Dear Paul... am I the only one? (by Bridget Plass)

(Amazon UK link)

Bridget Plass is nowhere near as well known - or as prolific a writer - as her husband Adrian. But I have very much appreciated her books, though they’ve been out of print for a while. I first read ‘Dear Paul, am I the only one?’ in 2017, and while I’d remembered the gist of it, I had forgotten all the details. 

I reread it over the past ten days or so, and thought it very well-written as well as being quite thought-provoking. It’s written in the somewhat unusual format of a series of letters to the apostle Paul, in heaven. There’s a kind of introduction which sets the scene: several people have issues with what Paul wrote, sometimes in relation to problems in their lives. They have permission to write to him, and he has agreed to respond…

Of course it’s fiction, not intended to be taken as a supplement to Paul’s letters as enshrined in the Bible. But as a way of understanding some of what he wrote in cultural context, the style works extremely well. Bridget Plass clearly did a lot of research, and bases quite a bit of the responses on things Paul wrote, as well as taking note of the era and culture in which he was writing.

So, for instance, when someone takes issue on his apparent subjugation of women, Paul gently points out that he was actually elevating women above their current status, in both Jewish and Greek thinking prior to his letters. He insisted they were equal with men under Christ, and that submission should be mutual. 

He also explains that it was important to focus on the heart of the matter: ie women as being as important and significant as men. In issues that really didn’t matter (such as women covering their heads) he suggested they go along with the cultural norms, so as to minimise criticism from outside. But that kind of thing, he assures his correspondent, is not so relevant today. 

The supposed letter writers are quite a mixture of people, from an enthusiastic (but somewhat misguided) young believer through to a woman who has suffered a terrible bereavement. There’s a man who has to consider an ethical dilemma in his workplace (leading to one of the longest responses). And there are questions about slavery, and the infallibility of scripture - it’s quite a mixed selection, with different voices from each writer. 

Right at the end of the book is the most poignant situation of all: a young teenager who was seriously abused as a child and has been in care. She fights every situation she’s been in, as a way of testing other people’s boundaries. Just recently, she made a commitment to Jesus. Unfortunately, the church she has started to attend has no idea how to deal with her, and has given some very bad advice.

The responses to this - to both the young girl and her social worker - are moving, encouraging, and - I thought - could be very helpful to anyone trying to deal with a hurting, angry teen.

Indeed, all the responses are positive, the kind of thing I could imagine Paul writing, albeit cased in modern language. There’s possibly a bit of awkward writing here and there: times when Paul knows perfectly well what modern words mean, and other times when he seems a bit hesitant.  Even that reflects some of his inconsistencies in writing his letters, but then his letters that were added to the Bible canon were written over many years, some of them actually written by others, to Paul’s dictation. 

Overall I enjoyed rereading this and would recommend it to anyone wanting some thought-provoking responses to some of the more controversial issues in the Pauline epistles. There’s a bit of light-heartedness here and there, and some definite caricature in some of the letter-writers. But that made it all the more readable and memorable.

Note: This book is long out of print, though it can sometimes be found used. The link at the top links to the correct description but an incorrect image - so if you order from Amazon Marketplace, please double-check that it's the correct book. 

Review copyright 2026 Sue's Book Reviews