Gurdur

´No offence, but I really doubt this explanation.
Bipolar people AFAIK don't go in for one-off visions, and no trace in Paul's writings otherwise reveals classic bipolar symptoms --- you'ld think if he suffered from this at least some reference would be made somewhere to long depressive episodes; and the only reference to suffering I am aware of is purely physical suffering.

I now also doubt the epilepsy explanation, again because the Road-To-Damascus episode is such a one-off, and with epilepsy you'ld expect references to "mystical" states more often.

So for my money, if in fact the Road-To-Damascus episode did in fact happen, it was simply hysterical in origin owing to extreme emotionality in the face of cognitive dissonance; and I see no recurrent syndromal picture in Paul's writings to hint at any neurophysiopsychological origins for his behaviour.

Postcard73

I should have noted in my first post that I am skeptical the event of Paul's conversion on the Damascus Road actually happened. However, I myself am diagnosed with type 1 bipolar disorder. I'm not psychotic- I have a history of mixed episodes (I'm also on medication and much more stable as a result). I was basically trying to make the point that I think it is at least worth considering that Paul was BP. How much consideration it is worth is another question...