Lent Madness 2018 has officially begun! After months of soul-aching anticipation, “Ash 
Thursday” has arrived. Over the next (more or less) 40 days and 40 nights, you will have the opportunity to re-immortalize one of our 32 competing saints with the coveted Golden Halo.
Today we see two heavyweights facing off in the Apostolic Rumble. Will we rob Peter to pay Paul or will Paul get robbed to pay Peter? That, dear friends, is up to you and your single (we mean that and we have spies everywhere) vote.
If you’re new to Lent Madness, welcome! If you have any questions about how to participate, just let us know by leaving a comment. The Lent Madness community is both friendly and helpful, often answering questions before the Supreme Executive Committee arrives in their grand purple, if imaginary, chariot. You can view and/or print out the full bracket of saints by clicking here.
We urge you to take full part in the Madness. Leave comments here on the website. Read what others have to say. Enjoy the friendly rivalry and trash talk on social media. Do additional research. During the day, check in on the website often to see how each day’s contest is going. And above all, delight in seeing how each saint was a powerful witness of Jesus Christ.
Be sure to sign up for e-mail updates on our home page (upper right corner) so you never miss a vote, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and encourage your friends to jump into the fray.
We can assure you this will be a wild, joyful, educational, ocassionally gut-wrenching ride. We’re delighted to share this journey with you. Let the Madness begin!
Peter
The disciple who makes us all feel better about our failures, Saint Peter was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. Peter is traditionally considered the first bishop of Rome—or pope—having been ordained by Jesus who dubs him the “rock of the church.” Originally, Peter was named Simeon, often simplified to Simon in modern English. Peter was married and originally worked as a fisherman with his brother, Andrew. In fact, Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus and gave him the name Cephas (Peter), which means rock.
Peter was a leader among the disciples and witnessed events seen by only a few apostles, such as the Transfiguration and the raising of Jairus’s daughter. According to the gospels, Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah, then denied knowing Jesus three times under threat of arrest, and then felt shame and remorse over his betrayal. After Easter, Jesus forgave him his failure and implored Peter to “feed my sheep.”
At the start of the Acts of the Apostles, Peter emerges as an effective leader of the early church. He preached with authority at Pentecost, began to work miracles, and participated in the council at Jerusalem. Historical witnesses confirm his later presence in Rome, although they do not verify the legendary story of his martyrdom. According to this tradition, under Emperor Nero, Peter was crucified upside down. He requested this unusual method of execution out of humility, not wanting to be killed in the same manner as Jesus. Hence, in Christian symbology, Peter is often represented by an upside-down cross, along with the keys to God’s kingdom. The Vatican claims Peter’s remains are housed beneath Saint Peter’s Basilica.
St. Peter’s feast day is June 29, and he is the patron of fishermen, net makers, and shipbuilders.
Collect for Peter
Almighty Father, who inspired Simon Peter, first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as Messiah and Son of the living God: Keep your Church steadfast upon the rock of this faith, so that in unity and peace we may proclaim the one truth and follow the one Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Paul
Behind Jesus Christ himself, perhaps no person has shaped the face of Christianity more than Paul of Tarsus—the pharisaic persecutor of the church turned apostle and the primary writer for a majority of the New Testament.
Paul, as an ardent and educated Pharisee, was dedicated to what (at Jesus’ time) was a somewhat new belief—that the law given in Torah could be applied to everyday activities to sanctify the course of ordinary life. As such, Paul’s early interactions with followers of Jesus were as a persecutor, seeking to restore the norms of pharisaic dogma to the followers of the sect known as “The Way.” But Paul underwent a dramatic conversion experience along the Damascus road. He saw Jesus, who addressed him by his Hebrew name, asking “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Blinded by this vision, Paul’s sight was restored by Ananias, and a transformative ministry began.
Paul’s message in his epistles speaks to the transformative power of God’s grace, revealed in Jesus, crucified and risen from the dead. Having experienced grace in his conversion, Paul argues that the grace of God is extended to all—Jew and Gentile alike. As he writes in the Epistle to the Galatians, social distinction must break down when all become part of the body of Christ: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” As the Apostle to the Gentiles, he was at times in direct and fierce conflict with Peter; Paul argued with Peter for the inclusion of Gentiles in the table fellowship of the earliest church. Using the privileges Roman citizenship afforded him, Paul traveled widely to preach the gospel: His journeys took him across the Middle East, Asia Minor, and eventually to captivity in Rome. Paul died in Rome, still longing to travel to more communities with the good news of Jesus Christ.
Collect for Paul
O God, by the preaching of your apostle Paul you have caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world: Grant, we pray, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show ourselves thankful to you by following his holy teaching; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
UPDATE: At 7:58 p.m. Eastern time, the SEC removed 254 votes from Paul. We found that someone in Little Rock, AR had voted for Paul repeatedly. This is a reminder that you should vote -- and tell your friends to vote -- but once only.
