One of the best-kept secrets of the modern scholarly world and arguably one of the most overlooked but brilliant New Testament interpreters of the twentieth century, Adolf Schlatter was a prolific, controversial, individualistic, iconoclastic, and theological luminary whose academic career spanned nearly six decades. In the present climate of renewed interest in Paul and his "theology," the appearance of a translation of "Gottes Gerechtigkeit," Schlatter's profound and controversial commentary on Paul's letter to the Romans, is both fitting and timely. Schlatter's unapologetically theological understanding of Romans met with opposition from many sides during its day, and it will surely provoke controversy today as well. It is destined to raise new questions for any reader who takes seriously the writings and theology of Paul."This excellent translation of Adolf Schlatter's "Gottes Gerechtigkeit" renders an invaluable service to biblical studies, especially to all those involved in Pauline studies. Peter Stuhlmacher's foreword gives a helpful introduction to Schlatter, who remains to many an unfamiliar figure despite his extensive writings and profound thought. Schlatter's representation of the meaning of Paul's letter to the Romans will challenge, stimulate, and perhaps even irritate as it brings to light fresh ideas concerning the depths of Paul's theology. Schlatter's comprehensive and coherent treatment of Paul's understanding of God, Christ, righteousness, humanity, sin, the law, grace, eschatology, and the Christian life is a treasure of scholarly insights with crucial relevance to the reality of Christian faith and practice."
" Marion L. Soards, Professor of New Testament,Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Adolf Schlatter (1852 - 1938)
Swiss NT scholar. Born in St. Gall, he studied theology at Basle and Tübingen. His later essay on J.T. Beck* suggests a primary influence on his thought. After a pastorate in Switzerland he taught at Bern (1880- 88) before becoming NT professor successively at Griefswald (1888), Berlin (1893), and Tübingen (1898) where he remained until retirement in 1922. He was allied with no school, ecumenical in outlook, and concerned to mediate between liberals and Pietists.With A.H. Cremer* he edited from 1897 the Beiträge zur Förderung Christlicher Theologie, to which he frequently contributed and on whose origins and importance for his own theological work he bore witness. His theological writing from Der Glaube im Neuen Testament (1885) to his mature Theology of the NT in two volumes-Die Geschichte des Christus (1921) and Die Theologie der Apostel (1922)-puts the emphasis on the importance of Jesus, finding anchorage in the facts of faith rather than in speculative thought. Schlatter stressed that both theology and history must not forget God, and he wrote histories both of Israel from Alexander to Hadrian (1901) and of the early church (1926; ET 1955). His specific studies on NT books displayed similar independence; he was one of the few to break with the trend of his times to continue support for the priority of Matthew.
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