Evaluating an Evangelical Universalist Interpretation of Romans 5:12–21

Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate the claims of Trinitarian Universalism to the effect that Romans 5:12–21 teaches that all human beings were included in Christ’s atoning death and, therefore, that all people are already reconciled to God. In order to achieve this objective, the study will seek to answer three major questions: 1. How does a Trinitarian Universalist reading of Romans 5:12–21 compare with other theological readings? 2. How does a Trinitarian Universalist reading of Romans 5:12–21 account for the discourse structure of the pericope? 3. How does a Trinitarian Universalist reading of Romans 5:12–21 correlate with the macro-context of the pericope? The proposed research requires a literary methodology; specifically, in-depth exegesis of the Greek text of Romans 5:12–21. This pericope will be read in its immediate, book, and theological contexts in an attempt to assess whether Paul intended it to convey the central implications advanced by Trinitarian Universalists, namely, whether it teaches that all people are already saved by their inclusion in the death of Christ. The study is envisaged to require three content chapters, in addition to its introduction and conclusion. This yields the following outline: 1. Introduction 2. Literature Review 3. The Meaning of Romans 5:12–21 4. The Message of Romans 5. Conclusion The first chapter, the Literature Review, serves to contextualise the TU reading of Romans 5:12-21 in the light of the history of research and interpretation. The next three chapters analyse the coherence of the TU interpretation of the pericope, moving progressively outward from the immediate to the canonical context. The concluding chapter will offer a brief review of the objectives of the research, the arguments advanced, and the conclusions reached.