Zusammenfassung / Summary
Over the past decades the standard Lutheran interpretation of the Pauline doctrine of justification in the sense of a radical opposition between gospel and law/faith and works has frequently been called into question. A consequent canonical interpretation of the central concepts of justice, faith, and law in the Jewish and Old Testament mental horizon of Paul opens new perspectives that could help resolve some internal and external aporias of his theology within in the context of the New Testament. The starting point of this new interpretation is the overcoming of the occidental model of justice that implies abstract equality in favour of a deeper understanding of justice in the sense of universal faithfulness to community or social harmony between God and men. On the basis of this interpretation concepts like faith and law, or justification sola fide, and judgment according to works, could turn out to be quite compatible.