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When in Romans (Theological Explorations for the Church Catholic): An Invitation to Linger with the Gospel according to Paul
Invites Readers of Romans to Expand Their View of God and the Gospel
When reading the book of Romans, we often focus on the quotable passages, making brief stopovers and not staying long enough to grasp some of the big ideas it contains. Instead of raiding Paul's most famous letter for a passage here or a theme there, leading New Testament scholar Beverly Roberts Gaventa invites us to linger in Romans. She asks that we stay with the letter long enough to see how Romans reframes our tidy categories and dramatically enlarges our sense of the gospel.
Containing profound insights written in accessible prose and illuminating references to contemporary culture, this engaging book explores the cosmic dimensions of the gospel that we read about in Paul's letter. Gaventa focuses on four key issues in Romans--salvation, identity, ethics, and community--that are crucial both for the first century and for our own. As she helps us navigate the book of Romans, she shows that the gospel is far larger, wilder, and more unsettling than we generally imagine it to be.
When reading the book of Romans, we often focus on the quotable passages, making brief stopovers and not staying long enough to grasp some of the big ideas it contains. Instead of raiding Paul's most famous letter for a passage here or a theme there, leading New Testament scholar Beverly Roberts Gaventa invites us to linger in Romans. She asks that we stay with the letter long enough to see how Romans reframes our tidy categories and dramatically enlarges our sense of the gospel.
Containing profound insights written in accessible prose and illuminating references to contemporary culture, this engaging book explores the cosmic dimensions of the gospel that we read about in Paul's letter. Gaventa focuses on four key issues in Romans--salvation, identity, ethics, and community--that are crucial both for the first century and for our own. As she helps us navigate the book of Romans, she shows that the gospel is far larger, wilder, and more unsettling than we generally imagine it to be.
162 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 24, 2016
After reading another review with misleading and incorrect information, I feel like I have to say something about this book. First, this is written by one seminary professor who is also the former president of an important biblical studies society. Not, as another reviewer said a college professor and a bunch of students. The fact that the reviewer missed this basic point should also make you wary of the assessment that it is written poorly; the writing is clear and well-organized. The fact that a book on the biblical book of Romans makes reference to Augustine, an influential writer in the history of Christianity, should not be a turn-off to any bible student, however casual.
I respect the fact that my fellow reviewer thought the book was not for her as a new Christian, but it does not claim to be. This is a thoughtful book for people who are familiar with Romans and want to go deeper. To borrow a metaphor from one of Paul's other letters, this is scholarly solid food that should not have to apologize for not being milk.
I respect the fact that my fellow reviewer thought the book was not for her as a new Christian, but it does not claim to be. This is a thoughtful book for people who are familiar with Romans and want to go deeper. To borrow a metaphor from one of Paul's other letters, this is scholarly solid food that should not have to apologize for not being milk.
February 27, 2017
For many Christians, Paul’s letter to the Romans is one of the more intimidating parts of the New Testament. This is both understandable and unfortunate. Romans is, after all, an undeniably complex letter, with both occasional and systematic dimensions. And in case we forget its historic significance, the Pauline scholar Michael Gorman reminds us that “Romans has spawned conversions, doctrines, disputations, and even a few reformations” (2004, p.338).
A feeling of slight trepidation when embarking on a study of Romans might then actually be entirely appropriate. It’s a shame, though, when this causes Christians to shy away from reading the letter at all. “[While] it is clearly a book that challenges the best minds in the community,” Eugene Peterson points out, “The scholars are here to help us read it, not read it for us” (2009, p.261).
Hopefully, these introductory comments can help us better appreciate the usefulness of Beverly Roberts Gaventa’s brief and illuminating book, When in Romans: An Invitation to Linger with the Gospel according to Paul. In it, she reflects theologically on the significance of Paul’s letter for those who might not otherwise know where to start. As Gaventa explains in the preface, “This book on Romans is intended for people who would not normally read a book about Romans” (p.xiii).
