Author: Arthur Bardis

Many scholars argue that the letter to the Romans is the heart of Pauline theology.  It is generally considered as the central writing in the Pauline corpus for its subject matter as well as length, power and clarity of its argument. It would not be very satisfactory to a great extent, to just label the letter to the Romans as, just a comprehensive, and systematic summary of Pauline theology.  The intention of this presentation would be to offer some assessment as to what degree is the letter to the Romans a methodical document of Pauline dogmatics. An analysis of this great writing of the Apostle would include a consideration of factors such as Pauline theology, and the theology found in the letter to the Romans.

WHY DID PAUL WRITE THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS?

 When the Apostle, wrote the letter to the Romans in Corinth, he had surely some knowledge of the church without details or individual features; for the personal references and allusions to the conditions of this congregation, that are so characteristic of Pauline letters, are lacking in that letter.

Paul knew very well that his enemies were skilled in distorting the message of the gospel, and thus he wrote a rather full and complete presentation of the gospel he had been preaching.  His purpose was to set forth in a systematic fashion the doctrine of justification by faith and its implications for Christian living, not a comprehensive summary of the totality of his theology of God.  R. E. Brown states “Romans was in a way a summary of Paul’s thought, phrased with an air of finality as he pulled together his ideas before going to Jerusalem where he would have to defend them.” [1]

 Paul’s letter to the Romans reveals to some extent good literary structures.  He made use of structural conventional material such as dialogue, doxologies[2], repetition, diatribe as well as his own standardized sermons, and he dictated it with the view to it, being read aloud to the church.  The letter to the Romans is not a shapeless mass.  It has shapes and contours that reflect the Apostles concern for the good communication of the gospel message.[3]  It could be said, that to some extent, it was a conscious effort to articulate a theology that communicated the perspective of continuity between Judaism and Christianity; not an absolute antithesis but a fulfillment of it.[4]

 PAULINE THEOLOGY

 It could be argued that every one has a theology, but “our reconstruction of what we might call a theology of Paul, will always be a modern abstraction, a distillation of what we gain from his thought world.” [5]  From 1 Cor 4:17, it could be deduced that there was a core representation of Pauline teaching. 

Millard J. Erickson suggests that the essence of systematic biblical theology is that it “draws on the entire Bible. Rather than utilizing individual texts in isolation from one another.”[6]  To an extent Paul has done this in the letter to the Roman church.  The course of Paul’s argument owes more to the inner logic of the gospel than to occasional matters. 

 James D. G. Dunn proposes, “that in order to write a theology of Paul it is necessary to think of several factors or groups of elements operating at different levels of Paul’s theological reflection,”[7] and therefore suggests that a study of his theology should:

-         Recognize the strong continuity between Paul and his ancestral religion.

-         Take into account the eschatological impact of the revelation of Christ.

-         Realize that the Cross and Resurrection of Christ are central.

-         Envisage Christ as bracketing the whole sweep of history from beginning to end.[8]

-         Understand that his theology of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper is precisely that they too bring the focus the centrality of Christ in his understanding of gospel and church.

-         See the model of “in Christ,” “with Christ,” “through Christ.”

 WHAT IS THE THEOLOGY AND STRUCTURE OF ROMANS?

 The letter to the Romans is about God (Father), Christ, humanity and salvation.  The issue of Soteriology is the theological ground and starting point of the letter.

The major structural divisions of the letter are:

 1/ God’s righteousness being from faith (chapters 1-5)

2/ Christian existence and experience-freedom from sin and law, life in the Spirit (chapters 6-8)

3/ Israel’s unbelief and salvation (chapters 9-11)

4/ Moral admonitions (chapters 12-15)

 Although Romans may be the heart of Pauline theology, it by no means could be said to a great extent to be a systematic summary of his theology. There are aspects of Pauline doctrine, that are distinctive to his theology, which are not covered in Romans, and even more which are only touched on, but are not developed; there are important issues such as the topics of eschatology (dealt in 1^st Thessalonians 4) and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15), life after death, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s Supper, wisdom and reconciliation, and the church as the “body of Christ”.

