creation brought about through the death and resurrection of Jesus. This simple but profound introduction to Paul will be helpful at any time of year, but the final questions and Bible studies for reflection will greatly assist those wishing to read it during Lent."

"There are two forms of simplicity. First, there is a certain naive "not knowing" that is yet to encounter the difficulty and challenge of a subject; and then there is another "deeply felt knowing" that sits on the other side of complexity and is only arrived at after much searching and reflection. Here, a subject is known so well that it has become part of the person who tells it. This deceptively simple little book is a wonderful example of this sort of knowing. Rowan Williams seems to have arrived at a point where a lifetime’s learning and praying is distilled into profound simplicity."

"In Meeting God in Paul, Rowan Williams explains how Paul moved from being the leader of an anti-Christian terrorist squad to being all-consumed by his contemporary, Jesus, who becomes for Paul "the image of the invisible God". This is a most important and much needed book. It releases St Paul from the box of popular misconception and introduces us to Paul as a powerful evangelist who welcomes all who want to follow Christ, and wishes to bar none."

"Many people find the complexity of Paul's character a barrier to understanding his writings. Here, Rowan Williams helps us to see that see that Paul's complexity is a gift; that his writings are deep and difficult because we are deep and difficult, and they touch us because they speak to our basic humanity."