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”
Peter/Paul : Mounds/Almond Joy--Already thinking of the Godiva chocolate
I'm giving up for Lent. Tough decision: As as member of the Lions Club, Paul's being cured of blindness appeals to me, but I've had to read too much of his wordy writings as Lector to get my vote.
So since I work in a Water Treatment Plant, Peter gets my vote today for walking on & being forgiven.
This decision may be the most difficult in Lent Madness this year. I love both of these two apostles. But I realized this week as I prepared for this wonderful journey we Episcopalians call Lent Madness that would probably not even be contemplating such a weighty decision on “Ash Thursday” (much less have ever heard of the 40 Days of Lent!) if Paul had not had his dramatic conversion on that road in the Middle East. And how many times have I been “blinded” in my own life, only to have some new insight from God and Jesus that changed me and turned me toward God? And who else would have been a Roman citizen with the ability to move around the ancient world with impunity, taking advantage of the “Roman Peace” and citizenship to change history?? Thank you, Paul, for me being able to be an Episcopalian today in 2018!
Sally I agree with you ... <3
Thank you, Sally, for this wonderful comment. I have already voted for Peter; however, you have made me realize how much gratitude I owe to Paul.
Go Peter!
BTW, the Pharisees were already teaching the people to integrate holiness into their everyday lives. Paul was no pioneer there. The Pharisees in the scriptures represent a particular type of person, and as a symbol it's very effective. But as real people the Pharisees were as diverse as any group; generally speaking, they were out among the people to teach and help them. The great Rabbi Hillel, a Pharisee and an older contemporary of Jesus, taught very much like him, and is remembered as saying that the whole of the Torah can be encapsulated in the phrase: "That which you do not want done to you, do not do to others." The fact that the word "pharisaical" has come to mean "hypocrite" outside of the Jewish community is extremely troubling.
In my early years I was a boatbuilder. Peter and his enthusiasm was a model for me. Quick to jumping something and then finding my faith challenged, sloping beneath the waves, being asked, "Why did you doubt,?"
I voted for Paul. I find his ecumenical spirit enlightened for the times. He often mentions women. Also I am a Lector so I get read aloud Paul's words and I think my preschool teaching helps with that because sometimes I think Paul writes like Dr. Seuss
Please don't join the generalizers. Paul permitted a woman to be the first clergy-person in Europe IPhilippi), and did not object to her supervising worship in her probably-large home. Whatever "I do not allow a woman to speak" means, it seems to be an outlier among his many other words of praise for females in the early church.
I voted Peter...epic fail, yet saved by grace! Looking forward to my first Lent Madness!
Paul. Peter said that even though what Paul is writing, we should make the trouble to study it. Paul said no such thing about Peter.
I agree with Oliver.
We're doing this each day in Lent with our Morning Prayer group, so my vote each day won't actually be my vote, but the result of a vote taken in our group. Today, they picked Paul.
Paul got my vote, because he reminds me that NO ONE is beyond the reach of Christ's love and care. On a day we mourn the loss of students' lives due to unspeakable evil, I think of Saul, hard-hearted evil-doer, cowering on the Road to Damascus, literally being thrown into the Kingdom of God!
The Casey crew, well most of them, says #Peter for the win!
What a way to start! Let the madness begin!
I choose Paul because of the parallel stories where Peter/Paul is in prison and God looses the chains and unlocks the door. Peter runs off, leaving the jailer to be punished, while Paul stays behind and converts the jailer and his family. Based on their different reactions I have to go with Paul even though let's face it he can be quite annoying at times.
Peter actually knew the carpenter's son, as did the other disciples. Enough said.
Over 2,000 votes already, and Paul is ahead by a fraction. I would have loved to see this as the final smack-down instead of the inaugural one. 🙂
Even though Paul often makes me grind my teeth and weep for the church uncontrollably, I gave him my vote. I'm in it for the grace.
How to decide between "Rocky" Peter and "Preachy" Paul. There is so much to argue against both of them. I go with Peter since he reminds us that we don't have to be perfect. Paul writes so much bedrock theology, some of it interpreted to the detriment of the way.
