The Letter to the Romans

Written at a time when his ideas and practices were provoking opposition even from fellow Christians, the Apostle Paul articulates in his Letter to the Romans his understanding of God's plan for humanity and discusses the implications of this plan for different groups of people. Romans is considered by many as the most theologically significant and sophisticated book of the Bible. This volume is designed to bridge the gap between studying Romans as an academic enterprise and experiencing how Romans can speak today in the life of the church. All of the chapters in this volume--especially those devoted to the content of Romans--were written with both exegesis and application in mind. All of the contributors to this volume believe that Romans has a crucial voice within the church today and that those who preach, teach, and study the book need to be attentive to its witness and to its timeliness. ""It seems that there is always more to say about Romans because Romans always has more to say to us. Stanley Porter has assembled a fine collection of scholars for the task, and here we find helpful essays on historical background, how linguistics shapes our understanding of the letter, the use of the Old Testament, along with essays that survey the letter. We are treated here to stimulating exegesis and application to everyday life and are reminded afresh that Romans speaks to both the mind and heart."" --Tom Schreiner, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ""The McMaster New Testament series is known for producing anthologies of studies of the statis quaestionis on important topics. In recent years, the format has morphed into creative and cutting-edge scholarship. This collection of essays on Romans combines each of these two categories. Learn here about major themes in Romans, but also about linguistics and intertextuality, from top scholars who also care about the church and the world."" --Craig L. Blomberg, Denver Seminary ""This collection of essays breaks new ground historically, exegetically, and linguistically. Pitched at an appropriate level, this volume will serve the academic, pastor, and any serious student who wants to explore fresh avenues for interpreting Romans."" --David Mathewson, Denver Seminary ""The Letter to the Romans is an outstanding example of how the grammar, language, background, and train of thought should be analyzed and laid out for readers. Porter's many years of experience with ancient Greek texts and the book culture of late antiquity shine through on every page. We have here a truly significant contribution to the interpretation of Romans."" --Craig A. Evans, Houston Baptist University Stanley E. Porter is President, Dean, and Professor of New Testament, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario. He also holds the Roy A. Hope Chair in Christian Worldview. He is a prolific writer and editor in the area of New Testament studies. Francis G. H. Pang is Assistant Professor of New Testament, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, Ontario. He is the Associate Director of the Centre for Biblical Linguistics, Translation, and Exegesis.