Pl the Apostle is often brand as a patriarchal misogynist who hated all gays. But dig to his letters and you'll fd an tense votn to erasg all forms of opprsn.
Contents:
- WAS THE APOSTLE PL GAY?
- THE (POSSIBLY) GAY, ELE APOSTLE WHO BELIEVED RADIL EQUALY FOR ALL'ALL OF THESE ARE ONE'PL THE APOSTLE IS OFTEN BRAND AS A PATRIARCHAL MISOGYNIST WHO HATED ALL GAYS. BUT DIG TO HIS LETTERS AND YOU'LL FD AN TENSE VOTN TO ERASG ALL FORMS OF OPPRSN.JAY PARIPUBLISHED APR. 20, 2019 11:22PM EDT PUBLIC DOMADURG THE PAST , IF NOT BEFORE, I’VE BEEN WRTLG WH AN ANGEL: PL THE APOSTLE. I’VE BEEN READG THE LETTERS OF PL TENSELY OM THE TIME I WAS A YOUNG MAN, DRAWN BY HIS WILD AND VISNARY SENSE OF REALY, HIS “VENTN” OF CHRISTIANY, HIS EXAMPLE AS A MAN WHO MOVED THROUGH THE WI SMOPOLAN WORLD OF THE FIRST CENTURY WHOUT THE SLIGHTT FEAR OF NSEQUENC. (IN THIS, HE’S VERY DIFFERENT OM ME AND, I SPECT, MOST OF !) AS EASTER APPROACH, I BEG TO THK ABOUT WHAT PL SAID WHEN HE URGED TO “TAKE ON THE MD OF CHRIST” [PHILIPPIANS 2.5], WHICH HIS THEOLOGY MEANS ENTERG PLETELY TO THIS SMIC SPIR SO THAT THE SPIR SELF BE PART OF . MY OWN SPIRUAL JOURNEY HAS BEEN A TEXTUAL ONE PART, LIVG THE GOSPELS AND LETTERS OF PL AS A REAR, DIGGG TO THE GREEK WORDS THEMSELV TO UNEARTH THEIR FULL MEANG. THIS WORK, MOST RECENTLY, HAS LED TO A SERI OF 21 LECTUR THAT I RERD SOME MONTHS AGO ABOUT J, PL, AND THE EARLY CHRISTIANS. AND I HAVE JT PUBLISHED THE DAMASC ROAD: A NOVEL OF SAT PL. IN THIS NOVEL, I WRE AS PL THE FIRST PERSON, UNTERG OR “RRECTG” HIS NARRATIVE WH THAT OF HIS TRAVELG PANN, LE, WHO WROTE THE GOSPEL OF LE AND, OF URSE, THE ACTS OF THE APOSTL, THE LATTER BEG AN ACUNT OF THEIR MISSNARY JOURNEYS THROUGH THE ROMAN WORLD—A JOURNEY THAT END WH THE MARTYRDOM OF PL ROME AROUND THE TIME OF THE GREAT FIRE OF 64 A.C.E. LE’S OL-HEAD VIEW OF WHAT WAS HAPPENG STANDS (AT LEAST MY NOVEL) NTRAST TO PL’S MAD VISNARY RHETORIC, AS EMBODIED HIS LETTERS. TO WRE THIS, I HAD TO SK TO THE PHYSIL AS WELL AS MENTAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE MEN, TRAVELG TO THE HOLY LANDS (WHAT I LL PALTE THE NOVEL, AS ALL OF THIS REGN WAS LLED ROMAN TIM), TO THE JORDANIAN SERT, TO ASIA MOR OR WHAT IS NOW TURKEY, TO GREECE AND ITALY. I FOLLOWED AS BT I ULD THE FOOTSTEPS OF PL, HOPG TO SUMMON THAT WORLD IMAG, TRYG AT ALL TIM TO REMD MYSELF HOW THE PLAC WOULD HAVE PLAYED ON THE FIVE SENS, WH S TGLG ATMOSPHERE OF HERBS AND SPIC, WILD FLOWERS, SH THE STREETS, YG BODI, BRILLIANT SUNSHE ON THE SEA, AND EVERGREEN FORTS AS EP AS ONE N IMAGE. THIS WAS AN TELLECTUAL JOURNEY AS WELL AS A PHYSIL ONE. LIKE PLATO, PL WAS A FOUNDG THKER THE WT. IN FACT, I BEGAN TO WRE THIS NOVEL AFTER READG AGA THROUGH THE DIALOGU OF PLATO—ALWAYS A TEXT I RETURN TO FOR SPIRATN AND BRACG MENTAL EXERCISE. I REALIZED HOW MANY OF PLATO’S IAS, EVEN PHRAS, HAD SUNK TO PL’S UNNSC. HE SUALLY QUOT OM THE GREAT PHILOSOPHER THROUGHOUT HIS LETTERS. THE VERY IA OF THE ETERNAL SOUL WAS, OF URSE, ILLUMED BY PLATO, AND PL RAN WH THIS, CREATG A PLATONIC THEOLOGY. IT’S IMPORTANT TO RELL THAT PL WAS A GREEK-SPEAKG JEW, BORN TARS (NOW TURKEY), PRIVATELY TED THERE BY GREEK-FLUENCED TUTORS—THE LATTER IS AN ASSUMPTN, BUT ONE THAT SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE, GIVEN HIS EDN, HIS MAND OF GREEK PROSE, HIS RANGE OF ALLN. HIS STAT AS ONE OF THE ELE IS EVINT THE FACT THAT HE “TRANSFERRED” TO THE AMY N BY GAMALIEL JESALEM AS A YOUNG MAN. ONLY THE CHILD OF A WEALTHY FAY WOULD HAVE BEEN SHIPPED TO A FAR-OFF UNTRY TO STUDY UNR A MAJOR SCHOLAR LIKE GAMALIEL, THE GRANDSON OF HILLEL—THE FAMO JEWISH SAGE. BUT WHAT MOSTLY DREW ME TO PL WAS HIS VISN OF EQUALY—NOT WHAT ONE UALLY THKS ABOUT WHEN ONE THKS OF PL. INED, MANY IENDS WHO HEARD I WAS WRG ABOUT