Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes

Honor and Shame in Paul’s Message and Mission

Jackson Wu

Summary

This book, which is not a commentary on Romans, “seeks to offer a biblically faithful reading of Romans through Eastern eyes” (page 4). Reading through Eastern eyes refers to how considering East Asian culture can help interpret Romans, realizing that many similarities exist between people in traditional East Asian cultures and the ancient biblical world. In his book, Jackson W. (a pseudonym) raised this basic question: How did Paul’s theology serve the purpose of his mission with an honor-shame context?

To answer this question, the author provides 12 chapters, surfacing issues in Romans that relate to honor, shame, collective identity, hierarchy, harmony, and other related cultural themes. Without casting aside insights from Western scholars, the book presents a fresh understanding of Romans with a new cultural lens.