Christianity today has over 2.1 billion adherents worldwide and is well established as a system of universal and monotheistic religious beliefs that it developed from the time of the life, death and resurrection (around 32 AD) of Jesus Christ. However, because Jesus was Jewish, the beginnings of Christianity revolved around the fact that Jesus adapted the strict rules of Judaism to focus on love for human relationships. This meant that Jesus' followers for the first 100 years after his death were simply a very small sect of Judaism and Jesus' message was limited to Jewish followers only. One man, however, Paul of Tarsus, is today considered the forefather of Christianity and the "13th apostle". He developed the doctrine that would transform Christianity from a small sect of Judaism into a worldwide faith open to all. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Through the analysis of Paul's life, his travels and sources such as his Letters in the Bible, one can see the significant impact this figure had in the development of Christianity – such as questioning the status of the Jews as “God's chosen ones”, develop Christian communities throughout the Roman Empire and lay the foundations in theology. Paul was born in Tarsus, in modern-day Türkiye, like Saul and worked as a tent maker. Significantly, he had the privilege of being a Roman citizen and a Jewish Pharisee, which in the context of the time influenced Paul to be a persecutor of the “followers of Jesus,” or followers of the “Way,” who were on the rise. As he writes in Philpians 3:4-6, “…following the law of the Pharisees, in my zeal the persecutor of the church.” The persecution of a follower of Jesus, Stephen, occurred before Paul's eyes in Jerusalem and as he watched the man being stoned to death he decided to extend his persecution to other cities, mainly Damascus. Paul left around 34 AD, but on the road to Damascus he had a vision that would symbolize the turning point in the development of Christianity as it is known today. As Paul wrote in Acts 22:6, “I fell to the ground and heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me…I am Jesus of Nazareth.” Paul was blinded and taken to Damascus, where he was assured that his vision of Jesus symbolized his calling to spread the Gospel. His sight was restored by a disciple named Ananias and he was baptized as a follower of Jesus. This conversion, or metanoia, experienced by Paul allowed him to believe that in his epiphany he had been entrusted with the divine mission to go and preach the word of God and the salvation brought by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul's practice was to enter a city, look for work there, gradually get to know the people, and then begin to talk about both the experiences he had in knowing Christ and the teachings of Jesus. The extent of the change that Paul implemented in the small “sect of Jesus” was broad: it argued that salvation was for all and challenged the Jewish notion of being “the elect of God.” This saw a dramatic change from Rabbinic Judaism as it began to convert Gentiles into followers of Jesus. Paul founded many Christian communities throughout the Roman Empire, such as in Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, and Philippi. Paul was a highly motivated and enthusiastic man which allowed him to travel extensively and preach persuasively, converting Jews and Gentiles; he was also able to do so due to his affirmation as a Jew and a Roman citizen. These characteristics gave Paul great influence in spreading his views both in Roman cities and in Jewish synagogues. Paul was also against those who earned moneythrough religious beliefs and practices, as demonstrated most clearly in his opposition to the exorcism of a Filipino slave. Paul undertook three long journeys in his life: in 44,48 and 55AD. who spread Christianity geographically throughout the vast Roman Empire: modern countries such as Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, cities known as Antioch, Philippi, Corinth, Thessaloniki, Rome, and as recorded in Acts 15:41, “Syria and Cilicia, strengthen he asked her." Unlike other small sects that faded away, the followers of Jesus strengthened and flourished in numerous places under the influence of Paul, unlike the small community in Jerusalem under the foundation of Peter which did not believe in the conversion of Gentiles. In opposition to the beliefs of Peter and others, Paul was an advocate of including Gentiles in the Church rather than expecting them to convert to Judaism first. This conflict of beliefs between Peter and Paul led to a confrontation, as Paul wrote in Galatians 2:11-14: “I opposed him to his face, because he was condemned…he ate with the Gentiles; but when they arrived he withdrew and separated, fearing the party of circumcision.” Remembering the behavior and actions of Jesus, Paul's determination led him to cause trouble on his missionary journeys. After his third journey Paul was accused of teaching against Jewish law in Rome and was physically attacked and imprisoned by the Romans, and it is generally believed that he was martyred around 65 AD. Throughout his life Paul wrote many letters to churches and people whom he had converted during his travels. There are 13 letters written by Paul that laid the foundation for much of Christian faith and practice that are still referenced today and used as guidelines for modern Christian adherents. One of the most important themes in Paul's writings is “agape,” or selfless love, such as that described in his first letter to the Corinthians, 13, “Love is patient and kind… Love is everlasting,” etc. Paul emphasizes that without this vision of life and love, humanity is devoid of essence and goodness. Paul's other letters also ask for God's support in overcoming the difficulties of the new sect, as well as expanding on Jesus' teaching in a variety of different contexts. His writings aimed to support, help, encourage and inspire the early followers of Jesus to thrive in Christian communities and spread the message of peace and love. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Through his behavior and writings, Paul exemplified how a Christian should live his or her life, providing inspiration to new followers that it is possible to undergo an experience of "metanoia" and repent of previous actions. The clear fact that Paul not only changed his beliefs but also his behavior is the essence of religious adherence and has retained its importance in the lives of contemporary Christians. Paul's teachings had a significant impact on the development of Christianity and continue to have an extraordinarily large impact today. The change brought about by his teachings and the effect they have had on the course of Christianity is immense. Works Cited Bockmuehl, M.N.A. (1997). The remembered Peter and the dead Paul. Scottish Journal of Theology, 50(1), 51-64.Dunn, J.D.G. (2015). The apostle Paul and the Pauline tradition. In The New Testament Canon: Its Origin, Development, and Meaning (pp. 180-202). William B. Eerdmans Publishing.Eisenbaum, P. (2009). Paul and the politics of interpretation. Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 77(3), 531-565.Fredriksen, P. (2015). Paul, Augustine and the persistence of Agape. Journal of Biblical Literature, 134(2), 333-352..