Paul's world: Even in this Pauline year, many find that they know little about St. Paul. It can be argued that Paul has had a greater impact on the Church and the development of the faith than most of the apostles. "Paul and His World," by author Stephen Tomkins gives readers a lively and accessible introduction to Paul's life. He paints a vivid picture of the world into which Paul was born - the Greco-Roman culture and the Jewish religion and customs. He shows what the early Church was like before Paul's conversion, and then tells the dramatic story of Paul's experience on the Damascus Road followed by his missionary journeys and disputes with fellow leaders. He also traces the changes in Paul's thinking and poses the question - did Paul rewrite Christianity? For some, Paul's influence has been largely negative. For others, he is simply the greatest mind in Christian history. Tomkins argues that Paul would have been quite at home with such a mixed reception. His Christian life was a constant arduous missionary journey, enduring shipwrecks, prison, mob violence and the depressing politics of Church life. --Crux of the News, February 9, 2009

In this illustrated biography of Paul, Tomkins looks at the NT as a historical source, and contends that the NT emerges as a realiable and useful account of Paul and the early church. After a four-page introduction, he treats Paul's worlds, his earlier life in Judaism, the first church, the first assault, Paul versus Jesus, on the road, the convert, Antioch, Paul's preaching, missionary travels, spies in Antioch, justification by faith, the Jerusalem Council, more troubles and more travels, an offense to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, Corinth, life in Paul's churches, Paul and women, the "foolish Galatians," Ephesus at last, the Jerusalem lynch mob, and Rome and beyond. A one-page chronology is included. The original edition was published in 2004 by Lion Hudson, Oxford, UK. --New Testament Abstracts, Vol. 53, no. 1, p. 188, January 2009

"I suspect that were Paul to visit us today, he would still be a social outcast and a deviant, still be seen as a fanatic.... Prophetic figures tend to be heroes only long after they are dead." --Ben Witherington III 

"Excellently presented... this boasts superbly laid out pages with top-notch photography and colored maps.... Tomkins, in remarkably few words, seeks to honestly raise the complex debates over Paul's historicity, convincingly drawing us into the arena so we might decide for ourselves whether to take up the search - which is impressive in such a small tome.... It is a thoroughly enjoyable read.... The text is often light - is a pocket-battleship of a mini-volume on the life of this vital character of the earliest Church." -- The Baptist Times