PL RAISED AN EYEBROW OR TWO, SAYG: WASN’T HE A PATRIARCHAL MISOGYNIST WHO HATED ALL GAYS?MY ANSWER, VARIABLY, WAS NO! NO! NO!PL’S CHIEF IA WAS THIS, AS FOUND GALATIANS 3:28: “IN CHRIST THERE IS NEHER JEW NOR GENTILE, NEHER SLAVE NOR EE MAN, NEHER MALE NOR FEMALE. IN CHRIST, ALL OF THE ARE ONE.” FOR ME, THIS IS THE KEY VERSE THE ENTIRE NEW TTAMENT.BOLDLY, PL ERASED THE MOST CCIAL BARRIERS OF HIS DAY. HIMSELF A JEW, A MEMBER OF THE TRIBE OF BENJAM, A PHARISEE BY AFFILIATN, HE TOOK THE GOOD NEWS (AS HE LLED ) TO THE WT, UNRSTANDG THAT IF THE WAY OF J WERE TO PROSPER, WOULD HAVE TO GO BEYOND THIS POWERFUL BOUNDARY. IN THIS, HE FOUGHT AGAST THE CHURCH JESALEM, LED BY JAM, THE BROTHER OF J, WHO WISHED ONLY FOR THE WAY TO REMA A KD OF HYPER-JEWISH SECT VOTED TO THE STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE LAW OF MOS. HAD JAM WON OUT OVER PL, CHRISTIANY WOULD SOON HAVE DWDLED TO A TY GROUP THE HOLY LAND, ONE THAT WOULD SOON BE OVERRIDN, OBLERATED BY TIME AND CIRCUMSTANC.NEEDLS TO SAY, PL CHALLENGED CLASS DIVISNS WHEN HE ERASED THE BOUNDARI BETWEEN SLAVE AND EE MAN. REMEMBER THAT HALF OF THE PEOPLE ONE MET THE ANCIENT WORLD WERE SLAV. PL WOULD HAVE GROWN UP WH A HOEFUL FULL OF SLAV WHO FETCHED WATER, BOUGHT FOOD THE MARKET, OKED AND CLEANED, RAISED THE CHILDREN, AND SO FORTH. MOST OF THE PEOPLE WORKG FOR PL’S FATHER HIS TENT-MAKG BS TARS WOULD HAVE BEEN SLAV. AND SLAV WERE VISIBLE, NOT REALLY PEOPLE, HARDLY CREATUR POSSSN OF A “SOUL” OR— GREEK—PSYCHE. PL DIDN’T WANT TO SEE DIVISNS AMONG THE CLASS, BELIEVG THAT ENLIGHTENMENT (A WORD I PREFER OVER THE LS TERTG AND MISLEADG TERM “SALVATN”) WOULD E TO EVERYONE THE END, SLAV AS WELL AS EE MEN AND WOMEN.WHICH BRGS , CCIALLY, TO MEN AND WOMEN. PL HAD NO DOUBT THAT WOMEN WERE EQUAL TO MEN THE SIGHT OF GOD, THE MD OF CHRIST. THE WORLD OF EARLY CHRISTIANY WAS LARGELY FANCED AND LED BY WOMEN, CLUDG THE POWERFUL PHOEBE, LYDIA, AND PRISCILLA. PHOEBE IS SCRIBED AS A PRIDG OFFICER THE EARLY MOVEMENT, A AN, A DOMANT FIGURE. SHE ULD EASILY BE SEEN AS THE FIRST POPE, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO SUCH OFFIC AS THE CHURCH WAS NOT AN OFFICIAL BODY BUT A LOOSE AGGREGATN OF GATHERGS WH NO HARD L OR CLEAR THEOLOGY. INED, PL SENT HIS MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF WRG, AN EPISTLE TO THE ROMAN GATHERG, THE POSSSN OF PHOEBE, THIS SPIRED WOMAN OF THE WORLD WHO TRAVELED WILY AND KNEW EVERY LEAR THE EARLY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PATRIARCHAL PL WHO SAID WOMEN SHOULDN’T SPEAK CHURCH? THERE ARE TWO MENTNS OF THIS, ONE THE 14TH CHAPTER OF 1 CORTHIANS, ONE 1 TIMOTHY. THE FORMER IS WILY NSIRED A LATER ADDN, AN “TERPOLATN” BY EDORS. IN THIS SE, THE ASSERTN THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE SILENT WILDLY TERPTS THE FLOW OF THE PASSAGE, WHICH IS WHOLE WHOUT . AND THE FAMO REMARK IS NOT PRENT SEVERAL EARLY MANCRIPTS OF THIS LETTER. FURTHERMORE, THE JUNCTN NTRADICTS THE MA THST OF THE EPISTLE, WHERE ( 1 CORTHIANS 11:5) PL SAYS THAT WOMEN SHOULD “PROPHY AND PRAY” CHURCH. IT JT MAK NO LOGIL SENSE FOR PL TO FOLLOW WH A MAND FOR THEM TO REMA SILENT: THIS WAS AN EDORIAL HAND AT WORK, MUCH LATER. AND THE MATTER OF 1 TIMOTHY IS EASILY DISRD AS NOT SOMETHG WRTEN BY PL HIMSELF.PL ONLY WROTE SEVEN LETTERS THAT SURVIVE: ROMANS, 1 AND 2 CORTHIANS, GALATIANS, 1 THSALONIANS, PHILIPPIANS, AND PHILEMON. THE REMAG SIX LETTERS ARE “SCHOOL OF PL,” WRTEN MUCH LATER. TO ANYONE WHO READS GREEK, THE DIFFERENCE PROSE STYLE IS OBV—GARRY WILLS BURROWS TO THIS WH MON SENSE WHAT PL MEANT (2006). THE DIFFERENC BETWEEN THE TWO CLUMPS OF LETTERS IS PROFOUND: THEY E OM WILDLY DIFFERENT WORLDS, WH DIFFERENT UNRLYG ASSUMPTNS. A ANTIC EFFORT WAS UNRWAY ON THE