Irving Brittle Jr.

IRVING BRITTLE JR. www.irvingbrittlejrbooks.com

IRVING BRITTLE JR.

THE AUTHOR 2

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IRVING BRITTLE JR. Irving L. Brittle Jr. earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Chemistry from the Virginia Military Institute and an MBA from Averett University in Danville, VA. He is currently a member of Clermont First Baptist Church in Clermont Florida and is enrolled in a two- year Biblical Counseling Program. Also, he takes advantage of historical and early Christian writings always looking for more “tidbits of information” concerning St. Paul the Apostle.

He and his wife, Sue, have a daughter and grandson in Clermont, Florida. The couple currently live in Richmond, Virginia and Clermont Florida.

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IRVING BRITTLE JR.

THE BOOK 4

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IT’S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE It’s Not Rocket Science: The Theology of St. Paul the Apostle offers an understandable and usable introduction to the theology of Paul of Tarsus. By digesting and condensing the impressions and interpretations of more than one hundred other writers, Irving L. Brittle Jr. presents an approachable work that guides the reader through the main topics of St. Paul’s theology centered on Jesus Christ and the wisdom of living Christians who follow the Lord.

This interpretation of the theology of St. Paul provides a concise introduction and interpretation of the apostle’s theology of Jesus Christ and the nature of Christian life.

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IRVING BRITTLE JR.

THE BOOK 6

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ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE The apostle Paul was the first great missionary, pastor, and theologian of the early Christian church, and today we recognize that St. Paul’s contributions to Christianity make him the most important biblical figure in the New Testament next to only Jesus Christ and God. Yet how much do we truly know about this resilient, strong-willed man of faith? How did this man, once a devout Jew and zealous Pharisee, come to never lose sight of his mission to spread the new theology that would later be known as Christianity? In St. Paul the Apostle, author Irving Brittle Jr. uses resources from more than one hundred academics, theologians, and researchers to sow a basic, concise biographical and historical portrait of St. Paul the apostle.

He touches on Paul’s life within the Roman Empire and his time as a “zealot Pharisee” before the transformational encounter on the road to Damascus, where Paul first had his life-changing vision and dialogue with Jesus Christ. St. Paul the Apostle also covers Paul’s three missions through Asia Minor, Eastern Europe, and Rome, and it introduces the cast of companions who accompanied Paul while he spread the Gospel of Christ. Even though we may not know the exact time of his martyrdom at the hands of Nero, Paul can rest assured his Gospel of Jesus Christ and his thirteen epistles are still the cornerstone of mainstream Christianity today.

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IRVING BRITTLE JR.

BOOK REVIEW

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The US Review of Books

book review by Barbara Bamberger Scott “Paul was purpose driven and had an ironclad, fearless, never wavering belief system.”

After diligent study, author Brittle offers a thorough examination of the New Testament’s Paul—the apostle who devoted much of his life to promulgating a spiritual path that would come to be called Christianity. The young Paul, originally named Saul after Israel’s first king, grew up in Tarsus, a thriving industrial and academic center in Anatolia (Turkey). His Jewish parents were Roman citizens, an advantage for Paul in later life, allowing him certain legal protections. His early family life and schooling, as described here, would have been typical for devout Jews of his time. He was zealous in his calling to uphold Jewish law, weeding out and, when necessary, destroying heretical followers of Jesus. Brittle has painstakingly assembled the historical references that follow Paul through his youth, his conversion to Jesus the Messiah, and his establishment and encouragement of newly formed Christ-centered enclaves throughout the Middle East and Europe.

Brittle’s engaging chronology reveals Paul’s evolution: from his dramatic conversion to a broader realization of who Jesus was to his incremental codification of a religion based on Jesus’ example. A man who once had scrupulously defended legalistic Judaism, Paul, as depicted here, was challenged by circumstance to ponder the necessity for such laws as circumcision and animal sacrifice. He was looked to, along with his companions, as an authority for this “completely new theology.” Through Brittle’s research, a dynamic portrait emerges: a man who cared for all, made no distinction between Gentiles and Jews, walked thousands of miles, and was often in danger or prison while accomplishing the mission he was called to. With study questions at the end of the chapters and a lengthy bibliography, Brittle’s work will likely attract those interested in Paul and the early development of the Christian faith.

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IRVING BRITTLE JR.

BOOK REVIEW Blue Ink Review Author Irving Brittle Jr. has dedicated many years to his study of the life and writings of St. Paul. In his well-researched and annotated volume, St. Paul the Apostle: the Right Man at the Right Time, he offers readers a thorough biographical investigation and logical compilation of biblical and historical information on this fascinating man.

Relying heavily on the biblical record and the research of dozens of theologians and historians, including Charles Stanley and James Tabor, Brittle traces the life and time of St. Paul, beginning with an overview of the Roman Empire and his life as a zealous Pharisee, as well as his conversion to Christianity. It then follows his travels throughout Asia minor to spread the teachings of Christ and “The Way.” Brittle also provides outstanding summaries of St. Paul’s letters (epistles) to the newly formed churches and certain individuals. Paul’s letter to the Romans is given extra attention as it is considered his definitive treatise on Christian theology and most convincing apologetic for his faith. Brittle concludes by addressing the probable (but not proven) circumstances surrounding St. Paul’s death.

The book is well written and a pleasure to read. The author includes study questions at the end of each chapter, encouraging readers to reinforce information that might have piqued their interest.

Arguably, one might dispute Brittle’s rather frequent use of Wikipedia as a reliable resource. But if that can be put aside, readers who are students of the Bible, curious about the most prolific writer of the New Testament, or interested in the formation of and activities of the Christian church of the first century A.D. would find this book fascinating and a worthy addition to their libraries.

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Elizabeth Peebles Amazon

I was looking for a book about St. Paul that touched on all aspects of his life, more a biography than just about his theology, although that is referenced as well. As a student of history, I was more interested in the historical viewpoint of the times in which he lived, where he came from, his education, and what made him the person that would lead God to choose him to spread the view of Christianity. His intelligence, stamina, and ability to travel anywhere in the Roman Empire made him the perfect person for his missions.

St. Paul, the Right Man at the Right Time, is an excellent book to start one’s education of this historical and Biblical figure. It just may entice one to further their knowledge of the Apostle St. Paul. It has me.

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IRVING BRITTLE JR. www.irvingbrittlejrbooks.com

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