What did it mean to be a "follower of the Christ" in the Roman Empire in the first century? This course undertakes a close reading of the letters of Paul the Apostle (as our primary evidence), drawing upon critical methods of analysis in modern New Testament and historical interpretation. Paul is often described as the true "founder" of the religion of Christianity, and we will explore the way in which his writings came to influence the later Church. We also survey the cultural context of his communities and the ways in which this culture may have contributed to Paul's thinking, specifically in relation to "salvation," women, and the role of the early Christians as citizens of the Empire.