The Adult Forum meets on Sundays at 9:00am in Wilkinson Hall
St. Paul’s Adult Forum
Spring 2019
Exploring Paul’s Letter to the Romans
Schedule
Date Chapters to be discussed on that date
April 28 Introduction to the context of Romans
May 5 Chapters 1 – 4
May 12 Chapters 5 – 8
May 19 Chapters 9 – 11
May 26 No class
June 2 Chapters 12 – 14
June 9 Chapters 15 – 16
Context of Romans:
Remember that Paul was a Jewish Pharisee from Tarsus (eastern Turkey) whose experience of the resurrected Christ led him to spread Christianity throughout the Roman Empire, focusing his efforts on Gentiles.
Paul likely wrote this letter in the mid- to late- 50s. Unlike his other epistles in the New Testament, this letter was written to a congregation (or group of congregations) that he had never visited. Most scholars believe he wrote this letter from Corinth, and he was planning to visit Rome and then go on to Spain.
The Christian community in Rome was comprised of a combination of Jews and Gentiles, and there seems to have been some tension between those two groups. It may have also been the case that some Jews had been exiled under the emperor Claudius, and their return led to additional tensions in the church, which had become predominantly Gentile. This tension is certainly a focus in this letter.
In case you are interested, here is a 14-minute video of an interview about Romans 1 – 3 between two professors at Yale Divinity School: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvtth_GkYc8
St. Paul’s Adult Forum
Spring 2019
Exploring Paul’s Letter to the Romans
Chapters 1 – 4
Paul’s epistles follow the standard format of letters in ancient times, but he adds a Christian perspective. The letters include a salutation, a thanksgiving, the main body of the letter, moral exhortations, and a closing greeting. The thanksgiving often offers a key to the themes and concerns of the letter as a whole.
The chapters we read for today include the salutation (1:1-7), thanksgiving (1:8-17), and then the start of the body of the letter.
Salutation (1:1-7)
How does Paul identify himself? Why do you think he goes into this detail?
Thanksgiving (1:8-17)
The rest of chapter 1 as well as 2 – 3 establish humanity’s sinfulness and need for forgiveness, whether Jew (under the law) or Gentile (outside the law).
Chapter 4 focuses on the example of Abraham, who was justified with God because of faith, before the law even existed. Why is this an important example for Paul?
For next week: Read Ch. 5 – 8
Here are links to more of the conversations from Yale Divinity School on these chapters
Chapter 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v303IFNMp0
Chapter 6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCLTdGdrdDc
Chapters 7 – 8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn3Zqx2Vt0U
Spring 2019
Exploring Paul’s Letter to the Romans
Schedule
Date Chapters to be discussed on that date
April 28 Introduction to the context of Romans
May 5 Chapters 1 – 4
May 12 Chapters 5 – 8
May 19 Chapters 9 – 11
May 26 No class
June 2 Chapters 12 – 14
June 9 Chapters 15 – 16
Context of Romans:
Remember that Paul was a Jewish Pharisee from Tarsus (eastern Turkey) whose experience of the resurrected Christ led him to spread Christianity throughout the Roman Empire, focusing his efforts on Gentiles.
Paul likely wrote this letter in the mid- to late- 50s. Unlike his other epistles in the New Testament, this letter was written to a congregation (or group of congregations) that he had never visited. Most scholars believe he wrote this letter from Corinth, and he was planning to visit Rome and then go on to Spain.
The Christian community in Rome was comprised of a combination of Jews and Gentiles, and there seems to have been some tension between those two groups. It may have also been the case that some Jews had been exiled under the emperor Claudius, and their return led to additional tensions in the church, which had become predominantly Gentile. This tension is certainly a focus in this letter.
In case you are interested, here is a 14-minute video of an interview about Romans 1 – 3 between two professors at Yale Divinity School: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvtth_GkYc8
St. Paul’s Adult Forum
Spring 2019
Exploring Paul’s Letter to the Romans
Chapters 1 – 4
Paul’s epistles follow the standard format of letters in ancient times, but he adds a Christian perspective. The letters include a salutation, a thanksgiving, the main body of the letter, moral exhortations, and a closing greeting. The thanksgiving often offers a key to the themes and concerns of the letter as a whole.
The chapters we read for today include the salutation (1:1-7), thanksgiving (1:8-17), and then the start of the body of the letter.
Salutation (1:1-7)
How does Paul identify himself? Why do you think he goes into this detail?
Thanksgiving (1:8-17)
- What is the first thing Paul is thankful for?
- What do we learn about his plans?
- vv. 16-17 are often described as the “thesis” of the letter – let’s spend some time examining what these verses mean
The rest of chapter 1 as well as 2 – 3 establish humanity’s sinfulness and need for forgiveness, whether Jew (under the law) or Gentile (outside the law).
- Do you see how Paul is trying to include both Jews and Gentiles without denigrating the law? Do you think he is successful?
- What passages do you find confusing?
Chapter 4 focuses on the example of Abraham, who was justified with God because of faith, before the law even existed. Why is this an important example for Paul?
For next week: Read Ch. 5 – 8
Here are links to more of the conversations from Yale Divinity School on these chapters
Chapter 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v303IFNMp0
Chapter 6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCLTdGdrdDc
Chapters 7 – 8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn3Zqx2Vt0U