Romans 5-8: Soteriology

How do you help different groups of people with different ways of living, imagine and ultimately desire, life together? This is the rhetorical task of Paul in Romans. The revelation of Jesus as messiah leads Paul to reimagine the scriptures, people groups, salvation, and community. Unfortunately, since the medieval age and Luther’s focus on individual salvation, Romans has often been used to divide people and to debase those who do not believe specific precepts. In this sermon series, we will examine Paul’s provocative attempt to knock down walls of hostility in Jesus’ name. Furthermore, we will follow in Paul’s footsteps to consider how the messiah, as revealed through Jesus, helps us to reimagine and ultimately desire life together in a world rife with difference.