PART OF SOME WH THE EVOLVG MOVEMENT TO KEEP THE PATRIARCHAL PRACTIC OF JUDAISM AND THE ROMAN WORLD PLACE. HENCE THE “PASTORAL EPISTL,” 1 AND 2 TIMOTHY, WHICH ARE VERY LATE ED AS ADDNS TO THE NEW TTAMENT NON. “PL SENT HIS MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF WRG THE POSSSN OF PHOEBE, THIS SPIRED WOMAN OF THE WORLD WHO TRAVELED WILY AND KNEW EVERY LEAR THE EARLY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT.” THERE IS ALSO THE PLITED MATTER OF PL’S SEXUALY. I TEND TO AGREE WH BISHOP JOHN SHELBY SPONG, A BRILLIANT THEOLOGIAN AND CHURCH LEAR, WHO ARGU THAT PL WAS “A RIGIDLY NTROLLED GAY MALE,” AS HE WR RCUG THE BIBLE OM FUNDAMENTALISM (1991). BE THIS AS MAY, PL WAS CLEARLY AT WAR WH HIS OWN BODY, TORMENTED BY THE IA IF NOT THE REALY OF SEXUAL SIRE, AND EAGER TO WHDRAW TO THE PANY OF HIS MALE PANNS: LE, TIMOTHY, SILAS, AND OTHERS. HIS NFLICTED FEELGS ABOUT HIS OWN SEXUAL NATURE MAY ACUNT FOR THE “THORN HIS FLH” THAT HE WROTE ABOUT HIS SEND LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT CORTH. (2 CORTHIANS 12:7-9)IN MY VIEW, THE THENTIC PL WAS BATIVE, FIERCELY TELLECTUAL, PROBABLY PRSIVE, BI-SEXUAL OR GAY, A RADIL VISNARY WHO HAD A FIERY IMAGE HIS HEAD OF A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH. HE HAD A VISN OF WHAT MEANT TO TAKE ON THE FULL MD OF CHRIST, AND THIS VOLVED EMPTYG HIMSELF OUT THOROUGHLY, TAKG UP THE CROSS, WHICH FOR HIM MEANT FOLLOWG THE PATH OF SELF-ABANDONMENT, UNG WH THE MD OF CHRIST, WHERE EVERYTHG—MALE AND FEMALE, SLAVE AND EE MAN, JEW AND GENTILE—FDS RENCILIATN UNY WH GOD THE ETERNAL MOMENT OF RURRECTN. JAY PARI
- WAS ST. PL GAY? CLAIM STIRS FURY
- RECLAIMG THE F-WORD: ‘DRAG RACE’ CAST BREAKS DOWN USG QUEER SLURSHAVING A KIKIIT’S THE MAKEOVER CHALLENGE ON THIS WEEK’S “RUPL’S DRAG RACE ALL STARS,” WH THE QUEENS PUTTG LBIANS DRAG WHILE BATG THE RECLAIMG OF TRIGGERG QUEER SLURS.COLEMAN SPILENTERTAMENT CRICUPDATED JUL. 08, 2023 4:05AM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 07, 2023 1:34PM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY ER O’FLYNN/THE DAILY BEAST/PARAMOUNT+THGS ARE G DOWN TO THE WIRE ON RUPL’S DRAG RACE ALL STARS 8, WHICH MEANS THAT THE WORKROOM IS BEG MORE SPAC, AND THE PRODUCERS ARE LOOKG FOR WAYS TO FILL AN ENTIRE HOUR OF TELEVISN. ON DRAG RACE, THAT TYPILLY MEANS A DREAD MAKEOVER CHALLENGE, WHERE THE REMAG ST OF QUEENS WILL HAVE TO DRAG UP A SET OF RANDOM PEOPLE WH A FG SHARED TRA, ROPED OM SOME BAR SOMEWHERE THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. NOT LERALLY, OF URSE, BUT JUDGG BY HOW HAPHAZARDLY THE GROUPS OF MAKEOVER PARTICIPANTS ARE PICKED, DO FEEL AS THOUGH A PRODUCER STUMBLED TO SOME WATERG HOLE AND ASKED, “WHO WANTS $1,000 AND A EE LUNCH?”THIS SEASON’S MAKEOVER SUBJECTS ARE—DMROLL PLEASE—LBIANS. TO WHICH YOU MIGHT ASK, “…LBIANS?” Y, JT GOOD OLD-FASHNED LBIANS. HELL, THEY’VE DONE ARMY VETS; THEY’VE DRAGGED UP UNRAPPRECIATED SCHOOL TEACHERS; THEY’VE EVEN TOUCHED UP THE ST OF LTLE WOMEN LA. ALL THAT’S LEFT IS LBIANS!EXPLAG THEIR CHOICE, HOST RUPL SAID, “FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT, TO THE AIDS CRISIS, TO TODAY, OUR QUEER SISTERS HAVE ALWAYS SHOWN UP WHEN THE LGBTQ MUNY NEED THEM THE MOST.” THAT’S VERY TE, BUT WAS A STATEMENT THAT LEFT ME SCRATCHG MY HEAD. RU MAK SOUND AS IF THE LBIANS WERE SHOWG UP AT THE MOMENTS QUEER HISTORY JT TO SUPPORT THE GS, BUT THE LS LGBTQ WERE JT AS IMPACTED AT THOSE TIM, TOO. RU DID, HOWEVER, MENTN THAT LBIANS OFTEN REMA THE SILENT HERO SUPPORTG THEIR ENTIRE MUNY, SO THIS WEEK WAS THE SHOW’S TRIBUTE TO THOSE CHAMPNS.MAKEOVER EPISOS ED TO PRENT A MORE FORMIDABLE CHALLENGE. CONTTANTS HAD TO DOLL UP A PARTICIPANT WHO WAS PLETELY UNFAIAR WH THE ART OF DRAG, AND DIDN’T KNOW