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Preaching Romans: Four Perspectives
First-rate scholars and preachers on four interpretive approaches to Paul and Romans
Pauline scholarship is a minefield of differing schools of thought. Those who teach or preach on Paul can quickly get lost in the weeds of the various perspectives. How, then, can pastors today best preach Paul’s message?
Scot McKnight and Joseph B. Modica have assembled this stellar one-stop guide exploring four major interpretive perspectives on the apostle Reformational, New, Apocalyptic, and Participationist. First elucidated by a scholarly essay, each perspective is then illuminated by three sermons expositing various passages from Paul’s magisterial letter to the Romans.
Coming from such leading figures as Richard Hays, James Dunn, Fleming Rutledge, and Tom Schreiner, these essays and sermons splendidly demonstrate how each perspective on Paul brings valuable insights for preaching on Romans.
[Table of Contents]
Introduction
Interpretive Perspectives on the Apostle Paul
1. Romans and the “Lutheran” Stephen Westerholm
2. Romans and the New Scot McKnight
3. Romans and the Apocalyptic Reading of Douglas A. Campbell
4. Romans and the Participationist Michael J. Gorman
Preaching Sermons
Reformational Perspective
5. Romans as Ecclesial Building Multiethnic Missional Michael F. Bird
6. God Justifies the Romans 4:1–8: Thomas R. Schreiner
7. The Transforming Reality of Justification by Romans 5:1–5: Carl R. Trueman
New Perspective
8. The Balance of Already/Not Romans 8:1–17: James D. G. Dunn
9. This Changes Romans 5:12–21: Tara Beth Leach
10. Pass the Peace by Romans 4:1–4, 13–17: Scot McKnight
Apocalyptic Perspective
11. Immortal Romans 1:16–17 and 5:12–14: Jason Micheli
12. In Celebration of Full Romans 3:21–24: Fleming Rutledge
13. Old Adam, New Adam; Old World, New World; Old You, New Romans 5:12–21: William H. Willimon
Participationist Perspective
14. Death Becomes Romans 6:1–14: Timothy G. Gombis
15. Made New by One Man’s Romans 5:12–19: Richard B. Hays
16. Breathing Romans 8:12–30: Suzanne Watts Henderson
Conclusion
17. Joseph B. Modica
Pauline scholarship is a minefield of differing schools of thought. Those who teach or preach on Paul can quickly get lost in the weeds of the various perspectives. How, then, can pastors today best preach Paul’s message?
Scot McKnight and Joseph B. Modica have assembled this stellar one-stop guide exploring four major interpretive perspectives on the apostle Reformational, New, Apocalyptic, and Participationist. First elucidated by a scholarly essay, each perspective is then illuminated by three sermons expositing various passages from Paul’s magisterial letter to the Romans.
Coming from such leading figures as Richard Hays, James Dunn, Fleming Rutledge, and Tom Schreiner, these essays and sermons splendidly demonstrate how each perspective on Paul brings valuable insights for preaching on Romans.
[Table of Contents]
Introduction
Interpretive Perspectives on the Apostle Paul
1. Romans and the “Lutheran” Stephen Westerholm
2. Romans and the New Scot McKnight
3. Romans and the Apocalyptic Reading of Douglas A. Campbell
4. Romans and the Participationist Michael J. Gorman
Preaching Sermons
Reformational Perspective
5. Romans as Ecclesial Building Multiethnic Missional Michael F. Bird
6. God Justifies the Romans 4:1–8: Thomas R. Schreiner
7. The Transforming Reality of Justification by Romans 5:1–5: Carl R. Trueman
New Perspective
8. The Balance of Already/Not Romans 8:1–17: James D. G. Dunn
9. This Changes Romans 5:12–21: Tara Beth Leach
10. Pass the Peace by Romans 4:1–4, 13–17: Scot McKnight
Apocalyptic Perspective
11. Immortal Romans 1:16–17 and 5:12–14: Jason Micheli
12. In Celebration of Full Romans 3:21–24: Fleming Rutledge
13. Old Adam, New Adam; Old World, New World; Old You, New Romans 5:12–21: William H. Willimon
Participationist Perspective
14. Death Becomes Romans 6:1–14: Timothy G. Gombis
15. Made New by One Man’s Romans 5:12–19: Richard B. Hays
16. Breathing Romans 8:12–30: Suzanne Watts Henderson
Conclusion
17. Joseph B. Modica
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 19, 2019
35 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Scot McKnight
210 books542 followersScot McKnight is a recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. McKnight, author or editor of forty books, is the Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lombard, IL. Dr. McKnight has given interviews on radios across the nation, has appeared on television, and is regularly speaks at local churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries in the USA and abroad. Dr. McKnight obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham (1986).
