A Letter from Walter Wangerin, Jr.

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Three and a half years ago Thanne and I traveled to Old Corinth. It was on-site research for this novel, PAUL. I sought the details of the place, a sense of the weather, the texture of the old stone, streets, buildings, temples, and landscape.

Much of the research fulfilled my anticipations. But on a whim I began a trip I had not planned: early on the afternoon I began to climb the Acrocorinth, that great rock south of the city, that battlemented stone a half a mile high.

I thought I’d travel partway up, but the farther I went, the farther I wanted to go. So I climbed into the blue day for several hours, climbed round to the west side, climbed through the Byzantine gates, to the highest summit on that rock, to the stack of stones at the summit—to my own desperate fear, as the highest thing on the Peloponese as far as I could see. I thought a storm was coming. When I turned and began to descend, I realized that it was the height, not the weather that troubled me.

In this sampler (which Zondervan has graciously printed to whet appetites for PAUL) you may read the transformation of this, my experience, into the fabric of Paul’s life—yes, and into the development of his theology.

I hope you enjoy these passages. They give you a taste of the entire novel, upon which I spent the fullness of my creative invention, fleshing a remarkable history, the ground, the character, and the Apostolic proclamation of our faith.

Enjoy this bit, then enjoy the novel entire.

Walt Wangerin, Jr.