Getting off the Tourist Path
The book’s title comes from the well-worn phrase, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” (p.1). Gaventa explains that:
I use the saying by way of introducing the question: What happens to readers, hearers, teachers, and preachers of the church in the early part of the twenty-first century, when we are “in Romans”? My own impression… is that we are seldom in Romans for very long. At most, we make weekend visits… It is as if we ride through Romans on one of those hop-on, hop-off tourist buses, seeing the same highlights every time… We never notice that we are in a vast metropolitan area. (pp.1-3)
She wants her audience to get off the tourist path and explore the larger, more expansive world of the letter because Romans “confronts us with the universal, cosmic horizon of the good news” (p.3). The main body of the book is composed of four chapters with titles like “When in Romans… Watch the Horizon” and “When in Romans… Consider Abraham”. These titles function as helpful guidelines for those learning how to get around in Paul’s letter for themselves. As she works through the letter with her audience, Gaventa does engage (at least in the footnotes) with some of the more important scholarly issues like the translational and interpretative debates surrounding the phrase dikaiosynê theou, but for the most part she stays out of the weeds.
Gaventa judges most readings of Romans to be too restrictive and overly-focused on the individual. She argues that “a prolonged and careful study of Romans means finding that salvation is far more complex, more cosmic, more challenging that we have usually imagined” (p.27). In her eyes, Paul’s understanding of salvation goes beyond the individual and in some ways even the communal level:
Paul’s understanding of salvation is cosmic. Salvation concerns God’s powerful action in Jesus Christ to reclaim humanity, individual and corporate, from the powers of Sin and Death… The problem is that actual powers, prominent among them Sin and Death, hold humanity in their grasp. God has interceded in the death and resurrection of Jesus to break their power… but the struggle between God and the powers continues until God’s final triumph, the redemption of the whole of creation. (p.41)
Obviously, it’s not that Gaventa thinks the individual and corporate dimensions of salvation are unimportant (p.46). It seems to me that for her, something is lost if our understanding of salvation ends there. She wants her audience to see that these individual and communal aspects of salvation are taken up and included within an even larger, more expansive vision of salvation: “What we… need to hear is Paul’s understanding that the gospel encompasses the cosmos, the whole of creation—all the way out and all the way down in human life” (p.46). I would suggest that from her point of view, the redemptive action of God in Christ can be seen as the in-breaking of salvation, the trampling of death by death, and the inauguration of God’s renewal of all creation. Much of what Gaventa presents in this book will be somewhat familiar to those already acquainted with the writings of scholars like J. Louis Martyn, J. Christian Beker, Ernst Käsemann, and other advocates of the “apocalyptic” approach to Paul.
Gaventa and the Apocalyptic Approach to Paul
That should come as no great surprise, though. After all, Gaventa studied with J. Louis Martyn at Union Theological Seminary in the 1970’s and is herself frequently listed as one of the more influential adherents of the apocalyptic perspective. The category of apocalyptic, unfortunately, can become pretty vague, so Michael Bird’s broad-brush sketch is helpful here:
On such a reading, Paul’s gospel is said to be about God’s liberating invasion of the cosmos, decisively revealed in the faithfulness, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which wages a cosmic battle against the powers on the very site of Jesus’ crucified body. The result is that, through Christ and the gift of the Spirit, there comes a whole new regime, a new creation. (2016, pp.108-109)
It seems safe to say that Bird’s description resonates quite well with the major themes of Gaventa’s work in When in Romans. Before we shift to the conclusion, I do want to briefly examine the somewhat contentious issue regarding how advocates of the apocalyptic in Paul understand the Apostle in relation to other forms of Second Temple Judaism. For some apocalyptic Pauline scholars, there is stark discontinuity between Paul’s past and present, to the point that Paul ends up repudiating Israel’s history and minimizing the importance of any overarching covenantal narratives.
