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“Tourists who visit the remains of classical civilizations may easily get the impression that ancient societies were marked by order and beauty. However, in the course of his travels in Galatia, Asia, Macedonia and Achaia, Paul would have addressed people who worshipped rocks, believed trees could be gods, owned sacred animals, accepted ritual castration, and participated in temple prostitution, both heterosexual and homosexual. Moreover, these were societies which sanctioned bloody combats in the arena, exposed their unwanted children to the elements, and bought and sold men, women and children as slaves. The world to which the apostle Paul came preaching the gospel of Christ was a pluralistic world religiously and ethically. It was by no means morally elevated or spiritually enlightened.”
—Paul Barnett, “The Uniqueness of Christ in a Multi-faith Society,” Crux, December 1998 | 
