Ancient Letters and the Purpose of Romans

Aaron Ricker locates the purpose of Romans in its function as a tool of community identity definition. Ricker employs a comparative analysis of the ways in which community identity definition is performed in first-century association culture including several ancient network letters comparable to Romans. <br/> <br/>Ricker's examination of the community advice found in Rom 12-15 reveals in this new context an ancient example of the ways in which an inscribed addressee community can be invited in a letter to see and comport itself as a proper association network community. The ideal community addressed in the letter to the Romans is defined as properly unified and orderly as well accommodating to - and clearly distinct from - cultures outside. Finally it is defined as linked to a proper network with recognised leadership (i.e. the inscribed Paul of the letter and his network). Paul's letter to the Romans is in many ways a baffling and extraordinary document. In terms of its community-defining functions and strategies however Ricker shows its purpose to be perfectly clear and understandable.