However, it seems to me that the categories of apocalyptic and covenantal in Paul don’t always have to be held in opposition. The apocalyptic approach highlights important Pauline themes that others have too-often missed, but I side with Bird when he claims that, “Properly understood, an apocalypse is the climax of god’s saving purpose for his people, not a whole new start, and certainly not a repudiation of the past” (2016, p.121). Similarly, Richard Hays gives some needed nuance when he writes that, “God’s ‘apocalyptic’ act in Christ does not simply shatter and sweep away creation and covenant; rather, it hermeneutical reconfigures creation and covenant… in light of cross and resurrection” (2014, p.205). Within this more nuanced, moderate framework, I think the apocalyptic approach still has an important contribution to how we understand Paul. Regardless, I’d be very interested to listen more to how Gaventa thinks about these matters.
Conclusion
When in Romans is a lively and conversational introduction to Paul’s letter to the Romans, oriented especially to those without much experience working through the text. My hope is that it will lead many to read Romans slowly and with a fresh perspective, straying from the most commonly read passages to spend more time with the letter as a whole. For those already familiar with Paul’s writings and possessing an abiding interest in Pauline scholarship, this book also gives a good sketch of what comes to the forefront when Paul’s letter to the Romans is approached with an apocalyptic lens.
One thing I missed while reading the pages of When in Romans was extended engagement with other Pauline scholars and interpretive perspectives. I’m not without hope, though, because Gaventa is also composing a larger academic commentary on Romans. The glimpse this little book gives of her perspective on Paul leads me to anticipate that her upcoming commentary will make a refreshing and thought-provoking contribution to the ongoing conversation that takes place as the Church wrestles with Romans and lives in light of it, along with the rest of the biblical canon. I’m looking forward to reading it.
Other Works Cited
Bird, Michael F. An Anomalous Jew: Paul among Jews, Greeks, and Romans. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2016.
Gorman, Michael J. Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul and His Letters. 1st Ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2004.
Hays, Richard B. “Apocalyptic Poiesis in Galatians: Paternity, Passion, and Participation.” In Galatians and Christian Theology: Justification, the Gospel, and Ethics in Paul’s Letter, edited by Mark W. Elliott, Scott J. Hafemann, N.T. Wright, and John Frederick, 200-219. Grand Rapids: MI: Baker Academic, 2014.
Peterson, Eugene H. “The Letter of Paul to the Romans.” In The Life With God Bible: with the Deuterocanonical Books, edited by Richard J. Foster, Gayle Beebe, Lynda L. Graybeal, Thomas C. Oden, Dallas Willard, Walter Brueggemann, and Eugene H. Peterson, 261-265. New York, NY: HarperOne, 2009.
*Disclosure: I received this book free from Baker Academic for review purposes. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.
A feeling of slight trepidation when embarking on a study of Romans might then actually be entirely appropriate. It’s a shame, though, when this causes Christians to shy away from reading the letter at all. “[While] it is clearly a book that challenges the best minds in the community,” Eugene Peterson points out, “The scholars are here to help us read it, not read it for us” (2009, p.261).
Hopefully, these introductory comments can help us better appreciate the usefulness of Beverly Roberts Gaventa’s brief and illuminating book, When in Romans: An Invitation to Linger with the Gospel according to Paul. In it, she reflects theologically on the significance of Paul’s letter for those who might not otherwise know where to start. As Gaventa explains in the preface, “This book on Romans is intended for people who would not normally read a book about Romans” (p.xiii).
Getting off the Tourist Path
The book’s title comes from the well-worn phrase, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” (p.1). Gaventa explains that:
I use the saying by way of introducing the question: What happens to readers, hearers, teachers, and preachers of the church in the early part of the twenty-first century, when we are “in Romans”? My own impression… is that we are seldom in Romans for very long. At most, we make weekend visits… It is as if we ride through Romans on one of those hop-on, hop-off tourist buses, seeing the same highlights every time… We never notice that we are in a vast metropolitan area. (pp.1-3)
She wants her audience to get off the tourist path and explore the larger, more expansive world of the letter because Romans “confronts us with the universal, cosmic horizon of the good news” (p.3). The main body of the book is composed of four chapters with titles like “When in Romans… Watch the Horizon” and “When in Romans… Consider Abraham”. These titles function as helpful guidelines for those learning how to get around in Paul’s letter for themselves. As she works through the letter with her audience, Gaventa does engage (at least in the footnotes) with some of the more important scholarly issues like the translational and interpretative debates surrounding the phrase dikaiosynê theou, but for the most part she stays out of the weeds.
