An Invitation to Linger with the Gospel according to Paul (Theological Exploration for the Church Catholic)

“When in Rome” is a well-worn phrase that encapsulates the tourist experience. Similarly, it reflects how most people engage with Paul’s letters—fleeting moments with worthwhile highlights. As a metaphor for the book of Romans, Gaventa’s work “When in Romans” invites readers to venture off the beaten path, making Romans accessible to new audiences without undermining the complexity of the letters.
Gaventa begins by introducing the cosmic vision of conception, pushing back against an individualized view of God’s liberation for a universal freedom against spiritual bondage. Sin and death are portrayed as supra-human captors, and salvation is defined by their defeat through Jesus Christ. In the same way, Gaventa moves away from individualizing theology by reframing Abraham. In Gaventa’s eyes, he acts not as a model of personal character, but as an example of God’s faithfulness.
The metaphor of Abraham further leads into a discussion of Paul’s ethics, reframing its previous individual framework. Instead, Gaventa describes a theocentric ethic that is rooted in the Gospel’s cosmic purposes. The book concludes by describing Paul’s “universal horizon,” calling for a communal church marked by gentleness and humility that reflects God’s universal grace.
Overall, “When in Romans” presents Gaventa’s conception of Paul’s vision, encouraging deeper engagement with his letters and offering a fresh perspective for new audiences.
Reviews and Endorsements of this publication include:
“Using contemporary cultural illustrations from sources as varied as Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life and Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Land of Hope and Dreams,’ Beverly Roberts Gaventa delightfully clarifies Paul’s complex message in Romans. In beautifully written prose that is as compellingly clear for the novice as it is exegetically convincing for the scholar, Gaventa reminds us of the cosmic, liberative power of Paul’s message. Here is that book of uncommon quality: easily accessible and utterly indispensable. Reading Romans today? Start here.”
-Brian Blount, Union Presbyterian Seminary
“This is a book the church has long needed. Professor Gaventa pulls back the thin veneer of familiarity to introduce us to the high drama in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Her writing is both scholarly and accessible, ancient and contemporary, theological and pastoral.”
-M. Craig Barnes, Princeton Theological Seminary
“From the beginning of the Christian era until the present day, Paul’s Letter to the Romans has been the source of revolutionary rethinking. Nowhere do we come closer to the radical heart of the gospel. The universal and cosmic notes of the Pauline symphony are sounded in this book by one of our most esteemed interpreters of the apostle’s letters. Beverly Gaventa has written a book for ordinary parish clergy and laypeople that is fun to read and full of spicy references to popular culture, and that will jolt readers into a new appreciation for the great apostle and his unique place in the history of Christian theology.”
-Fleming Rutledge, author of Not Ashamed of the Gospel: Sermons on Romans and The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ
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