How Christianity Could Look Different—And Still Be Faithful
What would it look like to follow Jesus without Paul?
It’s not a question most Christians are taught to ask. For many, Paul is the lens through which we understand everything about sin, salvation, grace, faith, and the cross. His voice dominates the New Testament. His theology undergirds most statements of faith. His words are quoted weekly from pulpits around the world.
And yet—Paul never met Jesus in the flesh. His letters came decades before the gospels. And his gospel was, by his own admission, not received from the original disciples, but from a mystical vision.
So what happens when we ask: What if Paul had never picked up a pen? Could we still follow Jesus? And how?
This episode of Almost Heretical dares to imagine just that. And the results are surprisingly hopeful.
Reimagining Christianity Without Paul
If Paul never wrote his letters, the Jesus movement would have looked very different. But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t have existed. There were other voices—earlier voices—offering different visions of what it meant to follow Jesus.
In this episode, Shelby Hanson lays out five paths early Christianity could have taken (and sometimes did) that don’t rely on Pauline theology. Each of them still offers something beautiful and practical for today.
Here’s a look at what they are—and how you might try one (or more) in your own life.
1. A Jewish Jesus Faith
Living the Torah with Love
Before Christianity broke from Judaism, Jesus’ followers were a Jewish sect—keeping Sabbath, observing dietary laws, and attending synagogue. They saw Jesus as a rabbi and prophet who fulfilled the Torah through love, not as a divine being or cosmic savior.
What this looks like today:
- Read Hebrew Scriptures alongside Jesus’ teachings
- Observe Sabbath with candles, rest, and shared meals
- See Jesus as a wisdom teacher pointing toward justice and compassion
Want to go deeper? Try The Jewish Gospels by Daniel Boyarin or explore Hebrew texts through Sefaria.
2. Ebionite-Inspired Simplicity
Radical Obedience to Jesus’ Teachings
The Ebionites rejected Paul entirely. They followed Jesus as a human prophet and lived lives of radical simplicity, compassion, and Torah observance. They were early Christian minimalists—vegetarian, generous, and fiercely committed to ethical living.
What this looks like today:
- Downsize your life and give away excess
- Practice ethical eating and generosity
- Make a daily rule of life based on the Sermon on the Mount
Learn more about this stream in PBS’s From Jesus to Christ series.
3. Gnostic-Style Mysticism
Finding the Kingdom Within
Not all early Christians were focused on external behavior. Some, like the Gnostics, looked inward. They saw Jesus as a revealer of hidden truths, a mystical guide who helped people awaken to divine reality.
What this looks like today:
- Meditate on Jesus’ parables and sayings
- Keep a spiritual journal guided by his questions
- Blend contemplative practices from other wisdom traditions
Check out The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels or explore the Gospel of Thomas.
4. Apocalyptic Hope
Acting for Justice Now
Jesus didn’t preach escapism—he preached urgency. Many early followers saw him as a prophet announcing the arrival of God’s justice, not a savior handing out tickets to heaven. This was a political, embodied faith.
What this looks like today:
- Join movements for justice, climate, or housing
- Forgive radically and act with urgency
- Live like the kingdom is already arriving
To understand this framework, see “Was Jesus an Apocalyptic Prophet?” at Bible Odyssey.
5. Extinction—or Transformation?
There’s one more possibility: without Paul, the Jesus movement might have disappeared entirely. He was the great organizer, the missionary to the Gentiles, the one who gave Christianity a theology that scaled.
And yet… Jesus’ teachings still resonate across centuries. His life still stirs hearts. Maybe he doesn’t need a doctrine-heavy empire to be followed. Maybe he just needs people willing to live like love matters.
What Happens When We De-Center Paul?
This series has never been about discarding Paul—but it is about taking his dominance seriously. When you remove Paul from the center of Christianity, the entire shape of the faith shifts.
- The cross becomes less about substitution and more about resistance.
- Salvation becomes less about belief and more about practice.
- Faith becomes less about doctrine and more about love, justice, and wisdom.
And Jesus? He becomes clearer.
Try It Yourself
In this episode, we also created a downloadable reflection booklet to help you explore these five paths in your real life—with practices, prompts, and questions to guide you.
You don’t have to throw everything out. You don’t have to know exactly what you believe.
You just have to be willing to ask: Who is Jesus without Paul? And what would it mean to follow him?
Recommended Resources
- The Jewish Gospels by Daniel Boyarin
- The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels
- Paul Was Not a Christian by Pamela Eisenbaum
- The First Paul by Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan
- The Authentic Letters of Paul (Westar Institute)
- The Gospel of Thomas (Lambdin Translation)
- Sefaria – Library of Jewish Texts
- Bible Odyssey – Historical Context for Scripture
Want More?
→ Download the Practice Christianity Without Paul reflection booklet here