In his book, The Theology of Paul the Apostle, where J.D.G Dunn uses Romans as a template and a foundation for discovering and constructing Paul’s theology, he states that the topics of Jesus being preexistent ‘is also somewhat uncertain whether it appears in Romans”; and that the “coming Parousia” is one other element in Paul’s Christology which takes us till further from the course of Romans.”[9]

 Another feature of Romans that makes it different from a great systematic exposition is the way Paul’s concern with the law keeps cropping up outside the major treatment in chapter 7, and in ways that say more than the context requires (i.e. 2:12-27; 3:19-31; 4:13-16; 5:13,20; 6:14-15; 8:2-4; 9:31; 10: 4-5; 13:8-10).  Bornkamm states, “ Paul’s statements are just not found thus arranged as fundamental doctrines of dogmatics; practically always they are in fragmentation and invariably woven in with other.”[10] 

 CONCLUSION

 Romans, undoubtedly represents the Apostle’s mature thinking about his call from God, and his ministry.  Dunn believes that “to grapple with Romans is to engage in dialogue with one of the most creative theological minds of all time from the most creative period of Christian thought.”[11]  The main thrust of Pauline theology in Romans, is the articulation that the salvation process stems from the Messiah (Jesus Christ).  Romans also projects the sense of a God who always acts faithfully and inclusively. The apostle discusses (to a moderate degree), great themes of his message and theology, in a coherent fashion and depth.  It does not represent a complete encapsulation of Pauline theology.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Morgan, Robert. “Romans”.  Great Britain: Sheffield Academic Press, 1995.

Elwell, Walter A. (ed). Theological Dictionary of the Bible.  USA: Baker Books, 1996.

 Johnson, Luke T. The Writings of the New Testament. Philadelphia, U.S.A.: Fortress Press, 1986.

 Ellis, Peter F. Seven Pauline Letters. U.S.A.: No Publisher. 1982.

Ellis, Earle E. Pauline Theology, Ministry and Society. Grand Rapids: Michigan, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989.

 Wedderburn, A J M. The Reasons for Romans. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991.

 Sven K. Soderlund, Sven K. & Wright N.T. (eds). Romans and the People of God. Grand Rapids, Michigan:  W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999.

 Mounce, Robert H. The New American Commentary, Romans. No Country: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995.

 Bassler, Jouette M. (ed). Pauline Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991.

 Erickson, Millard J. (2^nd ed) Christian Theology.  Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1998.

 Drane, John. Introducing the New Testament. Oxford, England: Lion Publishing, 1999.

Douglas, Moo The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1996.

Barclay, William. The Daily Study Bible, The Letter to the Romans (revised ed). Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1975.

  Dunn, D. G James. Word Biblical Commentary, Romans 1-8 vol 38a. Dallas, Texas: Oxford Books, 1998.

 Stott, John. The Message of Romans. England :Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.

Fitzmyer, Joseph A. Paul and His Theology, A Brief Sketch. New Jersey: S.J, Prentice Hall Inc., 1989

Gerald, F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, Daniel G Reid. (eds). Dictionary of Paul and His Letters.  InterVarsity Press, Leicester England, 1993.

Karl P. (ed). The Romans Debate. U.S.A.:  Donfried Augsburg Publ. House, 1977.

Byrne, B. How Can we Interpret Romans Theologically Today?  Australian Biblical Review 47:29-42 (1999).

 Dunn, J.D.G Prolegomena to a Theology of Paul. New Testament Studies, 40:407-432, June 1994.

Dunn, J.D.G. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. Grand Rapids, Michigan:  W.b. E Publishing Company, 1998

Brown, Raymond E.  An Introduction to the New Testament.  New York: Doubleday, 1996.