WHERE TO BEG HELPG THE QUEENS THEY WERE PAIRED WH. NOW, EVERYONE WHO WALKS ONTO THE SET OF DRAG RACE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THEY’RE GETTG TO, WHICH IS BOTH AN ADVANTAGE TO THE QUEENS, AND A SLIGHT DISADVANTAGE TO THE SHOW. THE MAKEOVERS ARE LS OF A CHALLENGE OF FDG THE RIGHT FORT LEVEL, AND MORE ABOUT PERFECTG A DRAG FAY REMBLANCE WHEN ALL IS SAID, DONE, PADD, AND BEATEN WH A MAKP BSH. THAT SAID, THE MAKEOVERS FUNCTN BETTER WHEN THE NTTANTS PERFORMG THEM FEEL SAFER. IN DRAG RACE SEASON 6, THE QUEENS HAD TO MAKEOVER STRAIGHT MEN WHO WERE ON THE SHOW AT THE BEHT OF THEIR SPO AND GIRLIENDS, LEAVG BOTH THE QUEENS AND THE STRAIGHT MEN UNFORTABLE. WH THE LBIANS PRENT, NONE OF THE REMAG QUEENS HAVE TO SPEND THEIR TIME GGG THEIR LEVEL OF SAFETY, WHICH IS A NICE FUNCTN OF THE LATER-SEASON MAKEOVER CHALLENG. YET, THEY STILL ONLY PRENT A FEW KERNELS OF TERTG NVERSATN.THIS WEEK, THAT ME OM THE QUEENS—ALL GAY MEN—CHATTG WH THEIR LBIAN FAY ABOUT THE PLITED SUBJECT OF RECLAIMG CERTA SLURS. ONE OF THE LBIANS, AMANDA, TOLD NTTANT JIMBO THAT SHE REFERS TO HERSELF AS A “SISSY DYKE,” PROMPTG FELLOW NTTANT JSI WILD TO ASK ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIPS TO THE WORD.“FOR ME, ‘DYKE’ IS A RECLAMATN OF A WORD THAT WAS ED TO HURT , BUT REALLY MEANS BEG POWERFUL YOUR QUEER, WOMAN-LOVG SELF,” ANOTHER ONE OF THE LBIANS BEG MA OVER, ANGIE, SAID.“THERE’S AN ADD POLIL NNOTATN,” AMANDA CHIMED . “‘DYKE’ IS JT AN ENPSULATN OF MY POLICS, JT LIKE ‘QUEER.’” THE THIRD LBIAN THE ROOM, LISA, MENTNED THAT TOOK MUCH LONGER FOR HER TO BEE OKAY WH G THE WORD. “IT WAS A TERM THAT WAS ED AGAST ME WHEN I WAS BULLIED. BUT RECENTLY, ME AND MY MOTORCYCLE IENDS, WE DID THE QUEERS ON GEARS/DYK ON BIK, SO WAS REALLY NICE TO RECLAIM THE WORD WH A BUNCH OF OTHER QUEER WOMEN.” THEN, AMANDA POSED AN TERTG QUTN, WHICH REMAS A HOT-BUTTON ISSUE WH QUEER CIRCL (AND THE DRAG RACE FANDOM SELF): “DO YOU GUYS THK THAT LBIANS N SAY ‘FAG’ AND THAT GAY GUYS N SAY ‘DYKE,’ OR THAT SHOULD ONLY BE KEPT WH THOSE GROUPS TO SAY?” KANDY ME MENTNED THAT HER OWN MOTHER IS A BUTCH LBIAN, WHOM SHE REFERS TO AS A DYKE, BUT ALSO PLETELY UNRSTANDS WHY LBIANS WOULD NOT WANT A GAY MAN TO SAY . THE GAY EXPERIENCE AND THE LBIAN EXPERIENCE—THOUGH TRSILLY LKED BY QUEERNS—ARE HERENTLY DIFFERENT. JIMBO AGREED WH KANDY, ADDG, “I THK ’S ABOUT TENTN, DO TEND TO HURT ME, DO TEND TO BE FUNNY?”THERE’S ONE THG THAT’S FOR SURE: IF YOU’RE READG THIS, AND YOU’RE NOT A PART OF EHER OF THE MUNI, YOU SHOULDN’T BE SAYG ALL! BUT EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO SAY , YOU N STILL LEARN SOMETHG OM . THAT’S THE BETY OF DRAG RACE AMASSG SUCH A LARGE STRAIGHT DIENCE.THE TYP OF NVERSATNS ARE MUCH MORE TERTG THAN THE ON THAT WERE AFFORD TO ON PREV MAKEOVER CHALLENG. WE ED TO HAVE TO WATCH QUEENS BEAT THE FACE OF A STRANGER WHILE ANSWERG THE SAME OLD QUTNS ABOUT THEIR HISTORY WH DRAG AND HOW MUCH THEIR FAI DO OR DO NOT ACCEPT THEM. IT GOT TIRG! LIKE SO MANY ASPECTS OF DRAG RACE OVER THE YEARS, THE MAKEOVER CHALLENGE NEED A MAKEOVER SELF. THE MAKEOVERS MIGHT BE ON THEIR LAST LEGS, BUT THERE IS STILL SOME VALUE LEFT THE DISCSNS THAT THEY GENERATE—EVEN IF RUPL PROBABLY DID JT SP A BIG WHEEL THAT LAND ON “LBIANS.”KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK. COLEMAN SPIL
WAS THE APOSTLE PL GAY?
Once unlocked, the msag not only cease to be hidn but they bee obv, glarg at the rear, who wonrs why such obv meangs had not been seen have suggted that that Pl was plagued by homosexual fears. This is not a new ia, and yet until recent years, when homosexualy began to shed some of s negative nnotatns, was an ia so repulsive to Christian people that uld not be breathed official circl.