Gaventa judges most readings of Romans to be too restrictive and overly-focused on the individual. She argues that “a prolonged and careful study of Romans means finding that salvation is far more complex, more cosmic, more challenging that we have usually imagined” (p.27). In her eyes, Paul’s understanding of salvation goes beyond the individual and in some ways even the communal level:
Paul’s understanding of salvation is cosmic. Salvation concerns God’s powerful action in Jesus Christ to reclaim humanity, individual and corporate, from the powers of Sin and Death… The problem is that actual powers, prominent among them Sin and Death, hold humanity in their grasp. God has interceded in the death and resurrection of Jesus to break their power… but the struggle between God and the powers continues until God’s final triumph, the redemption of the whole of creation. (p.41)
Obviously, it’s not that Gaventa thinks the individual and corporate dimensions of salvation are unimportant (p.46). It seems to me that for her, something is lost if our understanding of salvation ends there. She wants her audience to see that these individual and communal aspects of salvation are taken up and included within an even larger, more expansive vision of salvation: “What we… need to hear is Paul’s understanding that the gospel encompasses the cosmos, the whole of creation—all the way out and all the way down in human life” (p.46). I would suggest that from her point of view, the redemptive action of God in Christ can be seen as the in-breaking of salvation, the trampling of death by death, and the inauguration of God’s renewal of all creation. Much of what Gaventa presents in this book will be somewhat familiar to those already acquainted with the writings of scholars like J. Louis Martyn, J. Christian Beker, Ernst Käsemann, and other advocates of the “apocalyptic” approach to Paul.
Gaventa and the Apocalyptic Approach to Paul
That should come as no great surprise, though. After all, Gaventa studied with J. Louis Martyn at Union Theological Seminary in the 1970’s and is herself frequently listed as one of the more influential adherents of the apocalyptic perspective. The category of apocalyptic, unfortunately, can become pretty vague, so Michael Bird’s broad-brush sketch is helpful here:
On such a reading, Paul’s gospel is said to be about God’s liberating invasion of the cosmos, decisively revealed in the faithfulness, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which wages a cosmic battle against the powers on the very site of Jesus’ crucified body. The result is that, through Christ and the gift of the Spirit, there comes a whole new regime, a new creation. (2016, pp.108-109)
It seems safe to say that Bird’s description resonates quite well with the major themes of Gaventa’s work in When in Romans. Before we shift to the conclusion, I do want to briefly examine the somewhat contentious issue regarding how advocates of the apocalyptic in Paul understand the Apostle in relation to other forms of Second Temple Judaism. For some apocalyptic Pauline scholars, there is stark discontinuity between Paul’s past and present, to the point that Paul ends up repudiating Israel’s history and minimizing the importance of any overarching covenantal narratives.
However, it seems to me that the categories of apocalyptic and covenantal in Paul don’t always have to be held in opposition. The apocalyptic approach highlights important Pauline themes that others have too-often missed, but I side with Bird when he claims that, “Properly understood, an apocalypse is the climax of god’s saving purpose for his people, not a whole new start, and certainly not a repudiation of the past” (2016, p.121). Similarly, Richard Hays gives some needed nuance when he writes that, “God’s ‘apocalyptic’ act in Christ does not simply shatter and sweep away creation and covenant; rather, it hermeneutical reconfigures creation and covenant… in light of cross and resurrection” (2014, p.205). Within this more nuanced, moderate framework, I think the apocalyptic approach still has an important contribution to how we understand Paul. Regardless, I’d be very interested to listen more to how Gaventa thinks about these matters.
