January 2, 2026
Feast of Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen
My sisters and brothers in the Lord,
Many thanks to all of you who have followed this past year’s presentations of Be My Witnesses. This coming July or August we will be starting a new year-long program on Marriage and Family. In the meantime, it is my joy to share with you during this first part of 2026 some of my thoughts about Saint Paul and his engagement with the Church in the city of Corinth in southern Greece.
Talk 1: Where is Corinth?
Let’s start with a bit of information about that ancient city. We know more about the Church at Corinth than any other of the early Churches. This is due to Paul’s two letters directed to that community as well as to chapter 18 of the Acts of the Apostles.
The various issues which Paul faced in evangelizing and then shepherding this community are really not much different from those we face today. It is well worth our efforts to examine more closely this sister Church to determine how we might better be the Church Jesus calls us to be.
The area of Corinth is on the south end of the isthmus which connects the Peloponnese in the South to the rest of Greece to the North. This isthmus is at most about 3 and 1/2 miles wide. Today there is a canal which cuts across it to facilitate shipping between Asia and Italy. In Paul’s day, small boats used to be hauled over land probably using rollers of some sort; large ships would have their cargo carried across to another ship. The reason why this method was advantageous is because the southern end of the Peloponnese was perhaps the most dangerous shipping route in the Mediterranean Sea.
Because of this strategic position, Corinth acted as a channel for goods traversing between north and south as well as between east and west. Athens and Sparta used this avenue to trade with each other, for example. This made Corinth a major commercial center and a good manufacturing center as well.
Habitation of the Corinth area goes back several thousand years. The original Greek city here saw its greatest ancient glory under the rule of Periander (c. 625-583 BC). This glorious situation all changed when the Corinthians led the opposition against the expanding Romans and were soundly defeated in 146 BC by the Romans who then razed the city to the ground.
This settlement received new life in 44 BC, when Julius Caesar designated it as Corinth and settled retired soldiers and other freedmen. In no time at all, this location again became quite prosperous. As a result, Rome named it the metropolis of the Roman Province of Achaia, which comprised most of Greece, making it the most important city in the area. It seems to have acquired a population of about 70,000 people by the time of Saint Paul.
It was this city into which Saint Paul may have walked from the western port city on the isthmus. He would have traversed a long road about 20 to 25 feet wide, most likely lined with shops, leading right into the Agora, the public square, at the end of which another road led to the eastern port of the isthmus. As he walked south into town, on his right would have been a huge basilica behind which would have been found the temple of Apollo.
In this area, in the midst of so many temples, he would also have found the synagogue. Then, in the middle of the Agora was the famous Bema, a speaking platform but also a seat of judgment. Here it was that Paul would have been brought before the proconsul, Gallio, who then dismissed the case against Paul since his actions had not violated civil law but were a matter of “your own law” (Acts 18:12-16).
The culture which Paul encountered was clearly Roman but had also attracted many others to give it a very multi-cultural mix, including Greeks, Jews, and Asians. Since it was a relatively new city, it did not have deep cultural roots. Rather, it was a place where ambition would pay off, where social ties and status were weak.
In addition, the city would most likely have been noted for its immorality and, to Paul, idolatry. His listing of sins (I Corinthians 6:9-11) is not generic, but local: “neither fornicators nor idolators nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor sodomites nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. That is what some of you used to be…” It was a place of many gods and lords (I Corinthians 8:5). Paul notes: “You know how, when you were pagans, you were constantly attracted and led away to mute idols” (I Corinthians 12:2).
Even after conversion, it was difficult for his followers to stop participating in the many dinners dedicated to these gods: “If someone sees you, with your knowledge, reclining at table in the temple of an idol, may not his conscience too, weak as it is, be ‘built up’ to eat the meat sacrificed to idols?” (I Corinthians 8:10). Again, “You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons” (I Corinthians 10:21). Paul even cautions his hearers not to eat food from the marketplace if it was sacrificed to idols, not because he believes any of this, but so as to avoid scandalizing the brethren (I Corinthians 10:23-33).
This was the city to which Saint Paul came and stayed longer than in any other of his mission stops except for Ephesus. Here he established a Church which faced many of the same problems we do today. It was a vibrant, growing, economic, cosmopolitan, political, and pagan city.
Until next week, may God bless you.
+ Earl Boyea
Bishop of Lansing
P.S. Here is a video version of this week's talk. Please do share with friends and family. Thank you.