THE (POSSIBLY) GAY, ELE APOSTLE WHO BELIEVED RADIL EQUALY FOR ALL'ALL OF THESE ARE ONE'PL THE APOSTLE IS OFTEN BRAND AS A PATRIARCHAL MISOGYNIST WHO HATED ALL GAYS. BUT DIG TO HIS LETTERS AND YOU'LL FD AN TENSE VOTN TO ERASG ALL FORMS OF OPPRSN.JAY PARIPUBLISHED APR. 20, 2019 11:22PM EDT PUBLIC DOMADURG THE PAST , IF NOT BEFORE, I’VE BEEN WRTLG WH AN ANGEL: PL THE APOSTLE. I’VE BEEN READG THE LETTERS OF PL TENSELY OM THE TIME I WAS A YOUNG MAN, DRAWN BY HIS WILD AND VISNARY SENSE OF REALY, HIS “VENTN” OF CHRISTIANY, HIS EXAMPLE AS A MAN WHO MOVED THROUGH THE WI SMOPOLAN WORLD OF THE FIRST CENTURY WHOUT THE SLIGHTT FEAR OF NSEQUENC. (IN THIS, HE’S VERY DIFFERENT OM ME AND, I SPECT, MOST OF !) AS EASTER APPROACH, I BEG TO THK ABOUT WHAT PL SAID WHEN HE URGED TO “TAKE ON THE MD OF CHRIST” [PHILIPPIANS 2.5], WHICH HIS THEOLOGY MEANS ENTERG PLETELY TO THIS SMIC SPIR SO THAT THE SPIR SELF BE PART OF . MY OWN SPIRUAL JOURNEY HAS BEEN A TEXTUAL ONE PART, LIVG THE GOSPELS AND LETTERS OF PL AS A REAR, DIGGG TO THE GREEK WORDS THEMSELV TO UNEARTH THEIR FULL MEANG. THIS WORK, MOST RECENTLY, HAS LED TO A SERI OF 21 LECTUR THAT I RERD SOME MONTHS AGO ABOUT J, PL, AND THE EARLY CHRISTIANS. AND I HAVE JT PUBLISHED THE DAMASC ROAD: A NOVEL OF SAT PL. IN THIS NOVEL, I WRE AS PL THE FIRST PERSON, UNTERG OR “RRECTG” HIS NARRATIVE WH THAT OF HIS TRAVELG PANN, LE, WHO WROTE THE GOSPEL OF LE AND, OF URSE, THE ACTS OF THE APOSTL, THE LATTER BEG AN ACUNT OF THEIR MISSNARY JOURNEYS THROUGH THE ROMAN WORLD—A JOURNEY THAT END WH THE MARTYRDOM OF PL ROME AROUND THE TIME OF THE GREAT FIRE OF 64 A.C.E. LE’S OL-HEAD VIEW OF WHAT WAS HAPPENG STANDS (AT LEAST MY NOVEL) NTRAST TO PL’S MAD VISNARY RHETORIC, AS EMBODIED HIS LETTERS. TO WRE THIS, I HAD TO SK TO THE PHYSIL AS WELL AS MENTAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE MEN, TRAVELG TO THE HOLY LANDS (WHAT I LL PALTE THE NOVEL, AS ALL OF THIS REGN WAS LLED ROMAN TIM), TO THE JORDANIAN SERT, TO ASIA MOR OR WHAT IS NOW TURKEY, TO GREECE AND ITALY. I FOLLOWED AS BT I ULD THE FOOTSTEPS OF PL, HOPG TO SUMMON THAT WORLD IMAG, TRYG AT ALL TIM TO REMD MYSELF HOW THE PLAC WOULD HAVE PLAYED ON THE FIVE SENS, WH S TGLG ATMOSPHERE OF HERBS AND SPIC, WILD FLOWERS, SH THE STREETS, YG BODI, BRILLIANT SUNSHE ON THE SEA, AND EVERGREEN FORTS AS EP AS ONE N IMAGE. THIS WAS AN TELLECTUAL JOURNEY AS WELL AS A PHYSIL ONE. LIKE PLATO, PL WAS A FOUNDG THKER THE WT. IN FACT, I BEGAN TO WRE THIS NOVEL AFTER READG AGA THROUGH THE DIALOGU OF PLATO—ALWAYS A TEXT I RETURN TO FOR SPIRATN AND BRACG MENTAL EXERCISE. I REALIZED HOW MANY OF PLATO’S IAS, EVEN PHRAS, HAD SUNK TO PL’S UNNSC. HE SUALLY QUOT OM THE GREAT PHILOSOPHER THROUGHOUT HIS LETTERS. THE VERY IA OF THE ETERNAL SOUL WAS, OF URSE, ILLUMED BY PLATO, AND PL RAN WH THIS, CREATG A PLATONIC THEOLOGY. IT’S IMPORTANT TO RELL THAT PL WAS A GREEK-SPEAKG JEW, BORN TARS (NOW TURKEY), PRIVATELY TED THERE BY GREEK-FLUENCED TUTORS—THE LATTER IS AN ASSUMPTN, BUT ONE THAT SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE, GIVEN HIS EDN, HIS MAND OF GREEK PROSE, HIS RANGE OF ALLN. HIS STAT AS ONE OF THE ELE IS EVINT THE FACT THAT HE “TRANSFERRED” TO THE AMY N BY GAMALIEL JESALEM AS A YOUNG MAN. ONLY THE CHILD OF A WEALTHY FAY WOULD HAVE BEEN SHIPPED TO A FAR-OFF UNTRY TO STUDY UNR A MAJOR SCHOLAR LIKE GAMALIEL, THE GRANDSON OF HILLEL—THE FAMO JEWISH SAGE. BUT WHAT MOSTLY DREW ME TO PL WAS HIS VISN OF EQUALY—NOT WHAT ONE UALLY THKS ABOUT WHEN ONE THKS OF PL. INED, MANY IENDS WHO HEARD I WAS WRG ABOUT PL RAISED AN EYEBROW OR TWO, SAYG: WASN’T HE A PATRIARCHAL MISOGYNIST WHO HATED ALL GAYS?MY ANSWER, VARIABLY, WAS NO! NO! NO!PL’S CHIEF IA WAS THIS, AS FOUND GALATIANS 3:28: “IN CHRIST THERE IS NEHER JEW NOR GENTILE, NEHER SLAVE NOR EE MAN, NEHER MALE NOR FEMALE. IN CHRIST, ALL OF THE ARE ONE.” FOR