[poll id="205"]
496 comments on “Peter vs. Paul”
My first impulse was to vote for Peter, because his behavior makes me feel better about myself as an imperfect follower of Jesus. Then I remembered that Paul (among all his many writings) wrote one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture, 1 Corinthians 13. Both men were filled with the Holy Spirit, at least some of the time. I'm still pondering.
I think of Peter as the Marx Brother of the Bible. He’s a great teaching tool for Adolescents, as He is loved despite every “Duh” moment. It’s Peter, Dude!
What a start to this years competition. I'm going for Peter because he was so enthusiastic. OK, sometimes he had to have his excitement re-directed by God but then he would be off again, like a ball in a pinball machine.
I love the pinball analogy. 🙂
I ave to vote for Paul, because he shaped the church and spread the Gospel beyond Jerusalem and the surrounding area on his mission trips. And, my church is St. Paul's....
That moment when Ananias came to Paul (after an initial "whaaaaa??" with God), lay his hands on Paul, and called him "brother." The scales fell from Paul's eyes. Paul could truly see.
While Caravaggio's hear-Jesus-and-fall-off-your-horse Damascus road moment certainly would have conversion power, I like to think Paul's full conversion was when he experienced that transformative power of Christ's Love through Ananias. Ananias = Golden Halo potential 😉
Always partial to Peter!
Although the text didn't mention the Quo Vadis episode, I voted for Peter because of that.
I named my son Peter, so gotta go with that one.
I am ecstatic that Lent Madness is back! It brings joy & light to these dreary winter days, teaches me stuff, & provides a good chuckle! Anyway, I voted for Peter. He has always seemed so HUMAN,to me , in his warmheartedness, impulseivness, loving nature, & weaknesses. Love him! Paul has always come across as rigid, colder & strict. (No disrespect to Paul.) Well, looks like my guy is a bit ahead; go Peter, go! Walk on that water!!
Went with Paul, the inclusionist. Will forgive his other 'comments' in light of when he lived - his basic message is what we need.
Thank you for getting us off to a powerful start with Peter and Paul. As a medieval art historian, I so enjoy and benefit from your Lent Madness posts each year. May I make one gentle and rather specialized correction? We in the field refer to the representation of saints and their symbols as "iconography," and its study is "iconology." Only in Dan Brown's world is there a field known as "symbology," and as you might imagine, we spend a lot of time clearing this up with students. Thank you again for the thoughtful posts, and if we at the Index of Medieval Art can ever help you with iconographic research, just say the word.
Peter, because of all the reasons stated so beautifully above.....and the fact that my bracket is ruined if Paul wins 😉
I found myself looking around for a coin to toss. This was a tough choice to make. I finally voted for Peter because I'm reading James Carroll's book Christ Actually, in which Carroll describes how the writer of Mark's Gospel uses Peter as the example of the extreme kind of sinner that Jesus not only forgives, but never stops loving.
Paul tends to be under-appreciated and even denounced for his radical views. Pretty ironic, eh? I vote for Paul because his work to spread the message of “the way” of Jesus. He inspires me because of his total embracement of the Holy Spirit.
Thank you for the fierce opening! It shows up front that Lent Madness 2018 is not for the feinthearted! I’m so delighted that you are doing this again and that I’m offering it at my parish for the 2nd year!
Go “Peter!” (We Pete’s stick together!)
Man, Paul gets my votes for several reasons: 1) his work convincing the Jerusalem patriarchy (ahem, Peter) to include the gentiles fully, and his writings to assure the gentiles that they were always God's beloved children and not an after thought. 2) Telling Philemon to invert the slave/master hierarchy by welcoming Onesimus as a brother. 3) and regularly recognizing women as deaconesses, apostles, and fellow workers with Christ in his greetings.
He waffled a lot about how this new inclusiveness should work. It SHOULD subvert the social order. Wait, no, it should NOT subvert the social order. That's confusing, and some of his words have been used very damagingly. And yet, I see in the arc of work, a person who knew in his heart that we are all one in Christ Jesus but also one who had his own prejudices and social norms to over come. If he isn't a role model for our times, I don't know who is!
Rachel I agree with you.
Amen, and amen. An excellent summing-up of Paul's writings. I think those criticizing actually criticize a (relatively) modern interpretation; Paul was in fact shockingly 'liberal' to his first-century listeners. Witness Peter's 'backsliding' into Gentile avoidance and Paul's rebuke. I think I shall support Paul because he's been so misunderstood! Not thatI disagree with all said about Peter, too.
Rachel, I could not agree more! As to Paul's "coldness", remember that he wrote passionately about Christian life and love (see 1 Corinthians). As a clergy woman, I have to vote for Paul, who spoke out for all the rejected ones and fully accepted his women co-workers.
