What characterized the Pauline version of Christianity?
St. Paul, originally known as Saul of Tarsus, was one of the most important preachers of Christianity during the 30-50 AD. His ideas are found in 14 books of the New Testament, and he is known to found several churches throughout Europe and Asia Minor, where he went to spread Christianity.
The Pauline version of Christianity is characterized by the following:
1. God is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent. Omniscient is one who knows everything, omnipresent is one who is present everywhere, and omnipotent is one who is capable of doing everything and has unlimited power.
2. After the disgraced banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, God had sacrificed his son (Jesus Christ) to nullify the human sins. Thus, due to God’s sacrifice, humans can start their life in a clean state, Christ being our savior.
3. A Good life is that which is surrendered to the existence of God. By believing in God, humans affiliate themselves to receive eternal God’s wisdom and grace.
4. All physical pleasure, according to St. Paul is sin, and the most sinful/immoral is to seek sexual pleasure. St. Paul had portrayed sex as highly immoral and sinful.
5. According to him, women are inferior to men and they should be silent in Church, because they are not permitted to speak, and it is shameful if they speak in Church.
6. People should lead a simple, moral and a pure life, being immaterialist as much as possible.