Theology of Paul's Letter to the Romans, The

Theology Today, Jan 2005 by Westerholm, Stephen

The Theology of Paul's Letter to the Romans By Klaus Haacker Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2003. 183 pp. $55.00.

This monograph is the last in a series of volumes on New Testament theology edited by James D. G. Dunn and published by Cambridge University Press. Geared toward the needs of pastors, teachers, and students of the New Testament, each volume is designed to explore the theological issues raised by a particular New Testament writing (or group of writings) in a more detailed and focused way than is possible in commentary literature. Though writing on the New Testament book that in the past has most often been viewed as a theological treatise, Haacker (professor of New Testament at the Barmen School of Theology in Wuppertal) follows recent studies in seeing Romans rather as a letter addressed to a specific community, reflecting Paul's own situation and what he perceives to be the needs of his addressees at a particular moment in time. Nor does Haacker construe the task of a "theology" of Romans narrowly. Recent scholarship on the epistle has embraced a variety of approaches: rhetorical, sociological, and political. Arguing that, "if theology centres on God, the creator of all, then it stands to reason that it should be holistic," Haacker includes these and other dimensions of the text as aspects of the letter's "theology." Though the discussion is largely introductory in nature, Haacker finds room for a number of fresh observations.

The book begins by placing Romans in the context of Paul's own story and that of Christian beginnings in Rome. The second chapter shows how the opening verses of Romans introduce a number of themes important as the epistle develops. Chapter 3 outlines the argument of the letter; Chapter 4 explores its major concerns. Noteworthy here is the emphasis Haacker finds in Romans on the gospel's capacity to bring peace to a variety of relationships otherwise marked by conflict (between humanity and God, between Jews and Gentiles, between Christians and the surrounding world, within and between Christian congregations). Other themes treated are righteousness, suffering and hope, and "the mystery of Israel in the age of the Gospel." Various "sources" from which Paul draws his argument are discussed in Chapter 5: appeals to Scripture, early Jewish and Christian traditions, and borrowings from secular culture. Chapter 6, one of the book's more distinctive contributions, suggests that Paul "contextualises" the gospel in his letter, exploiting various points of contact between the gospel message and the preoccupations and interests of Roman society: "Both the interpretation of the Gospel and the emphasis on peace and harmony in ethical passages of Romans can be understood as a conscious tribute to values of the cultural context of the addressees." Similar claims are raised for the theme of righteousness (or justice) for the whole world, the notion that the giving of commandments in fact induces people to transgress, the harsh verdicts on human sinfulness, and the idea of redemption through the blood of a dying hero.

The canonical context of Romans is treated in Chapter 7. Haacker thinks it unwise to speculate about the place of Romans in the overall development of Paul's theology, given the uncertainty that prevails about the chronology and authenticity of other literature attributed to the apostle. But he notes thematic parallels to the other Pauline as well as non-Pauline letters of the New Testament: The Epistle of James, he thinks, could not have had Paul as its target, though Paul, in passages like Romans 4, may well be opposing James! Haacker discerns abundant parallels with Acts, which he finds a good source for Pauline biography and thought, and some with the Gospels. With Wenham, Haacker believes Paul to be, not the founder of Christianity, but a follower of Jesus-and "a very congenial one." A brief-perhaps too brief to be useful-discussion of Romans's impact in church history is followed by a conclusion that "reconsiders" the relevance of Romans. The author offers provocative observations on Christian attitudes toward Israel, the legacy of Luther, and the epistle as a manifesto of a type of "globalisation" quite different from that built upon a foundation of economic liberalism. All in all, the book provides a serviceable introduction to a number of theological concerns raised by the epistle to the Romans, with suggestions that should be of interest to scholars as well.

STEPHEN WESTERHOLM

Department of Religious Studies, McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada