Gospel as Letter

Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians enacts a historical paradigm shift by unfolding in written form that which was previously only performed orally in early Christianity. This media revolution in Christianity begins about 50 CE and will lead successively to the collection of twenty-seven writings in the New Testament. Beginning and ending characteristics of the epistle show that it is a semi-official letter from the church founders to the confessional church in Thessalonica. Since Paul stip