I first read about “the historical Paul” in graduate school. It was humbling to learn that Paul, in the words of the great biblical scholar, Raymond Brown, “was an itinerant artisan who would have had to struggle to get money for food; a wheeled vehicle would have been beyond his means … we have to picture Paul trudging along the roads, carrying his limited possessions in a sack, at the maximum covering twenty miles a day.” Having recently returned from a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain where I “trudged along” in similar fashion, I feel more kinship with St. Paul!
Yet whatever my minor blisters and lingering soreness, I cannot “boast” of imprisonments, shipwrecks, lashings, beatings, or stonings. I cannot boast of massive religious opposition from my own leaders, or the anxiety that comes from planting a new church. And honestly, a part of me wishes Paul would pipe down, keep a “stiff upper lip,” and stop whining about his travails (or to echo one of my teenage children, “Paul, stop being so salty”!) However, my discomfort risks occluding one of the most important dimensions of Paul’s witness. For although he came out of an honor-shame culture, Paul is remarkably open about sharing his vulnerabilities. He even argues that these weaknesses enable him to receive and reflect Christ’s saving grace – something the “spiritually strong” struggle with throughout Paul’s letters.
As a middle-class American scholar, I admire but do not share Paul’s physical and economic deprivations. But like all human beings, I have limitations, vulnerabilities, gaps, and weaknesses, some of which I would prefer to ignore, downplay, or deny. Like Paul, can I not only admit these, but see Christ’s transformative grace shining through them?
Jay Carney
I am an Associate Professor of Theology who came to Creighton in 2011. My research and teaching engage Church History and World Christianity, especially modern Africa.
I am married with four children. My wife Becky is a remarkable woman, and our children have given both of us much love and laughter. I grew up in the Washington, DC area and have also lived in Wisconsin and North Carolina among other places. Prior to coming to Creighton, I worked in campus ministry at the University of Arkansas. In my spare time, I enjoy running, cycling, playing soccer, and listening to music of all types.
After years as a reader of Magnificat and then Give Us This Day, I am now seeing the other side! These reflections entail a very different style of writing than academic journal articles, and I’ve also gained newfound respect for the homilist’s task! I feel that I am “preaching” to myself as much as anyone else. It’s wonderful to know that so many people are walking together as disciples of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your prayers!
