Princeton, NJ, April 20, 2012–In celebration of its Bicentennial, Princeton Theological Seminary will host a major conference on May 2–5 on one of the major theological books in the New Testament—the Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Romans. The conference theme is “Creation, Conflict, and Cosmos: Romans 5–8.”

Scholars from more than a half dozen countries will present papers on the four chapters of Romans (chapters 5–8) that are the center of Paul’s most influential and most puzzling letter, and the letter from which most preaching texts come. Each day of the conference will begin with worship, a reminder that Paul’s letters and the study of them are all to the glory of God.

Presenters will include John M.G. Barclay (Durham University), Martinus de Boer (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Ben Myers (Charles Sturt University School of Theology, Sydney), Stephen Westerholm (McMaster University), Susan Grove Eastman (Duke Divinity School), J. Louis Martyn (Union Theological Seminary), Philip Ziegler, (King’s College, University of Aberdeen), Neil Elliott (Fortress Press), and Beverly Roberts Gaventa (Princeton Theological Seminary), who is chairing the conference.

Princeton Seminary faculty members have contributed much to the study of Romans, Gaventa says. “J. Christiaan Beker’s Paul the Apostle set the agenda for the resurrection of work on the character of Pauline theology. Paul Meyer’s commentary on Romans is sought by pastors and scholars, and Charles Hodge’s influential Romans commentary was foundational in later Romans studies.”

For more information about the schedule, topics of presentations, and to register, go to www.ptsem.edu/romansconference2012/.

Princeton Seminary was established in 1812 by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church as a post-graduate professional school of theology. Celebrating its Bicentennial in 2012, Princeton is the largest Presbyterian seminary in the country, with more than 500 students in six graduate degree programs.