That Is The Roman Way:

The Epistle To The Romans Is An Extremely Important Synthesis Of The Whole Theology Of St. Paul.

Even Apart From The Image Of A Truly Merciless God That Contradicts Everything We Can Assume From What Jesus Says About The Either Of The Lost, Can We Be Surprised At A Time When Retributive Punishments Without An Opportunity Of Probation Are Being Increasingly Abandoned In Education And Penal Justice, That The Idea Not Only Of A Lifelong, But Even Eternal Punishment Of Body And Soul, Seems To Many People Absolutely Monstrous.

Time And Again We See Leaders And Members Of Religions Incite Aggression, Fanaticism, Hate, And Xenophobia - Even Inspire And Legitimate Violent And Bloody Conflicts.

At The Same Time We Are Aware That Our Various Religions And Ethical Traditions Often Offer Very Different Bases For What Is Helpful And What Is Unhelpful For Men And Women, What Is Right And What Is Wrong, What Is Good And What Is Evil.

After Two World Wars, The Collapse Of Fascism, Nazism, Communism And Colonialism And The End Of The Cold War, Humanity Has Entered A New Phase Of Its History.