{"product_id":"reading-romans-backwards-a-gospel-of-peace-in-the-midst-of-empire-paperback-softback-9781481308786","title":"Reading Romans Backwards; A Gospel of Peace in the Midst of Empire (Paperback \/ softback) 9781481308786","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eReading Romans Backwards\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cfont size=\"5\"\u003eA Gospel of Peace in the Midst of Empire\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eScot McKnight (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781481308786\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePaperback \/ softback, published 15 August 2021\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e236 pages\u003cbr\u003e21.5 x 13.9 x 1.3 cm, 0.333 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eTo read Romans from beginning to end, from letter opening to final doxology, is to retrace the steps of Paul. To read Romans front to back was what Paul certainly intended. But to read Romans forward may have kept the full message of Romans from being perceived. Reading forward has led readers to classify Romans as abstract and systematic theology, as a letter unstained by real pastoral concerns.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut what if a different strategy were adopted? Could it be that the secret to understanding the relationship between theology and life, the key to unlocking Romans, is to begin at the letter's end? Scot McKnight does exactly this in  \u003ci\u003eReading Romans Backwards\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMcKnight begins with Romans 12–16, foregrounding the problems that beleaguered the house churches in Rome. Beginning with the end places readers right in the middle of a community deeply divided between the strong and the weak, each side dug in on their position. The strong assert social power and privilege, while the weak claim an elected advantage in Israel's history. Continuing to work in reverse, McKnight unpacks the big themes of Romans 9–11-God's unfailing, but always surprising, purposes and the future of Israel-to reveal Paul's specific and pastoral message for both the weak and the strong in Rome. Finally, McKnight shows how the widely regarded \"universal\" sinfulness of Romans 1-4, which is so often read as simply an abstract soteriological scheme, applies to a particular rhetorical character's sinfulness and has a polemical challenge. Romans 5-8 equally levels the ground with the assertion that both groups, once trapped in a world controlled by sin, flesh, and systemic evil, can now live a life in the Spirit. In Paul's letter, no one gets off the hook but everyone is offered God's grace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003ci\u003eReading Romans Backwards\u003c\/i\u003e places lived theology in the front room of every Roman house church. It focuses all of Romans-Paul's apostleship, God's faithfulness, and Christ's transformation of humanity-on achieving grace and peace among all people, both strong and weak. McKnight shows that Paul's letter to the Romans offers a sustained lesson on peace, teaching applicable to all divided churches, ancient or modern.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntroduction: Lived Theology\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePart One\u003c\/b\u003e: A Community Needing Peace\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRomans 12–\u003cbr\u003e16\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e1. Phoebe—\u003cbr\u003eThe Face of Romans\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e2. The Greetings and the House Churches of Rome\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e3. Strong and Weak\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e4. Zealotry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e5. Christoformity—\u003cbr\u003ePaul'\u003cbr\u003es Vision for a Lived Theology of Peace\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e6. Christoformity Is Embodied God Orientation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e7. Christoformity Is Embodied Body-of-Christ Orientation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e8. Christoformity Is Public Orientation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e9. Know the Time Is Now\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePart Two\u003c\/b\u003e: A Narrative Leading to Peace\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRomans 9–\u003cbr\u003e11\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e10. Where We'\u003cbr\u003eve Been, Where We Are, Where We'\u003cbr\u003ere Headed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e11. To the Weak\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e12. To the Strong\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePart Three\u003c\/b\u003e: A Torah That Disrupts Peace\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRomans 1–\u003cbr\u003e4\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e13. The Opening to the Letter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e14. The Rhetoric of Romans 1–\u003cbr\u003e2\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e15. Reading Romans 2 after Romans 1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e16. The First Question—\u003cbr\u003eAdvantage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e17. The Second Question—\u003cbr\u003eBoasting in Advantage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e18. The Third Question—\u003cbr\u003eAbraham, Faith, and Advantage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePart Four\u003c\/b\u003e: A Spirit Creating Peace\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRomans 5–\u003cbr\u003e8\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e19. All\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e20. You and We\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e§\u003cbr\u003e21. I\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConclusion: Reading Romans Forwards, in Brief \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n","brand":"Baylor University Press","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52670800691480,"sku":"9781481308786","price":16.85,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/reading-romans-backwards-a-gospel-of-peace-in-the-midst-of-empire-paperback-softback-9781481308786","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}