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 26, 2019
Paul is an intriguing person. He is loved and hated within the Christian community. He's often accused of messing up what Jesus began, even if the earliest Christian writings come from Paul. I find myself somewhat ambivalent about Paul. I like a lot of what I read, but he does say things that cause me head aches and heart aches. Yet, his letters form a significant portion of the New Testament and as a preacher who seeks to root his preaching in Scripture I have to attend to Paul. That includes the good, the bad, and the ugly.
In recent years Paul has undergone significant re-evaluation. There are these new perspectives on Paul that have emerged since I was in college and seminary. I've read some but not in depth on these new approaches. I like a lot of what I read, and I feel as if Paul has been increasingly freed from the strictures imposed by older perspectives that assume that the core message is justification by faith. We're discovering that Paul is a lot more complex than we previously thought. That makes for better preaching (at least that would seem to be true in my estimation).
This particular book edited by Scot McKnight and Joseph Modica addresses the concerns of the preacher who comes to Paul's letter to the Romans. What we learn here, of course, can be applied elsewhere. The editors note that "the interpretation of the Letter to the Romans in particular is contested to such an extent that many pastors have become afraid to preach through Romans." (p. xi). I did a quick glance, and for those of us who are lectionary preachers, Romans does figure prominently in Year A.
The book is composed of two parts. Part One invites us to consider four perspectives on Paul. Part Two offers a set of sermons illustrating each of the four perspectives. If I have one major criticism of the project, which I like, is that with two exceptions all of the contributors are male, and as far as I can tell all are white. A bit more diversity would have been appreciated.
In Part One, we're offered four perspectives on Romans, beginning with Stephen Westerholm's "Romans and the 'Lutheran' Paul." This is our traditional Reformation version that focuses on human sin, atonement, and "justification by grace through faith" as the core message of Paul. If you're my age, you've heard this message preached in a Protestant church. This is sort of the baseline for the conversation. The other three perspectives offer alternatives, all of which I found more appealing. As noted in the concluding chapter, all three of these alternatives are in some way rooted in the changing dynamics of our understanding of Paul's relationship to Judaism, especially as laid out by E.P. Sanders. The New Perspective, which is described by Scot McKnight, is often linked to people like James D.G. Dunn and N.T. Wright, builds off of Sanders. In this perspective Judaism is defined by covenant and thus is not a works-based religion. Thus, Paul is not focused on over-throwing Jewish works, but rather on creating a new community in Christ. There is much more here, but the key is a move toward a new understanding of the relationship to Judaism. I like what I see, but were not finished.
The next chapter, by Douglas Campbell, takes us further, by positing an apocalyptic reading of Paul. I found this chapter most intriguing because I've become convinced, largely through reading 1 Corinthians, that Paul has a deeply apocalyptic/eschatological vision. The key here is that Jesus is the criterion of truth. He offers a lens through which to read reality. Finally, there is the Participationist model, as described by Michael Gorman. Gorman offers this perspective not as an alternative to the other three, but as a complement, suggesting that the key to Paul is found in the prepositions used regarding Jesus. That is we need to look at how Paul speaks of being "in Christ" and "with Christ." Such is the key to understanding and preaching.
With these perspectives laid out for us (in much more detail that I can here), we turn to Part Two, where we find four sets of sermons, each illustrating the perspectives previously introduced. Personally, I found the sermons in the apocalyptic section most interesting. The first set, illustrating the "Lutheran" Paul was very traditional and doctrinal in nature. The other three sets are more relational, even when they are rather doctrinal.
