Phoebe cover art

Phoebe

A Story

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Phoebe

By: Paula Gooder
Narrated by: Joan Walker, Paula Gooder
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About this listen

 Sometime around 56 AD, the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. His letter was arguably his theological masterpiece, and has continued to shape Christian faith ever since. He entrusted this letter to Phoebe, the deacon of the church at Cenchreae; in writing to the church that almost surely met in her home, Paul refers to her both as a deacon and as a helper or patron of many. But who was this remarkable woman?

In this, her first work of fiction, Biblical scholar and popular author and speaker Paula Gooder tells Phoebe's story - who she was, the life she lived and her first-century faith - and in doing so opens up Paul's theology, giving a sense of the cultural and historical pressures that shaped Paul's thinking, and the faith of the early church.

Written in the gripping style of Gerd Theissen's The Shadow of the Galilean, and similarly rigorously researched, this is a book for everyone and anyone who wants to engage more deeply and imaginatively with Paul's theology - from one of the UK's foremost New Testament scholars.

(P) Hodder & Stoughton Ltd©2019 Paula Gooder Ancient Christianity Historical Rome Greek Mythology Mythology Ancient Greece

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Critic reviews

An engrossing story... Gooder's profound scholarship is lightly and effectively incorporated... Electrifying... a very effective and thought-provoking dramatization... Highly recommended
This book is a really vivid and sympathetic picture of the world of the first Christians, opened up through the personality of Paul's colleague and friend, Phoebe. Very few people are as expert as Paula Gooder in communicating biblical scholarship clearly and creatively, and this first venture into historical story-telling will bring the biblical text freshly alive for a wide and enthusiastic readership.
Enter Dr Paula Gooder, with her fine scholarship, brilliant research and articulate imagination... If I had one word to describe Phoebe, it would be 'charm'.
Gooder's application of Christian theology to her story of Phoebe is masterful
Phoebe does not disappoint: it is a very enjoyable and interesting story.
'An engrossing story... Gooder's profound scholarship is lightly and effectively incorporated... Electrifying... a very effective and thought-provoking dramatization... Highly recommended'.
This is a clever book which delights on two levels . . . if the story is good, the commentary is better, and one suspects this is Gooder's prime purpose . . . I strongly recommend this book, which will both entertain and inform.
scholarship ... underpins every element of the story.
'In Phoebe, the New Testament scholar Paula Gooder sets out to imagine the biography that history alone cannot reconstruct. She makes use of her considerable expertise to endow Phoebe with a dramatic but believable past, and populates the nascent church in Rome with characters who are credible... A vivid and accessible introduction to the context in which Paul and Phoebe operated... For anyone who wants to understand more about the small and distinctive world of early Christianity, Phoebe is to be recommended.'
All stars
Most relevant
The audible edition is in 2 parts, the second is the author with her academic hat on explaining the historical background, interesting stuff. The main story has lots of characters to keep track of. The end is a bit of a cliff hanger.

History & theology wrapped in an interesting story

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Good story (Part 1)
which sets the issues in Paul's letter in their cultural context. Scholarly basis evident from the very interesting notes in Part 2.

Wonderful book, beautifully read

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This was my first experience of exploring this style of Paula Gooder’s writings. The story was engaging and easy to listen to. The characters were developed wonderfully through the story, making visualising how life may have been for the members of the early church within Roman society.
The book was easy to listen to, having some knowledge of the early church, I’m sure helped but definitely not a pre-requisite.
The notes at the end if the story were really helpful and fascinating to read how the author had developed the storyline and the characters. I’m sure I will return to the notes in the future to tap into the author’s wealth of knowledge.

An informative, interesting & entertaining listen

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I really loved this story and the notes at the end were amazing. I'll have to pick up a hard copy now.

Absolutely brilliant

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This story has helped me to have an insight in it would have been to live as a disciple in Paul's time.

Great Read

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