Romans
Paul’s letter to the Romans is arguably the most studied, preached, and debated book of the biblical canon. From the ‘righteousness of God’ to the ‘wretched man’, and ‘all Israel shall be saved’, Christians have always wrestled with this book. Great figures in church history like Augustine, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and Karl Barth have all resourced their theological energies from a fresh encounter with Romans.
This subject explores the occasion, purpose, and key themes of Romans as well as undertaking an exegesis of key chapters in Romans 1–8. It sets out the major interpretive options for understanding the letter and maps out a way through the maze of exegetical issues. This subject will equip you to understand and to explain the theological depth and practical breadth of the most magnificent Christian letter ever written.
| Mode |
Online |
On-campus |
| Workload |
One semester, 12 credit points |
One semester, 12 credit points |
| Status |
Elective |
Elective |
| Subject Code |
NT026 (English)
NT027 (Greek) |
NT026 (English)
NT027 (Greek) |
| Prerequisites |
None |
None |
| Teacher |
Michael Bird |
Brian Rosner |
Content
1. Introduction and theology
- The themes and purpose(s) of Romans in the context of the Pauline mission
- The major issues in the contemporary study of the book of Romans (including the New Perspective)
- The bearing of contemporary approaches to Pauline theology on the interpretation of Romans
2. The text of Romans
- Exegesis of the English text of Romans 1-4, 5-7, 12, 14-15
- Advance preparation is expected for both theology and exegesis lectures.
Study Expectations
In this subject, you can expect to be guided through a variety of weekly learning activities which are designed to develop your understanding of and skills in the themes and passages covered by the syllabus. For online students, these usually include watching videos, reading, completing set learning tasks and contributing to online seminars and interacting with your peers. Allow 10-12 hours study time per week for this advanced subject.