This is a helpful book for those who take up Romans in their preaching. For lectionary preachers (RCL), that's Year A. So, if you're planning on preaching Romans during Year A, this is a good book to have. What is also helpful is to have in one place four primary perspectives detailed. Joseph Modica, in his closing chapter, notes that there more than four perspectives, but these are the most common. Again, he notes that the three newer perspectives all work off E.P. Sanders work on the relationship of Paul and Judaism. Re-imagining that relationship is very important to our understanding of Paul, but also of the way preach in general.
Over all, this a helpful book that I can heartily recommend. I only wish, as stated above, the contributors were more diverse. I know that Scot McKnight is strongly supportive of inclusion of women and persons of color in these kinds of conversations, which is why I'm a bit disappointed. Perhaps the next volume of similar essays will be more diverse in participation (as we participate "in Christ.").
In recent years Paul has undergone significant re-evaluation. There are these new perspectives on Paul that have emerged since I was in college and seminary. I've read some but not in depth on these new approaches. I like a lot of what I read, and I feel as if Paul has been increasingly freed from the strictures imposed by older perspectives that assume that the core message is justification by faith. We're discovering that Paul is a lot more complex than we previously thought. That makes for better preaching (at least that would seem to be true in my estimation).
This particular book edited by Scot McKnight and Joseph Modica addresses the concerns of the preacher who comes to Paul's letter to the Romans. What we learn here, of course, can be applied elsewhere. The editors note that "the interpretation of the Letter to the Romans in particular is contested to such an extent that many pastors have become afraid to preach through Romans." (p. xi). I did a quick glance, and for those of us who are lectionary preachers, Romans does figure prominently in Year A.
The book is composed of two parts. Part One invites us to consider four perspectives on Paul. Part Two offers a set of sermons illustrating each of the four perspectives. If I have one major criticism of the project, which I like, is that with two exceptions all of the contributors are male, and as far as I can tell all are white. A bit more diversity would have been appreciated.
In Part One, we're offered four perspectives on Romans, beginning with Stephen Westerholm's "Romans and the 'Lutheran' Paul." This is our traditional Reformation version that focuses on human sin, atonement, and "justification by grace through faith" as the core message of Paul. If you're my age, you've heard this message preached in a Protestant church. This is sort of the baseline for the conversation. The other three perspectives offer alternatives, all of which I found more appealing. As noted in the concluding chapter, all three of these alternatives are in some way rooted in the changing dynamics of our understanding of Paul's relationship to Judaism, especially as laid out by E.P. Sanders. The New Perspective, which is described by Scot McKnight, is often linked to people like James D.G. Dunn and N.T. Wright, builds off of Sanders. In this perspective Judaism is defined by covenant and thus is not a works-based religion. Thus, Paul is not focused on over-throwing Jewish works, but rather on creating a new community in Christ. There is much more here, but the key is a move toward a new understanding of the relationship to Judaism. I like what I see, but were not finished.
The next chapter, by Douglas Campbell, takes us further, by positing an apocalyptic reading of Paul. I found this chapter most intriguing because I've become convinced, largely through reading 1 Corinthians, that Paul has a deeply apocalyptic/eschatological vision. The key here is that Jesus is the criterion of truth. He offers a lens through which to read reality. Finally, there is the Participationist model, as described by Michael Gorman. Gorman offers this perspective not as an alternative to the other three, but as a complement, suggesting that the key to Paul is found in the prepositions used regarding Jesus. That is we need to look at how Paul speaks of being "in Christ" and "with Christ." Such is the key to understanding and preaching.
With these perspectives laid out for us (in much more detail that I can here), we turn to Part Two, where we find four sets of sermons, each illustrating the perspectives previously introduced. Personally, I found the sermons in the apocalyptic section most interesting. The first set, illustrating the "Lutheran" Paul was very traditional and doctrinal in nature. The other three sets are more relational, even when they are rather doctrinal.
