Thomas Vallianippuram is a priest of the archdiocese of Changanassery. He holds three doctorates in biblical theology, the first in the Gospel of John, the second in Prophet Jeremiah and the third in St Paul. This book is the fruit of his research in the Pauline doctrine of righteousness of God in the Letter to the Romans. At present he serves as the spiritual director and the teacher of Scripture in Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kunnoth, Kerala. He has published 3 books a) New Society in John's Gospel, b) Jeremiah as a Prophet of Hope amidst Calamity: An Exegetico-theological Study of Jeremiah 30-31 and c) Jeremiah: A Prophet of the Modern World.
The theme of ""righteousness"" (dikaiosyne) is arguably one of the most prominent themes in the Scripture. Rooted in the Jewish covenantal theology and its religious traditions, this polyvalent theme underlines divine and human activity in a communitarian context with a relational dimension. In the New Testament books, the theme of righteousness occupies a significant place in the Pauline Letters, especially in the Letter to the Romans which is not only the longest of the NT letters but it is also one of the most studied and commented upon. The present work, titled, Righteousness of God in Paul's Letter to the Romans: A Rhetorico-Exegetico-Theological Study of Romans 3:21-31 by Thomas Vallianippuram deftly discusses this relevant theme with fresh eyes and identifies clearly and coherently the fundamental continuity and radical discontinuity from its Old Testament usage which has an inclusive and universal scope for Paul and his audience.
In this work, Vallianippuram demonstrates an adequate mastery of doctoral method as well as critical thinking; a well-balanced and judicious scholarship, proficiency of research and writing skills, exercise of good logic and commendable evaluative abilities. The work is methodologically consistent which employs the rhetorical criticism with a synchronic approach whose usefulness for the exegesis and understanding the Pauline theology has gained a significant traction among the scholars in the past decades. It contains six chapters which are well-structured and clearly laid out, appropriate status quaestionis, uninterrupted exegetical analysis, helpful theological synthesis and contextual application of the theme of righteousness. Furthermore, the author makes an inter-textual study from a thematic point of view in chapter four that offers the Jewish background of the Pauline doctrine of righteousness of God from the Old Testament as well as relevant texts of righteousness in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Overall, it offers a good use of the careful rhetorical analysis, focusing on the textual, lexical, grammatical and syntactical issues in Rom 3:21-31, a theological synthesis and a contextual application of the Pauline doctrine of the righteousness of God, further illustrated by a number of interviews.
In my judgment, Vallianippuram's substantive and engaging research makes a useful and relevant contribution to the Pauline studies especially in favour of the universal salvation rather than individual one. In the inter-religious context of India, the present study has an inter-denominational and an inter-ecclesial value as the researcher has taken up some of the doctrinal issues related to the ecumenical dialogue that have been a ""thorn in the flesh"" (a Pauline expression!) and has succeeded in offering to his readers a satisfactory and adequate understanding from a scriptural point of view which is in line with the recent ecclesial documents that suggest a common consensus. While doing so, the author does not shy away from asking hard and contentious questions on righteousness which has been advanced even more rigorously by the non-Catholic scholarship.
Vallianippuram's valuable research on Righteousness of God in Paul's Letter to the Romans: A Rhetorico-Exegetico-Theological Study of Romans 3:21-31 is a gift to the Universal Church in general and to the Indian Church in particular who has made a useful contribution to the concept of righteousness which is not to be ""weaponized"" for inter-denominational conflicts among Christians but to promote inclusion, interaction, and inter-connectedness.
Since the time of the Reformation, the theme Righteousness of God as contained in the Epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians, was treated the most important and central theological Pauline theme In the contemporary times too, it is rightly considered one of the most important themes that provide basic orientation to understanding Pauline theology. Righteousness of God (or Justification by Faith) is a theme by which Paul is systematically reflecting on the redemptive, universally significant Christ Event, simultaneously relating it to the Old Testament understanding of justification. This theme has attracted thousands of biblical scholars to interpret and understand it in their own contexts as the author of this book also does.
This book entitled Righteousness of God in Paul's Letter to the Romans: A Rhetorico-exegetico theological Study of Romans 3:21-31 is a unique contribution in the field of Pauline studies. Here the author stresses Pauline view of universal salvation. The author argues that Paul uses Righteousness of God as his rhetorical tool to prove his ideal of inclusive salvation, comprising both Jews and Gentiles and visualizes a united Roman Church, disdaining all kinds of divisions, living in perfect solidarity. Such a united church will be an effective agent for the evangelization of the western part of the Roman Empire. The author also believes that Paul's persuasive speech in the form of a Letter has abiding relevance in the contemporary disjointed church and fragmented world.
This book contains a clear presentation of the serious and systematic study the author has made out of his personal interest and commitment. It begins with the diverse ways of understanding the theme Righteousness of God and goes on to analyze Rom 3:21-31 which contains the theme in a nutshell and identifies this text as an independent, coherent rhetorical unit. It is followed by a detailed, thorough study of the original Greek text in its various nuances and implications. Then the study moves to reviewing the related terminology in the Old Testament and in the Dead Sea Scrolls and shows how while being rooted in the Jewish soil, Paul at the same time transcends Jewish exclusivism. In the next step the author makes a systematic reflection on the theology of Righteousness of God referring not only to Romans and other Pauline Epistles, but also to the Epistle of James and the Gospel of Matthew before coming to the application of the theme to the Indian ecumenical and interreligious context.
Having gone through the book one gets the satisfaction of having journeyed, with the same enthusiasm of Paul, into understanding the significance of the Christ event for one's Christian life. My hearty congratulations to the author for having given us a scientifically studied and scholarly treatise on one of the most important theological themes of Paul which is unquestionably the fruit of his hard work and toil.
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