I didn't have to work on Friday so I went to some lectures at the Queensland Theological College. Visiting Professor Robert Jewett presented a day seminar on 'Reasons for Romans'. It was very interesting.
Prof. RJ thinks that Romans is a situational letter drumming up support for Paul's mission to Spain. He argues that the epistle centers around the ideas of glory and shame, with social prejudice being the top thing on Paul's mind. The Spaniards were seen by Romans as barbarians, a shameful race of people. In ministering to them, Paul couldn't follow his usual evangelistic strategy of starting in the synagogue with the God fearers, because there weren't any God fearers in Spain. So Paul had to convince the Romans to help him out. There were many Spaniards living in Rome - if they could be converted and used as a stepping stone to the rest of Spain the country could be reached in that way. Problem was that the Xns in Rome had no time for barbarians. So Paul had to teach them about the welcome to all that's present in the gospel.
Anyone heard this stuff before? I hadn't. Theologically, Professor Jewett is a good few steps further to the left than me. I don't agree with many things he said - he really downplayed the importance of the jew-gentile thing. Social prejudice is the bigger issue. The problem with the law is not that it can't save, but that it creates distinctions between people and increases boasting and covetousness - I envy you because you have a better law status than me. And he had a completely different interpretation of Romans 7...
Anyway, was an interesting thing to go to. I'd like to think more about the glory/shame motif in Romans.
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