Human and Non-Human Creation and Its Redemption in Paul's Letter to the Romans

Abstract

This article combines insights into Paul's understanding of creation in Romans that have been discussed intensively (1:19–23; 8:19–23) with fresh insights regarding creation in Romans 3–5, the link between the creative Spirit and all of creation in Romans 8:1–17, and the implications of the eschatological salvation of all Israel that Paul announces in Romans 11:26–27 for the rest of creation. Despite the current interest in creation theology, the full implications of Romans 11 for all of creation have hitherto hardly been noticed. The combination of all the explicit and implicit references to creation and, in its wake, a broader perspective on and for the non-human part of creation is the original contribution of this research. In this way, Paul's much studied environmental mantra of Romans 8:19–23 is placed in the larger context in which it must be read, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of creation and salvation.