Tuesday 15 September 2009

Background

Paul's letters to the very early Christian communities make up alarge proportion of the New Testament. Some of these letters werewritten by Paul himself, probably always assisted by an amanuensis,or a scribe, just as a politician uses a speechwriter today. Otherletters were written by those close to Paul.

Paul rarely claimed that he wrote his letters alone. He employedevery means at his disposal to spread the gospel (the good news ofJesus). He personally went on missionary journeys; he trainedothers in the same work and he wrote letters of teaching andencouragement. Each one of these letters whether written by Paul orpeople close to him helped Paul to broadcast the message of thegospel.

Biblical scholars over the years have been able to identify whichof Paul's letters were written undoubtedly by him, such as 1 and 2Corinthians, Galatians and Romans. Other letters such as 1 and 2Timothy were almost certainly not written by Paul (their languageand style is different) but by an admirer of Paul who wrote in hisname, both as a sign of respect and as means of claiming authorityfor what is written.

All over the Mediterranean world Paul established small groups ofbelievers, followers of 'The Way'. They had no agreed model tofollow; they were the very first churches. But by the time 1Timothy was written these early churches had reached a more settledstage in their life. Rules and practices were becoming moreestablished and there was clearer agreement on matters of faith.And, because of the many heresies and false teachings flyingaround, there was a strong need to establish clearly what it meansto be a Christian.

The first flush of youth, and the excitement and dynamism that goeswith it, is over. A more mature stage has been reached. Somethinghas been lost, but in order that the Church is not brought intodisrepute and correct teaching can be passed on, the Churchinstitutional is born with its preoccupation with office - first ofbishop, then of deacon, then of women.

To Ponder

Are there ways today that the institutionalChurch stifles growth and creativity? What are they?

What effect has the traditional hierarchicalstructure of the Church had on the value placed on people'slives?