Conclusion
When in Romans is a lively and conversational introduction to Paul’s letter to the Romans, oriented especially to those without much experience working through the text. My hope is that it will lead many to read Romans slowly and with a fresh perspective, straying from the most commonly read passages to spend more time with the letter as a whole. For those already familiar with Paul’s writings and possessing an abiding interest in Pauline scholarship, this book also gives a good sketch of what comes to the forefront when Paul’s letter to the Romans is approached with an apocalyptic lens.
One thing I missed while reading the pages of When in Romans was extended engagement with other Pauline scholars and interpretive perspectives. I’m not without hope, though, because Gaventa is also composing a larger academic commentary on Romans. The glimpse this little book gives of her perspective on Paul leads me to anticipate that her upcoming commentary will make a refreshing and thought-provoking contribution to the ongoing conversation that takes place as the Church wrestles with Romans and lives in light of it, along with the rest of the biblical canon. I’m looking forward to reading it.
Other Works Cited
Bird, Michael F. An Anomalous Jew: Paul among Jews, Greeks, and Romans. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2016.
Gorman, Michael J. Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul and His Letters. 1st Ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2004.
Hays, Richard B. “Apocalyptic Poiesis in Galatians: Paternity, Passion, and Participation.” In Galatians and Christian Theology: Justification, the Gospel, and Ethics in Paul’s Letter, edited by Mark W. Elliott, Scott J. Hafemann, N.T. Wright, and John Frederick, 200-219. Grand Rapids: MI: Baker Academic, 2014.
Peterson, Eugene H. “The Letter of Paul to the Romans.” In The Life With God Bible: with the Deuterocanonical Books, edited by Richard J. Foster, Gayle Beebe, Lynda L. Graybeal, Thomas C. Oden, Dallas Willard, Walter Brueggemann, and Eugene H. Peterson, 261-265. New York, NY: HarperOne, 2009.
*Disclosure: I received this book free from Baker Academic for review purposes. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.
March 19, 2021
Fine, not amazing. Helpful emphasis on the cosmic scope of Romans from the apocalyptic reading, a bit too worried about individualistic readings. Less useful in the Rom. 9-11 section, where her discussion omits the righteousness idea from 1, 4, and the important 9-10 transition, weakening her articulation of the "stumbling" problem and thus contributing to a very tentative, hesitant conclusion. Much better is the discussion of worship in 12-14, though next to nothing is said about 13. Lots of speculation in 16, but the effort to show the value of 16 is useful. The whiff of universalism in the conclusion prompts a question about the "why" of Paul's evangelistic efforts, answered by Paul's sense of calling, but neglecting 10 again.
Overall, worthwhile, but needs more 10 and 13!
Overall, worthwhile, but needs more 10 and 13!
June 19, 2021
When in (Paul's letter to the) Romans, Dr. Gaventa encourages readers to consider the vastness of God's gospel - the good news that through Jesus, God is redeeming the whole of the cosmos. This is not a commentary but rather an overview highlighting key themes. Gaventa's primary concern is that we step away from the individualistic readings of Scriptures (which can be so engrained for Western Christians) and rather respond to the great joy of what God has done and is doing.
September 12, 2023
okay, hear me out, this #seminarysister is gonna nerd out real quick lol:
Actually loved Gaventa’s outlook on the work of Paul & his letter to the Church in Rome. Loved how she incorporated irony (or maybe that’s just how I read it) into her questions of pertinence in every chapter with sections like “why should we care” or “what does this really matter anyways”. As someone who came to faith from a very distinct way of teaching & claiming the importance of the Gospels that was deeply indoctrinated in a “Reformation” approach of Paul’s work (ie: everything & I mean literally EVERYTHING harkened back to “we all have sinned & fall short of God’s glory” -Rom. 3:23), I find Gaventa’s theological outlook on Paul’s work to be more centered in a “Salvation Historical” focus that genuinely looks at ALL of Romans to understand Paul’s major thesis. Thus, it was HIGHLY enjoyable for me because this outlook is unlike very many preachers, pastors, teachers, or sermons on Romans I’ve heard who only focus on chapters 1-8 of Romans &/or completely miss out on the HEART of the letter by hyper-fixating on our “evil-ness in our sin”, like many Reformation Pauline approaches do, & then claim that Paul’s POINT is to address how “horrible in our sin” we are & continually pound that into our head. I very strongly disagree that that is Paul’s intention or thesis of Romans & I really enjoyed reading Gaventa’s book for further exploration & evidence against this Reformation Pauline understanding.