ME, THIS IS THE KEY VERSE THE ENTIRE NEW TTAMENT.BOLDLY, PL ERASED THE MOST CCIAL BARRIERS OF HIS DAY. HIMSELF A JEW, A MEMBER OF THE TRIBE OF BENJAM, A PHARISEE BY AFFILIATN, HE TOOK THE GOOD NEWS (AS HE LLED ) TO THE WT, UNRSTANDG THAT IF THE WAY OF J WERE TO PROSPER, WOULD HAVE TO GO BEYOND THIS POWERFUL BOUNDARY. IN THIS, HE FOUGHT AGAST THE CHURCH JESALEM, LED BY JAM, THE BROTHER OF J, WHO WISHED ONLY FOR THE WAY TO REMA A KD OF HYPER-JEWISH SECT VOTED TO THE STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE LAW OF MOS. HAD JAM WON OUT OVER PL, CHRISTIANY WOULD SOON HAVE DWDLED TO A TY GROUP THE HOLY LAND, ONE THAT WOULD SOON BE OVERRIDN, OBLERATED BY TIME AND CIRCUMSTANC.NEEDLS TO SAY, PL CHALLENGED CLASS DIVISNS WHEN HE ERASED THE BOUNDARI BETWEEN SLAVE AND EE MAN. REMEMBER THAT HALF OF THE PEOPLE ONE MET THE ANCIENT WORLD WERE SLAV. PL WOULD HAVE GROWN UP WH A HOEFUL FULL OF SLAV WHO FETCHED WATER, BOUGHT FOOD THE MARKET, OKED AND CLEANED, RAISED THE CHILDREN, AND SO FORTH. MOST OF THE PEOPLE WORKG FOR PL’S FATHER HIS TENT-MAKG BS TARS WOULD HAVE BEEN SLAV. AND SLAV WERE VISIBLE, NOT REALLY PEOPLE, HARDLY CREATUR POSSSN OF A “SOUL” OR— GREEK—PSYCHE. PL DIDN’T WANT TO SEE DIVISNS AMONG THE CLASS, BELIEVG THAT ENLIGHTENMENT (A WORD I PREFER OVER THE LS TERTG AND MISLEADG TERM “SALVATN”) WOULD E TO EVERYONE THE END, SLAV AS WELL AS EE MEN AND WOMEN.WHICH BRGS , CCIALLY, TO MEN AND WOMEN. PL HAD NO DOUBT THAT WOMEN WERE EQUAL TO MEN THE SIGHT OF GOD, THE MD OF CHRIST. THE WORLD OF EARLY CHRISTIANY WAS LARGELY FANCED AND LED BY WOMEN, CLUDG THE POWERFUL PHOEBE, LYDIA, AND PRISCILLA. PHOEBE IS SCRIBED AS A PRIDG OFFICER THE EARLY MOVEMENT, A AN, A DOMANT FIGURE. SHE ULD EASILY BE SEEN AS THE FIRST POPE, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO SUCH OFFIC AS THE CHURCH WAS NOT AN OFFICIAL BODY BUT A LOOSE AGGREGATN OF GATHERGS WH NO HARD L OR CLEAR THEOLOGY. INED, PL SENT HIS MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF WRG, AN EPISTLE TO THE ROMAN GATHERG, THE POSSSN OF PHOEBE, THIS SPIRED WOMAN OF THE WORLD WHO TRAVELED WILY AND KNEW EVERY LEAR THE EARLY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PATRIARCHAL PL WHO SAID WOMEN SHOULDN’T SPEAK CHURCH? THERE ARE TWO MENTNS OF THIS, ONE THE 14TH CHAPTER OF 1 CORTHIANS, ONE 1 TIMOTHY. THE FORMER IS WILY NSIRED A LATER ADDN, AN “TERPOLATN” BY EDORS. IN THIS SE, THE ASSERTN THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE SILENT WILDLY TERPTS THE FLOW OF THE PASSAGE, WHICH IS WHOLE WHOUT . AND THE FAMO REMARK IS NOT PRENT SEVERAL EARLY MANCRIPTS OF THIS LETTER. FURTHERMORE, THE JUNCTN NTRADICTS THE MA THST OF THE EPISTLE, WHERE ( 1 CORTHIANS 11:5) PL SAYS THAT WOMEN SHOULD “PROPHY AND PRAY” CHURCH. IT JT MAK NO LOGIL SENSE FOR PL TO FOLLOW WH A MAND FOR THEM TO REMA SILENT: THIS WAS AN EDORIAL HAND AT WORK, MUCH LATER. AND THE MATTER OF 1 TIMOTHY IS EASILY DISRD AS NOT SOMETHG WRTEN BY PL HIMSELF.PL ONLY WROTE SEVEN LETTERS THAT SURVIVE: ROMANS, 1 AND 2 CORTHIANS, GALATIANS, 1 THSALONIANS, PHILIPPIANS, AND PHILEMON. THE REMAG SIX LETTERS ARE “SCHOOL OF PL,” WRTEN MUCH LATER. TO ANYONE WHO READS GREEK, THE DIFFERENCE PROSE STYLE IS OBV—GARRY WILLS BURROWS TO THIS WH MON SENSE WHAT PL MEANT (2006). THE DIFFERENC BETWEEN THE TWO CLUMPS OF LETTERS IS PROFOUND: THEY E OM WILDLY DIFFERENT WORLDS, WH DIFFERENT UNRLYG ASSUMPTNS. A ANTIC EFFORT WAS UNRWAY ON THE PART OF SOME WH THE EVOLVG MOVEMENT TO KEEP THE PATRIARCHAL PRACTIC OF JUDAISM AND THE ROMAN WORLD PLACE. HENCE THE “PASTORAL EPISTL,” 1 AND 2 TIMOTHY, WHICH ARE VERY LATE ED AS ADDNS TO THE NEW TTAMENT NON. “PL SENT HIS MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF WRG THE POSSSN OF PHOEBE, THIS SPIRED WOMAN OF THE WORLD WHO TRAVELED WILY AND KNEW EVERY LEAR THE EARLY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT.” THERE