I'm leaving, but where to?

In seven sections of the exhibition, we therefore focus on the Apostle Paul (*born before 10 AD in Tarsus, Cilicia; †after 60 AD, presumably in Rome). He is one of the most important early Christian missionaries, even though he never met Jesus during his lifetime. We explain who Paul was, what he believed, and how his influence continues to this day.

Paul and the early followers of Jesus Christ did not see themselves as representatives of a new religion. They regarded themselves as part of a new movement within Judaism. The term ‘Christians’ was already in use at that time in Antioch (now Antakya, Turkey). It can be translated as ‘followers of the Christ (the Anointed One)’.

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The life of Jesus is recorded in four accounts: the Gospels. All the Gospels mention a special circle of people who accompanied Jesus. This circle consists of twelve men, the Apostles. Jesus chose them from among a larger group of disciples. Paul was not one of them.

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The main source of information about Paul’s life is the Acts of the Apostles. According to this account, Paul came from Tarsus, a trading and port city in what is now Turkey. With a population of 300,000, it was roughly the same size as present-day Münster. Tarsus was the capital of a Roman province. Cultural influences came from Greece and the Near East. The author Strabo (c. 63 BC – after 23 AD) highlights the high level of education and the role of philosophy and rhetoric in the city.

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Paul is travelling with a retinue from Jerusalem to Damascus. Following the death of Stephen, he intends to persecute the followers of Christ there. Suddenly, he is blinded by a dazzling light. He falls to the ground and hears a voice that engages him in a dialogue: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ – ‘Who are you, Lord?’ – “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 9:4–5). Thereupon, the blinded Paul is led to Damascus. He meets a man named Ananias. Ananias also has a vision and is sent to Paul by the voice of Jesus. Ananias lays his hands on Paul, whereupon Paul regains his sight.

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Paul’s calling marks the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

Together with Barnabas, he is sent out by the church in Antioch. From there, he sets out on three major missionary journeys.

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Paul played a decisive role in the spread of the Christian movement. During his missionary work, he proclaimed an idea that was groundbreaking at the time: faith in Christ is open to all people. No one should be excluded on the basis of their background, language or religious tradition.

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Paul returns to Jerusalem on his third missionary journey. There he becomes embroiled in a serious conflict and is arrested. He is accused of unlawfully bringing a non-Jew into the Temple. As a Roman citizen, Paul asserts his right to have the case brought before the Emperor.

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Paul is not a lone preacher. He is part of a network and, at the same time, its driving force. Some people accompany him on his journeys, whilst others support him locally. His message spreads over great distances. It reaches towns and communities across a wide variety of cultures..

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How do we know all this about Paul? His original letters have been lost. But we have early copies, which are the oldest textual sources of the New Testament. They tell of journeys and theological debates. But which texts are missing? Who copied them, selected them and recognised them as part of the biblical text? And how do texts survive for centuries across different languages and cultures?

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Münster Cathedral has an unusual patron saint. It is the only cathedral in Germany to be placed under the sole patronage of the Apostle Paul. The first recorded reference to this patronage dates back to the year 889. For that time, this choice was unusual. Only two bishoprics in the Christian world of that era had previously chosen Paul as their patron saint.

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