Romans: A Letter That Makes Sense of Life

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In Romans, Paul is clearly concerned that the house churches in Rome don’t splinter into divisions and become suspicious of each other. The whole letter is designed to show that we are united through the gospel, even if we disagree on some secondary matters. I have found teaching through Romans increases unity. It helps us talk through differences in a more constructive way and galvanises people around a shared passion for mission. On all my travels, if I had the Gospels, Paul’s letter to the Romans and Andrew Ollerton’s book I would need nothing else! ― Sir David Suchet This is an enlightening and engaging guide to the highest peak in the mountain range of new testament letters. Andrew Ollerton makes difficult paths seem easy, as he takes us on this tour. We get insights into the cultural setting of the Bible, as well as how we should apply it to life today. ― Peter Williams, Principal, Tyndale House On all my travels, if I had the Gospels, Paul's letter to the Romans and Andrew Ollerton's book I would need nothing else!' ST AUGUSTINE browsing in fourth-century Algeria; Luther studying in 16th-century Germany; Wesley listening in 18th-century London — many transformative moments in church history have been sparked by an encounter with St Paul’s Letter to the Romans.

Romans is the Himalayas of the Bible and Andrew Ollerton is your sure-footed guide. Read this one slowly, and with your Bible open; it will do you so much good. ― Glen Scrivener, author of The Air We Breathe Since then, I have taught through Romans many times and seen what it can do. Here’s a few ‘TripAdvisor’ style comments from everyday Christians: It really helps to give people a route map through Romans, so they don’t feel lost and confused in the more detailed sections. I have developed the mountain metaphor as a visual way of imagining the whole letter: from the valley of sin [Romans 1-3], up to mountaineering the crux section of salvation [Romans 3-4], along the ridge of freedom [Romans 5-8] to the summit of hope [Romans 8-11). Then, ‘in view of God’s mercy’ we descend into more practical teaching [Romans 12-16]. Using this approach, or something similar, means each passage is framed by the whole and the series takes on a sense of adventure. Keep the main thing the main thing On Paul’s apparent citing of homosexual sex as emblematic of sin in Romans 1, Ollerton says that the issues are beyond the scope of his book. But he adds that the historic teaching of the Church is that gay sex contradicts the divine pattern, and his footnotes point to resources along this line. It is hard not to imagine young adults in a Romans study group dropping their digestives in their tea and exclaiming, “Whoa! Hang on a minute. . .”So, why not give it a try? Here’s some tips that I develop further in my new book, Romans: A letter that makes sense of life. Start at the end

Readers will not only come away with a greater understanding of Romans, but as invigorated disciples, equipped for the adventure of life and faith, and emboldened to share the Gospel with others. Andrew Ollerton is author of the Bible Society’s Bible Course. Now comes his popular-level exposition of Romans, a companion book to the new online Romans Course from the same stable.

Book reviews

There is perhaps no more urgent task for today’s church than to re-engage Christians with the story of Scripture, and Andrew Ollerton has a wonderful gift of doing just that. Read this book and you will re-discover the riches of the gospel and the grandeur of the story we are all invited to be part of. ― Justin Brierley, Apologetics and Theology editor, Premier

St Paul’s Romans is one of the most important books of the Bible, but not the easiest. Andrew Ollerton has a gift for not only communicating it accessibly but also showing its deep and practical relevance to life now. ― David F. Ford, Emeritus Regius Professor of Divinity, University of CambridgeOn all my travels, if I had the Gospels, Paul’s letter to the Romans and Andrew Ollerton’s book I would need nothing else!’ Sir David Suchet You don't have to be a Christian to read this book! When I read St Paul's letter to the Romans in a hotel room in 1986 I was not a Christian, but when I had finished reading it I felt compelled to become one! Having read Andrew Ollerton's most wonderful ‘guide book’, I have been able to revisit this extraordinary letter in such a new and refreshing way. On all my travels, if all I had in my bag were the four Gospels, Paul's letter to the Romans and Andrew Ollerton's book, I would be tempted to feel that I would need nothing else!’– Sir David Suchet It's been said that if the New Testament were the Himalayas, Paul's Epistle to the Romans would be Mount Everest. The chapters of this book therefore imagine the contents of the letter as a great mountain landscape - complex, challenging but highly rewarding. Together, we will take on the challenge of ascending to the summit, taking in the view and then descending to put it into practice on the other side. It’s been said that if the New Testament were the Himalayas, Paul’s Epistle to the Romans would be Mount Everest. The chapters of this book therefore imagine the contents of the letter as a great mountain landscape – complex, challenging but highly rewarding. Together, we will take on the challenge of ascending to the summit, taking in the view and then descending to put it into practice on the other side.