Julia Ingram

The first part of the book traces the journey of Nick Bunick's awakening, including apparent conversations with 'angels,' suggestions from psychics that he 'walked with the Master,' and synchronicities that transpire during this period that help bring other players on board; all of which appear to validate the story that he is St. Paul reincarnated and help bring the book into form in an "orchestrated from above" kind of way. (I can't say that I'd describe the phenomenon of seeing certain number combinations over and over--in this case "444"--as exactly miraculous, however.)

The section of actual regression sessions, with "St. Paul" coming through Bunick, articulating answers to questions about his time with "Jeshua," is the part that I found fascinating in its detail and believability. Despite the many apparent factual discrepancies with the accepted version of the story of these times, there is a sincerity in the expressions that is compelling.

Many readers of this book, perhaps at the stage of just starting their journey of questioning the dogma of traditional faith, were greatly inspired by this story when it first came out. By believing in the truth of the "return of St. Paul," many were able to find a more compassionate, personal interpretation of their Christian faith to embrace through reading the 'real story' of Christianity's beginning, as portrayed in these regressions.

My postscript: After his sudden fame, thinking he had a grand purpose decreed from on high, Bunick was inspired to try to save the world, starting at least one humanitarian organization. Believing he had some position of authority and spiritual attainment from which to speak, he wrote a follow-up book, boldly titled, 'In God's Truth.' Pauline scholars--the few that bothered to comment at the time--dismissed his claim to be Paul-Returned with a scoff, of course.

I believe that many of us are able to get in touch with our 'higher selves,' or what have you, and tap into a greater wisdom, at times. But this doesn't mean that we are a completely evolved being, eligible to graduate from the earth school. Bunick's apparent spiritual glow, as he toured around, giving lectures during his fifteen minutes of fame, as recounted in the follow-up book, 'In God's Truth,' is nothing exceptional in the New Age world. By the end of that book, his tone in fact seems less enlightened than one might expect from 'St. Paul,' with rather mundane observations. Also, Bunick's grand visions of world-saving organizations quickly came to naught, and he has scarcely been heard from again.

Many, including no doubt Bunick himself, expected 'more,' somehow, from a former St. Paul. We know so little of the nature of 'past lives' at this time, however, so how do we judge this phenomenon? How does this work? What was at play here? On some level, I do empathize with Bunick--if there were ever a time for great ego lessons to be learned, it would be in a case like this. It also can't be discounted that many found true value in this story of a saint returned.… (mehr)