Corpus-Paul

["Rick S" <rick.strelan AT mailbox.uq.edu.au>]

It is very common to talk about Paul's 'success'. I'm curious as to what criteria are used for such an evaluation of his work. To give one example: TA Robinson [1985, 1988] speaks of Paul's work in Ephesus on the scale of 'fantastic success' yet he himself says that by the end of the first century CE there might have been 500-1000 Christians in the whole of Ephesus [pop what? 200,000+?]. Now, that works out at about 15-30 'conversions' per year [his calculations] and that includes at least 40 years after Paul! If we are talking on that scale, then only one or two households per year need to have become Christian.

 

I'm not interested in statistics because obviously it's impossible for them to be at all accurate. I am simply curious on what basis we can talk about 'success'. I have mentioned Ephesus [which is usually seen as being the epitome of such success] but I'm interested in general.

 

Thanks in advance for any comments.

 

Rick Strelan

Studies in Religion

University of Queensland