PRETTY INTERESTING STUFF! SOMETIMES REQUIRED READING FOR CLASSES CAN BE SUPER DOPE!
Actually loved Gaventa’s outlook on the work of Paul & his letter to the Church in Rome. Loved how she incorporated irony (or maybe that’s just how I read it) into her questions of pertinence in every chapter with sections like “why should we care” or “what does this really matter anyways”. As someone who came to faith from a very distinct way of teaching & claiming the importance of the Gospels that was deeply indoctrinated in a “Reformation” approach of Paul’s work (ie: everything & I mean literally EVERYTHING harkened back to “we all have sinned & fall short of God’s glory” -Rom. 3:23), I find Gaventa’s theological outlook on Paul’s work to be more centered in a “Salvation Historical” focus that genuinely looks at ALL of Romans to understand Paul’s major thesis. Thus, it was HIGHLY enjoyable for me because this outlook is unlike very many preachers, pastors, teachers, or sermons on Romans I’ve heard who only focus on chapters 1-8 of Romans &/or completely miss out on the HEART of the letter by hyper-fixating on our “evil-ness in our sin”, like many Reformation Pauline approaches do, & then claim that Paul’s POINT is to address how “horrible in our sin” we are & continually pound that into our head. I very strongly disagree that that is Paul’s intention or thesis of Romans & I really enjoyed reading Gaventa’s book for further exploration & evidence against this Reformation Pauline understanding.
PRETTY INTERESTING STUFF! SOMETIMES REQUIRED READING FOR CLASSES CAN BE SUPER DOPE!
February 17, 2020
Gaventa, well known among academics, offers here a popular level treatment of introductory issues in Romans. Rather than a commentary, she offers here four essays on important matters, with fresh insights that more than justifies yet another book on Romans. The book is a short, quick read, but I found myself underlining ideas on nearly every page. Particularly helpful is the way that Gaventa frames Romans as concerned not primarily with "personal salvation," but with new creation - with God's plan to redeem the entire cosmos and defeat his cosmic enemies.
My one main concern with the book regards Gaventa's "soft" appeal for a universalist interpretation of salvation in the letter. I wrote two master's dissertations on Paul's use of inheritance and kingdom language, and there is no doubt in my mind that (1) this language is tied to salvation, and (2) Paul is clear that some people will not be heirs of the kingdom. Gaventa makes her appeal based on Paul's use of the word "all," but there are far too many other important terms and phrases that Paul uses to be rather explicit that some people will not enter/inherit the kingdom, and therefore not be saved. I appreciate her appeal, but there is simply too much evidence against it.
On the whole, the book was fantastic. It rises to the top of the list of books I'll recommend to readers of Romans, both specialists and non.
My one main concern with the book regards Gaventa's "soft" appeal for a universalist interpretation of salvation in the letter. I wrote two master's dissertations on Paul's use of inheritance and kingdom language, and there is no doubt in my mind that (1) this language is tied to salvation, and (2) Paul is clear that some people will not be heirs of the kingdom. Gaventa makes her appeal based on Paul's use of the word "all," but there are far too many other important terms and phrases that Paul uses to be rather explicit that some people will not enter/inherit the kingdom, and therefore not be saved. I appreciate her appeal, but there is simply too much evidence against it.
On the whole, the book was fantastic. It rises to the top of the list of books I'll recommend to readers of Romans, both specialists and non.
