Roman House Churches for Today.

Book Review.

Finger Halteman, Reta. Roman House Churches for Today. A practical guide for small groups. Erdman Pub. Co. 2007
R.H.F.-is assistant professor of New Testament at Messiah College, Grantham, Pennsylvania.

Comment. Henry
This book is a guide for the study of the book of Romans in a small group (house church) setting. The model used for interpreting the scripture is the “sociohistorical” model. The names found in chapter 16 are the basis used for identifying actual house churches of Rome. They were the ones to whom Paul’s letter was read. This is a very unique approach for studying the book of Romans.

It is Phoebe, a deacon in the church of Cenchrea and an owner of a shipping business who brings Paul’s letter to Rome to be read to groups gathered in homes. The first church that would have heard the letter was the one that met at the home of Prisca and Aquila. Phoebe and/or her secretary would probably have been the readers.

Based on the names listed in chapter 16 of Romans other groups (households) have been identified. The majority of those named were ladies. “We can see that women have important roles of leadership in congregational life.” (8) Understanding the sociohistorical circumstances of Rome is helpful in interpreting Paul’s letter.

The small groups are described in terms of a social and theological profile. Understanding Roman society and its immobility and hierarchy become part of interpreting Romans. One approach to assimilating Paul’s teaching is to examine his letter as a literary work with its focus on rhetoric.

Having set the stage for an assimilation of how Paul’s letter would have been received and discussed, the last half of this book becomes a ‘study guide’ for a small group doing a study on the book of Romans.