IS ALSO THE PLITED MATTER OF PL’S SEXUALY. I TEND TO AGREE WH BISHOP JOHN SHELBY SPONG, A BRILLIANT THEOLOGIAN AND CHURCH LEAR, WHO ARGU THAT PL WAS “A RIGIDLY NTROLLED GAY MALE,” AS HE WR RCUG THE BIBLE OM FUNDAMENTALISM (1991). BE THIS AS MAY, PL WAS CLEARLY AT WAR WH HIS OWN BODY, TORMENTED BY THE IA IF NOT THE REALY OF SEXUAL SIRE, AND EAGER TO WHDRAW TO THE PANY OF HIS MALE PANNS: LE, TIMOTHY, SILAS, AND OTHERS. HIS NFLICTED FEELGS ABOUT HIS OWN SEXUAL NATURE MAY ACUNT FOR THE “THORN HIS FLH” THAT HE WROTE ABOUT HIS SEND LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT CORTH. (2 CORTHIANS 12:7-9)IN MY VIEW, THE THENTIC PL WAS BATIVE, FIERCELY TELLECTUAL, PROBABLY PRSIVE, BI-SEXUAL OR GAY, A RADIL VISNARY WHO HAD A FIERY IMAGE HIS HEAD OF A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH. HE HAD A VISN OF WHAT MEANT TO TAKE ON THE FULL MD OF CHRIST, AND THIS VOLVED EMPTYG HIMSELF OUT THOROUGHLY, TAKG UP THE CROSS, WHICH FOR HIM MEANT FOLLOWG THE PATH OF SELF-ABANDONMENT, UNG WH THE MD OF CHRIST, WHERE EVERYTHG—MALE AND FEMALE, SLAVE AND EE MAN, JEW AND GENTILE—FDS RENCILIATN UNY WH GOD THE ETERNAL MOMENT OF RURRECTN. JAY PARI
This is not to say that our cultural homophobia has disappeared. Wh the softeng of that homophobic stance we might nsir the hypothis that Pl may have been a gay male.
WAS ST. PL GAY? CLAIM STIRS FURY
When I did this for the first time, I was startled to see how much of Pl was unlocked and how eply I uld unrstand the power of the gospel that lerally saved Pl's I suggt the possibily that Pl was a homosexual person, I do not mean to be salac or tillatg or even to suggt somethg that many would nsir sndalo.
RECLAIMG THE F-WORD: ‘DRAG RACE’ CAST BREAKS DOWN USG QUEER SLURSHAVING A KIKIIT’S THE MAKEOVER CHALLENGE ON THIS WEEK’S “RUPL’S DRAG RACE ALL STARS,” WH THE QUEENS PUTTG LBIANS DRAG WHILE BATG THE RECLAIMG OF TRIGGERG QUEER SLURS.COLEMAN SPILENTERTAMENT CRICUPDATED JUL. 08, 2023 4:05AM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 07, 2023 1:34PM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY ER O’FLYNN/THE DAILY BEAST/PARAMOUNT+THGS ARE G DOWN TO THE WIRE ON RUPL’S DRAG RACE ALL STARS 8, WHICH MEANS THAT THE WORKROOM IS BEG MORE SPAC, AND THE PRODUCERS ARE LOOKG FOR WAYS TO FILL AN ENTIRE HOUR OF TELEVISN. ON DRAG RACE, THAT TYPILLY MEANS A DREAD MAKEOVER CHALLENGE, WHERE THE REMAG ST OF QUEENS WILL HAVE TO DRAG UP A SET OF RANDOM PEOPLE WH A FG SHARED TRA, ROPED OM SOME BAR SOMEWHERE THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. NOT LERALLY, OF URSE, BUT JUDGG BY HOW HAPHAZARDLY THE GROUPS OF MAKEOVER PARTICIPANTS ARE PICKED, DO FEEL AS THOUGH A PRODUCER STUMBLED TO SOME WATERG HOLE AND ASKED, “WHO WANTS $1,000 AND A EE LUNCH?”THIS SEASON’S MAKEOVER SUBJECTS ARE—DMROLL PLEASE—LBIANS. TO WHICH YOU MIGHT ASK, “…LBIANS?” Y, JT GOOD OLD-FASHNED LBIANS. HELL, THEY’VE DONE ARMY VETS; THEY’VE DRAGGED UP UNRAPPRECIATED SCHOOL TEACHERS; THEY’VE EVEN TOUCHED UP THE ST OF LTLE WOMEN LA. ALL THAT’S LEFT IS LBIANS!EXPLAG THEIR CHOICE, HOST RUPL SAID, “FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF THE GAY LIBERATN MOVEMENT, TO THE AIDS CRISIS, TO TODAY, OUR QUEER SISTERS HAVE ALWAYS SHOWN UP WHEN THE LGBTQ MUNY NEED THEM THE MOST.” THAT’S VERY TE, BUT WAS A STATEMENT THAT LEFT ME SCRATCHG MY HEAD. RU MAK SOUND AS IF THE LBIANS WERE SHOWG UP AT THE MOMENTS QUEER HISTORY JT TO SUPPORT THE GS, BUT THE LS LGBTQ WERE JT AS IMPACTED AT THOSE TIM, TOO. RU DID, HOWEVER, MENTN THAT LBIANS OFTEN REMA THE SILENT HERO SUPPORTG THEIR ENTIRE MUNY, SO THIS WEEK WAS THE SHOW’S TRIBUTE TO THOSE CHAMPNS.MAKEOVER EPISOS ED TO PRENT A MORE FORMIDABLE CHALLENGE. CONTTANTS HAD TO DOLL UP A PARTICIPANT WHO WAS PLETELY UNFAIAR WH THE ART OF DRAG, AND DIDN’T KNOW WHERE TO BEG HELPG THE QUEENS