January 3, 2019
While I don't agree with all that Gaventa argued, she accomplished something that, in my opinion, makes a book really successful and worthwhile - she makes you think! She helps you rethink preconceived notions regarding Jews and Gentiles, the scope of salvation, what defines the church, and Paul's ideas about worship. This book is definitely worth mulling over and revisiting through further study of Paul and Romans. She has a lot of good points and challenging ideas.
My two critiques, though, both come from her conclusion, and they are more implied from what she says (and doesn't say) rather than explicitly stated. First, Gaventa appears to conclude that Romans might allow for universal salvation (she writes as if she does not want to make a final decision on it just yet, or simply doesn't want to state this conclusion outright). And second, she acknowledges that this universalism is not supported in other books of Scripture, but she doesn't seem to see that contradiction as a problem. She has a lot of good thoughts, but seems to take some of her ideas too far and stretches a few bounds of traditional, orthodox Christian theology.
My two critiques, though, both come from her conclusion, and they are more implied from what she says (and doesn't say) rather than explicitly stated. First, Gaventa appears to conclude that Romans might allow for universal salvation (she writes as if she does not want to make a final decision on it just yet, or simply doesn't want to state this conclusion outright). And second, she acknowledges that this universalism is not supported in other books of Scripture, but she doesn't seem to see that contradiction as a problem. She has a lot of good thoughts, but seems to take some of her ideas too far and stretches a few bounds of traditional, orthodox Christian theology.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2017
A challenging reappraisal of Paul's letter the Romans that locates within this letter a degree of inclusiveness rarely attributed to Paul. Gaventa's reading of Romans highlights the concept that faith, like grace, is a gift bestowed upon us and not a decision made. She challenges us to think beyond our Western ideals of self-control and self-sufficiency to locate these life changing gifts and become warriors for the kind of universal justice that Paul challenges us to seek - justice not simply from helping a person in a time of need, but in changing a system of domination that results in so much need. The book was challenging for a Sunday School curriculum, very dense with tons of theological references, but rewarding for a class that already has a strong understanding of the Bible and is looking to go deeper.
"The community of those grasped by God who raised Jesus from the dead does not reside in gated enclaves of the smug and condescending."
"The community of those grasped by God who raised Jesus from the dead does not reside in gated enclaves of the smug and condescending."
August 26, 2022
I appreciated Gaventa’s challenge to readers of Romans to have a broad scope of the Letter in its context. I think she had some helpful thoughts about stepping back from particular issues that are often highlighted and look at the flow of the argumentation in Paul’s epistle.
I did feel that the book lacked clear organizational structure and flow throughout the chapters. I felt as if the introduction and the conclusion did not indicate what was ahead nor summarize what had been discussed. Each theme that was discussed in the individual four chapters seemed to be disjointed from one another. Although I will say I am unfamiliar with this series, so it may be on point for what the series is intending to accomplish.
I did feel that the book lacked clear organizational structure and flow throughout the chapters. I felt as if the introduction and the conclusion did not indicate what was ahead nor summarize what had been discussed. Each theme that was discussed in the individual four chapters seemed to be disjointed from one another. Although I will say I am unfamiliar with this series, so it may be on point for what the series is intending to accomplish.
February 1, 2022
Loved this book. Rarely have I felt drawn to worship while reading Romans, but Gaventa’s perspective and teaching was a conduit for that. Her breakdown of the cosmic battle against Sin and Death and the role of the cross in this cosmic battle helped expand my perspective on the work of the cross. It increase my gratitude for Jesus and challenged some preconceived ideas i had about evangelism. As an evangelist, this book encouraged me to see a bigger picture of Gods plan. Will definitely need to revisit Gaventas work more.
February 11, 2021
A good introduction. Was used in an adult bible study and did not meet with universal approval, as was too academic for many (as they suggested). Next time I use this, I will have folks start with the Conclusion to orient them to themes Dr. Roberts develops. I think one difficulty for the group was their being encumbered by ideas about church and salvation which this book, and I believe rightly so, counters.
