I, Paul — The Life of the Great Apostle

사도 바울의 교훈|The One with Doc Ayomide: Exploring Cultural Relevance and Timeless Lessons: | Episode 4 (2025)

“There’s no way Paul could have known. How could he? That 2,000 years later, the letters he wrote in prison, the ones he might have seen as a poor substitute for real ministry, would be read by millions across the world. That’s the long game of history — we rarely know in the moment what will last.” — Doc Ayomide (2025)

“We like to think our sense of right and wrong is purely our own, but so much of it is socialized — we believe things are ‘obviously’ good or bad because we’ve been taught to see them that way. Before assuming we’d take a bold stand in another time, we should ask: what stance are we willing to take today, even if we stand alone? True change never comes from ideas alone, but from communities willing to live them out, even when it costs them everything.” — Mo! (2025)

Introduction: Why Apostle Paul Sparks Debate

This week on the podcast, we’re bringing back our longtime bestie, Doc Ayomide, for a deep dive into a hotly debated topic — Apostle Paul. Lately, there’s been a growing conversation, even a “cancel culture” movement, around Paul’s teachings on sexuality, gender roles, and church authority. Some have labeled him misogynistic and anti-women, questioning whether his words still hold relevance today. Doc Ayomide and I sit down to unpack these claims, exploring the historical and cultural context of Paul’s writings — straight from the Bible, of course. Is Paul really as controversial as he’s made out to be, or have his words been misunderstood? Let’s talk about it.

The Roots of Anti-Paul Sentiment

Ayomide starts by giving us a broader perspective and the historical context of the anti-Paul sentiment, sharing that it dates back to the early church, as seen in Acts and conflicts between Paul and Peter. He argues that this sentiment has experienced a resurgence in the past decade, particularly among intellectual Christians influenced by postmodernism and certain academic trends. These trends emerge in scholarly circles before filtering into mainstream culture over time. However, he suggests…