The Relationship Between Christian Doctrine And Church Fellowship
Dunn said about The Letter to the Romans, “It is most important as being the first well-developed theological statement by a Christian theologian which has come down to us, and one which has had incalculable influence on the framing of Christian theology ever since--arguably the single most important work of Christian theology ever written.” 1 Christianity in Rome likely began in the Jewish synagogues. Roman gentiles came into the church, but in 49 A.D. Jews were expelled from Rome. When Jewish Christians began to return to Rome there was likely tension between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians regarding orthopraxy (right action). 2 It is obvious that Paul, in writing his theological statement that we call Romans had many purposes for writing it, but one of those purposes was to heal either potential or real division in the churches in Rome between Jewish and Gentile Christians. 3 Therefore, the apostle begins the letter after a long greeting with a thematic statem