February 7, 2025
A slow journey worth taking
I found this book by accident and loved the title so I “got on board.” It too a bit to get “this train” moving but as Beverly Roberts Gaventa built steam I became more and more engaged with Romans and her engagement with it. I highly recommend reading this to get a full view of Romans and all it has to give us. Thank you For taking me with you on this journey.
I found this book by accident and loved the title so I “got on board.” It too a bit to get “this train” moving but as Beverly Roberts Gaventa built steam I became more and more engaged with Romans and her engagement with it. I highly recommend reading this to get a full view of Romans and all it has to give us. Thank you For taking me with you on this journey.
August 22, 2023
I appreciated this book so much. It opened my mind to understandings of Romans I hadn’t had before. I will be lingering on the insights I gained from this work for a while. I did find it interesting that it’s somewhat marketed towards lay people, because I do think there’s still a very academic quality to the work, but that wouldn’t stop me from recommending it!
July 8, 2025
An interesting and concise volume. Well written, though I disagree with many of her conclusions. The most helpful aspect of the book is making us think about how the gospel addresses the bondage humanity experiences, though she pushes that point too much to the exclusion of other aspects of the work of Christ. Her discussion of the interplay between worship and ethics was fascinating.
October 19, 2020
Dr. Gaventa makes a brilliant case for Sin and Death as powers, not simply individual experiences. She loses some of her textual integrity in her case for an apocalyptic Paul and universal salvation. But overall, a great book and helpful addition to the study of Romans.
Read
November 25, 2022Приятна, лека за четене, но в никакъв случай повърхностна книга.
Гавента повдига важни въпроси и го парви по прдзивикателен начин.
Това е книга, която със сигурност бих препоръчал за клас изучаващ посланието.
Гавента повдига важни въпроси и го парви по прдзивикателен начин.
Това е книга, която със сигурност бих препоръчал за клас изучаващ посланието.
September 23, 2017
This is a short book designed to be an introduction to the book of Romans. It is a quick read and even though it is designed as an introductory resource it is also insightful.
July 7, 2019
This is a wonderful, quick, entry-level overview of Romans. I read the whole thing in one day!
April 20, 2022
Wonderful book! Could not put it down!
May 9, 2023
Succinct and compelling. Useful for our bible study on Romans
September 5, 2023
Some helpful insights, but it fell apart for me in the conclusion.
February 8, 2017
A well written book giving new insights on Paul's most famous letter. A very readable book, focusing on not just the familiar quotes, but written for ordinary folks and is easy to read and has many references to popular culture.
January 9, 2017
In this collection of revised lectures,* New Testament scholar Beverly Gaventa offers a generous interpretation of Romans. If we read selectively, she warns, we might miss Paul's broader themes. These include the sovereignty of God, a cosmic (even universal) view of salvation, and consistent admonishments for Roman Christians not to think of themselves more highly than others.
The Earle Lectures on Biblical Literature, Nazarene Theological Seminary, 2013; and the Currie Lectures, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 2015.
The Earle Lectures on Biblical Literature, Nazarene Theological Seminary, 2013; and the Currie Lectures, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 2015.
June 15, 2017
Exactly the book on Romans I needed to read
This is exactly the book on Romans I needed to read as a relatively new (Lutheran) preacher seeking to engage the Romans lectionaries readings in sermons as well as begin a deeper dive into this epistle as part of both personal and professional bible study. I appreciate the refreshing tone and style of this book as well as the content.
This is exactly the book on Romans I needed to read as a relatively new (Lutheran) preacher seeking to engage the Romans lectionaries readings in sermons as well as begin a deeper dive into this epistle as part of both personal and professional bible study. I appreciate the refreshing tone and style of this book as well as the content.
September 13, 2017
Great read for non-clergy who feel confused and overwhelmed by Romans. A good overview of Paul's themes, and some likely surprising insights about what he might mean.
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