THEY WERE PAIRED WH. NOW, EVERYONE WHO WALKS ONTO THE SET OF DRAG RACE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THEY’RE GETTG TO, WHICH IS BOTH AN ADVANTAGE TO THE QUEENS, AND A SLIGHT DISADVANTAGE TO THE SHOW. THE MAKEOVERS ARE LS OF A CHALLENGE OF FDG THE RIGHT FORT LEVEL, AND MORE ABOUT PERFECTG A DRAG FAY REMBLANCE WHEN ALL IS SAID, DONE, PADD, AND BEATEN WH A MAKP BSH. THAT SAID, THE MAKEOVERS FUNCTN BETTER WHEN THE NTTANTS PERFORMG THEM FEEL SAFER. IN DRAG RACE SEASON 6, THE QUEENS HAD TO MAKEOVER STRAIGHT MEN WHO WERE ON THE SHOW AT THE BEHT OF THEIR SPO AND GIRLIENDS, LEAVG BOTH THE QUEENS AND THE STRAIGHT MEN UNFORTABLE. WH THE LBIANS PRENT, NONE OF THE REMAG QUEENS HAVE TO SPEND THEIR TIME GGG THEIR LEVEL OF SAFETY, WHICH IS A NICE FUNCTN OF THE LATER-SEASON MAKEOVER CHALLENG. YET, THEY STILL ONLY PRENT A FEW KERNELS OF TERTG NVERSATN.THIS WEEK, THAT ME OM THE QUEENS—ALL GAY MEN—CHATTG WH THEIR LBIAN FAY ABOUT THE PLITED SUBJECT OF RECLAIMG CERTA SLURS. ONE OF THE LBIANS, AMANDA, TOLD NTTANT JIMBO THAT SHE REFERS TO HERSELF AS A “SISSY DYKE,” PROMPTG FELLOW NTTANT JSI WILD TO ASK ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIPS TO THE WORD.“FOR ME, ‘DYKE’ IS A RECLAMATN OF A WORD THAT WAS ED TO HURT , BUT REALLY MEANS BEG POWERFUL YOUR QUEER, WOMAN-LOVG SELF,” ANOTHER ONE OF THE LBIANS BEG MA OVER, ANGIE, SAID.“THERE’S AN ADD POLIL NNOTATN,” AMANDA CHIMED . “‘DYKE’ IS JT AN ENPSULATN OF MY POLICS, JT LIKE ‘QUEER.’” THE THIRD LBIAN THE ROOM, LISA, MENTNED THAT TOOK MUCH LONGER FOR HER TO BEE OKAY WH G THE WORD. “IT WAS A TERM THAT WAS ED AGAST ME WHEN I WAS BULLIED. BUT RECENTLY, ME AND MY MOTORCYCLE IENDS, WE DID THE QUEERS ON GEARS/DYK ON BIK, SO WAS REALLY NICE TO RECLAIM THE WORD WH A BUNCH OF OTHER QUEER WOMEN.” THEN, AMANDA POSED AN TERTG QUTN, WHICH REMAS A HOT-BUTTON ISSUE WH QUEER CIRCL (AND THE DRAG RACE FANDOM SELF): “DO YOU GUYS THK THAT LBIANS N SAY ‘FAG’ AND THAT GAY GUYS N SAY ‘DYKE,’ OR THAT SHOULD ONLY BE KEPT WH THOSE GROUPS TO SAY?” KANDY ME MENTNED THAT HER OWN MOTHER IS A BUTCH LBIAN, WHOM SHE REFERS TO AS A DYKE, BUT ALSO PLETELY UNRSTANDS WHY LBIANS WOULD NOT WANT A GAY MAN TO SAY . THE GAY EXPERIENCE AND THE LBIAN EXPERIENCE—THOUGH TRSILLY LKED BY QUEERNS—ARE HERENTLY DIFFERENT. JIMBO AGREED WH KANDY, ADDG, “I THK ’S ABOUT TENTN, DO TEND TO HURT ME, DO TEND TO BE FUNNY?”THERE’S ONE THG THAT’S FOR SURE: IF YOU’RE READG THIS, AND YOU’RE NOT A PART OF EHER OF THE MUNI, YOU SHOULDN’T BE SAYG ALL! BUT EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO SAY , YOU N STILL LEARN SOMETHG OM . THAT’S THE BETY OF DRAG RACE AMASSG SUCH A LARGE STRAIGHT DIENCE.THE TYP OF NVERSATNS ARE MUCH MORE TERTG THAN THE ON THAT WERE AFFORD TO ON PREV MAKEOVER CHALLENG. WE ED TO HAVE TO WATCH QUEENS BEAT THE FACE OF A STRANGER WHILE ANSWERG THE SAME OLD QUTNS ABOUT THEIR HISTORY WH DRAG AND HOW MUCH THEIR FAI DO OR DO NOT ACCEPT THEM. IT GOT TIRG! LIKE SO MANY ASPECTS OF DRAG RACE OVER THE YEARS, THE MAKEOVER CHALLENGE NEED A MAKEOVER SELF. THE MAKEOVERS MIGHT BE ON THEIR LAST LEGS, BUT THERE IS STILL SOME VALUE LEFT THE DISCSNS THAT THEY GENERATE—EVEN IF RUPL PROBABLY DID JT SP A BIG WHEEL THAT LAND ON “LBIANS.”KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK. COLEMAN SPIL
The prence of homosexualy would have created this rponse among Jewish people that perd of history. The war that went on between what he sired wh his md and what he sired wh his body, his drivenns to a legalistic relign of ntrol, his fear when that system was threatened, his attu toward women, his refal to seek marriage an outlet for his passn-nothg else acunts for this data as well as the possibily that Pl was a gay 's relig tradn would clearly regard gay mal as aberrant, distorted, evil, and praved.
When disvered, gay mal were que often executed.