Great Lion of God [antikvár]

FOREWORD Many years of intensive study have gone into this novel about one of the most passionate, intelligent, urban and dedicated Apostles of early Christianity, Saul of Tarshish, or, as the Romans called him, Paul of Tarsus, the intellectual Pharisee and lawyer and theologian, and, finally, {he Apostle to the Gentiles. Saul has had more influence on the Western world and Christianity than most of us know, for Judeo-Christianity, which he sedulously spread throughout the world, is the bedrock of modem jurisprudence, morals and philosophy in the West, and which, through their spiritual and mental power and industry and justice, have literally over the past tyyojjhousand years truly created a new society, and advanced the cause of freedom. Ag^we all know, it was Moses who cried, "Pro-claim liberty throughout the land, unto the inhabitants thereof!" It was the first time in human history that such a proclamation was uttered, and Saul of Tarshish proclaimed it anew and yehemently. ^Liberty, above all, has been the most profound ideal of Judeo^-Chrisj J tianity, K^rty of mind an^ soul and body, a^ey^.jgoncept am^ng men. It is no wonder, then, that the foes of freedom first attack b- -----—. ' —— '----------------—----/ religon, which liberated mankind. It may cheer many—and depress others—to realize that man never really changes, and the exact problems of Saul's world are the same • that confront us today. Cheer, in that man has an indomitable way of surviving his governments and his tyrants and surmounting them, ^ ^ and depressing that he never learns from his own experiences. As ^ Aristotle said, long before Christ, a people who do not leam from his-tory are doomed to repeat it. It is obvious that we are repeating it today. ^Iqmon said, '"li^ere is_ nothing new under the sun." The Roman empire was declining' in the Tays of Saul of Tarshish as the American Republic is declining today—and fo» the very same reasons: Permissiveness in society, immorality, the Welfare State, endless wars, con-