Sources: Romans, 1–2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon (undisputed); Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians (disputed); 1–2 Timothy, Titus (pseudepigraphical in most scholarly consensus).

The Pauline mission (~48–65 AD) plants Christianity throughout the eastern Mediterranean and produces the earliest Christian theological literature — Paul’s letters predate the Gospels by 15–40 years. The theological revolution Paul effects: (1) Justification by faith (dikaiosyne ek pisteos) — not law-observance but trust in Christ’s faithfulness is the basis of right standing before God (Romans 3–4, Galatians 2–3); (2) Incorporation theology — believers are “in Christ,” participating in his death and resurrection through baptism (Romans 6, Galatians 3:27–28); (3) The law’s function — the Torah was a “guardian” (paidagogos) until Christ; now its ceremonial requirements are not binding on Gentiles; (4) Cosmic scope — all creation is being redeemed (Romans 8); (5) The body of Christ — the church as a unified body with diverse gifts (1 Cor 12). The “New Perspective on Paul” (Sanders, Wright, Dunn, ~1977+) argues that Luther’s reading of Paul against “works-righteousness” misreads first-century Judaism and Paul’s actual opponents, replacing it with a reading focused on Jewish ethnic boundary markers (circumcision, food laws, Sabbath) — a scholarly debate with enormous ecumenical implications.