Sect. 9 Group 2: Paul

Group Members

Nader Issa

Colin Szklarski

Devin Dixon

Ember Parr

Jeremy Buma

Quint Qualls

Well, this past class session was a bit of a change. although we din't break into groups, there was still much good philosophical understanding and questioning to be had. But since we went a bit off track and since a good two/thirds of our group was absent as well,making our small group discussion somewhat eventless had we even had one, let me give a brief synopsis of what JMH talked about in her book in regards to Paul and his propagation of the Christian religion. To hit on the main point I believe Hecht was trying to make in this section of her book, it seems that in this point of history, man has gone from doubt or questioning of logic and/or even tradition and instead turned it into a matter of debate on one's faith. Now it seems that gone are the questions of what is(are) the nature of G-d(gods) and how can we, if can, appease them, and in it's place is does one even believe in the One True G-d. Faith has replaced reason and logic in philosophy. This is due to the fact that now Paul was tapping into a fear believe of death, and this was very much on the minds of those in the Roman Empire. Paul's theology gave the masses a way to remove their fear of death and "of rotting in the ground", for if Jesus was able to rise from the dead, we all must now have that ability at some point in time through him. Once the masses were able to buy into that idea, the sale of eternal life, even if in another realm, was an easy sell and a natural progression. Paul's main point then, the means by which he was able to sell his propagandized version of another man's teachings, was that we are all fundamentally flawed, inherently evil from birth, and need G-d's grace and mercy. Your works were no longer of merit and could do nothing to bring you eternal peace and salvation. The only thing that could save was your faith that G-d would be merciful.