Of course, both are deserving in other ways.
Do you ever wonder if Jesus actually meant that Peter was a rock head?
I, too, thought this was a battle for the final rather than the start. Then again, it's a great way to begin. Peter is my rock!
Peter's failings and"forgiveness" resonates with me, but Paul's ministry was so passionately devoted to sharing the good news with All, that Paul gets my vote. (My church is also, St. Paul's!)
I came into this wanting to vote for Peter, but perhaps my vote was converted by the blinding light from my laptop. I went with Paul because he continues to spread the gospel to the farthest reaches of humanity. No one has done more to get un-churched college roommates to read scripture at weddings than Paul.
Peter. Without him Paul would have had no reason to be Paul.
Or Saul would have had no reason to be Paul? 😀
I love them both, but I voted for Paul who wrote: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39
Happy New Year to everyone and so enjoy Lent Madness and learning about different saints
Good to see your back Oliver❤️Your insight is
Spot on
I voted for Peter, apostle and given another chance
This is my first year playing the game. I read about the contenders. Than I flipped a coin. I thought that would be fair. My wife survived cataract surgery today.
Mazel tov. May she experience speedy healing and recovery.
Wow, what a way to start things off! And at least now, the race is (understandably) closer than any I remember seeing.
I am a life long Episcopalian so Paul is the one I am most knowledgeable about.He was so intent on teaching. But the one thing I remember most was when women were becoming priest for the first time in our church was that I found answers in his pro women writings. So Paul it is. Sorry John.
1 Corinthians 13 led me to vote for Paul
I like gongs and cymbals. The percussion section is the best.
These two could easily have been battling for the Golden Halo in the final if the contest had been set up differently. I frequently do one of the readings at my church on Sunday, and if I have a choice I pick one of Paul's epistles. The man was a heck of a writer, and for that deciding factor, I pick Paul!
Tough choice. I have a slightly different take. I see Pentecost for Peter and Damascus Road for Paul as AHA moments. Things suddenly made sense to them.
Peter's denial, I believe, was a matter of not understanding the type of Messiah Jesus was and is. The type of Messiah the first century Jews were seeking was someone who would come on a white charger leading an army and overthrowing Roman domination. Peter didn't realize the full extent of who Jesus was until after the Resurrection and the infusion of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Conversion, no; dramatic understanding, yes.
And lest we forget, Peter converted Gentiles long before Paul did (See Acts 10).
As for Paul, he was a student of Gamaliel and knew the TaNak very well. He also had powerful witnesses to the transforming power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit prior to going to Damascus. On the road, he met the risen Lord and then began a three year study of the scriptures to see what he had missed and/or misunderstood. Both have their place.
But I go with Peter, only because in spite of his blustering into truth, I sense a humility in him that seems to allude me with Paul.
When I began my Episcopal journey 57 years ago, and for a long time afterwards, I found Paul tedious, turgid, and annoying. Gradually over the years I have become a fan notwithstanding. That’s due as much as anything to my personal experience of reading his words as an occasional lector in church.
Public reading, like other forms of theater, asks one to get inside the heart and mind of the character. In trying to do so I came to understand The inner beauty that which shines forth in so much of what Paul wrote. It’s too bad about his cultural baggage, his easily misunderstood self-praise, his occasionally obsessive harping on a single subject, and yes, our own baggage (who among us can sit through the passage on circumcision we heard a few Sundays ago without squirming?j. And yes, there are those lengthy, tangled sentences (which, to be fair, are easier to compose and understand in a highly inflected language such as Greek). But for me Paul’s humanity, together with the account of his words and deeds in Acts, tips the balance to him.
Erratum: “the inner beauty that shines forth”.
I love journalists. Married one. Didn’t know this.
As a first year EfM student (Education for Ministry) studying the Old Testament... I vote for St. Paul - as he helps me see Christ who came for all people. St. Paul’s life starts in the Old Testament and ‘finishes the race’ in the New Testament. St. Paul also helps me see the whole Bible. Disclosure: my church is St. Paul’s Alexandria 🙂