I am Team Paul mainly because he was the transformed and the main writer of God's words. Without him, we would have to wait for the New Testament to show up on Netflix. I prefer the Bible!
New participant here! This looks like it's going to be fun AND a wonderful Lenten discipline. Already just leafing through the booklet I've learned about several saints I'd never heard of. Looking forward to participating and watching how this all unfolds!
Welcome! Each year you will always find saints you NEVER heard of!! That's the wonderful mind expanding process of Lent Madness. Keep on voting.
Peter, for the reminder of the power of God's forgiveness.
My initial bracket choice was Peter, then I read about Paul and almost changed my mind. The clincher was that Peter is the patron saint net makers and my grandfather made nets by hand. Peter it is
Neck and Neck. What a great start to the Madness!
I could have sworn I was going to vote for Peter, because believe you me, I make mistakes All The Time. And because he was brave enough to get out of the boat, and to speak his mind, even when he was way off base. But this morning, when it came time to vote, Paul was speaking to me boldly. And that is what decided it for me: He was peripatetic in his ministry, was bold, proclaimed a bold Gospel, and has been a model for my own ministry.
Peter is the best example of God’s love and forgiveness!
Dear friends in Christ and fellow pilgrims once more to Canterbury: Paul has my heart. While I identify with Peter's warm heart and impulsiveness, I cannot imagine the church without Paul. I admire his rhetoric and passion. I appreciate his effort to think through the unthinkable. On Ash Wednesday this year we had yet another school shooting. "We" have become a nation that now regularly and implacably sacrifices its own children on the bloody altar of gun violence. Americans practice the slaughter of innocents daily. So for Lent Madness 2018 I am going to assess each saint in terms of how he or she would have responded to the ideology that personal ownership of a concealed arsenal equals "freedom." I think Paul would have shredded that rotten logic as a heretical doctrine well before the councils got to it. So Paul has my vote. I had thought I had a spavined nag for the ride to Canterbury this year, what with the dismal political situation, but I see I have a spirited charger. I look forward to this year's ride with you all. May all our hearts and minds be transformed, together, to help to usher in God's kingdom on earth.
St. Celia I agree with you ... <3
How nice to hear your voice.
Hi Davis! So glad to see you again. Have a blessed Lent!
Ah, St. Celia and Davis, you're back! And Laure, glad to meet you!
Hi Susan. I recognized your pre-Raphaelite avi immediately! Welcome back! Hugs!
I can never remember from one year to the next what nom de plume I used before!
Hi Celia and Susan, so good to see you posting on this first day of Lent Madness! Hi Davis and Laure!
Good morning, Harlie Young Curmudgeon! Happy Lent!
Hello Harlie! Here we go!
Amen, sister!
Hello Lucy Porter!
Oh, St. Celia! I like the way you think!.
So happy to “see” you & read your warmly edifying posts!
Both flawed characters, I can identify with aspects of both of them. Paul left an enduring legacy, but he must have been insufferable to be around. For me, Peter's humility and dependence on God win the day.
Peter, the early adopter, who lived with uncertainty, original disciple, his home the base of operations for Jesus Galillean ministry . . . Vs Paul, the later adopter and master organizer who single-handedly established The Christian religion throughout the Mediterranean basin, writing an operations manual at the same time (the Epistles)! Close, but I'll go with Paul . . . Because like us, he never met Jesus during Jesus lifetime.
Great matchup! and the 50/50 standing showing after my vote shows how great a match-up it is. Paul is a sine wave for me - some of his words are breathtakingly beautiful, but others leave me cold. Still learning, though! I voted for Peter.
I guess I am prejudiced. Paul's instant conversion bothers me because for my husband, brought up in a strict Zen Buddhist faith, took time, thought and study, when confronted with the Bible. No Paul, he. As a matter of fact, as an early convert he was referred to as Thomas, who had to be convinced. He became a well-known Lutheran theologian, both in Japan and globally. So it is Peter for me for many of the reasons others have mentioned.
Lovely story...
Although I have had my difficulties with Saul of Tarsus regarding his misogyny, I had to vote for him as he allowed God to lead him throughout the ancient world to bring the Light (Jesus) to all peoples. I believe that Saint Paul was judged unfairly - I believe his message was more inclusive. A Saint who brought Christ to so many couldn't have been that "petty". Love St. Peter...but had to vote for St. Paul.
I'm with you. Without Paul, I wouldn't have been welcomed into Christianity.
Hi new to the group. I am excited to learn about these great saints. I voted for Peter because I can totally relate to him. I have been walking in Peter’s foot steps; then I think of the blindness of Paul I can totally relate. I will gain more faith from both. God Bless