This is a helpful book for those who take up Romans in their preaching. For lectionary preachers (RCL), that's Year A. So, if you're planning on preaching Romans during Year A, this is a good book to have. What is also helpful is to have in one place four primary perspectives detailed. Joseph Modica, in his closing chapter, notes that there more than four perspectives, but these are the most common. Again, he notes that the three newer perspectives all work off E.P. Sanders work on the relationship of Paul and Judaism. Re-imagining that relationship is very important to our understanding of Paul, but also of the way preach in general.
Over all, this a helpful book that I can heartily recommend. I only wish, as stated above, the contributors were more diverse. I know that Scot McKnight is strongly supportive of inclusion of women and persons of color in these kinds of conversations, which is why I'm a bit disappointed. Perhaps the next volume of similar essays will be more diverse in participation (as we participate "in Christ.").
September 30, 2025
Åh vad bra! Det tredje perspektivet, det apokalyptiska, satte verkligen ord på hur jag vill tolka Paulus (och typ alla texter) inför predikningar.
December 21, 2019
As an expository preacher for whom biblical studies is somewhat of a hobby, I purchased Preaching Romans to familiarize myself with the latest scholarly perspectives on Paul’s writings. Each of the four major perspectives (reformational, new, apocalyptic, participationist) is succinctly explained in an essay by a leading scholar. Each essay then provides an overview/reading of Romans from that perspective. Following the essays, three sample sermons are offered for each perspective, illustrating how one might preach from that perspective. This format allows readers to easily navigate to the material that most interests them. The purpose of this book is more to explain and demonstrate than to persuade. Unlike a lot of “four views on...” books, the essays don’t focus on critiquing the other perspectives or marshaling arguments as to why their view is superior to the others. The authors also do not follow up with responses or rebuttals to one another’s arguments.
This book helped me to understand each perspective fairly quickly, though some essays were more clearly written than others. For those interested in digging deeper, additional readings are also provided. Those already familiar with the arguments and currents of Pauline scholarship will probably not glean much from this volume, and those just looking for ideas to improve their next sermon series on Romans may be more confused than helped. However, if you want to be challenged to look at Romans in ways you have not considered before, you may find this book to be a stimulating and provocative read.
This book helped me to understand each perspective fairly quickly, though some essays were more clearly written than others. For those interested in digging deeper, additional readings are also provided. Those already familiar with the arguments and currents of Pauline scholarship will probably not glean much from this volume, and those just looking for ideas to improve their next sermon series on Romans may be more confused than helped. However, if you want to be challenged to look at Romans in ways you have not considered before, you may find this book to be a stimulating and provocative read.
July 10, 2019
A helpful introduction (for some) to four perspectives on Paul: Reformed, New Perspective, Apocalyptic, and Participationist. More valuable is the sermons in the back given from preachers who hold the four perspectives, showing how someone from each would preach Romans through their unique view points.
December 28, 2019
Four essays are provided on various theological perspectives on the interpretation of Romans. For those who appreciate helpful summaries of theological systems, the essays are hekpful. Sermons provided on each perspective varied in appeal; the best, in my opinion, by those who preach a lot and address particular congregations.
Read
August 22, 2019Read in preparation for teaching the Epistle to the Romans in Sunday School class
July 26, 2020
The first few chapters went over my head.
December 20, 2022
A great and practical introduction to the conversation on Perspectives on Paul. Explains the perspective and gives a sermon that preaches out of that hermeneutic from the book of Romans.
October 15, 2021
This book is designed to help preachers and interested Christians wrestle with Romans. It seeks to make accessible some of key debates around this letter and bring clarity to the main interpretative options. This is what Part I does, by presenting four different perspectives on Romans: the Lutheran Perspective, the New Perspective, the apocalyptic Perspective and the Participationist Perspective. Part II follows up with a collection of sermons that attempts to show how different perspectives would preach differently (in some cases the same) passages in Romans.
A good resource for teaching and preaching Romans. I read it alongside Barclay's Paul & the Power of Grace.
A good resource for teaching and preaching Romans. I read it alongside Barclay's Paul & the Power of Grace.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews