Seufzen statt Lobpreisen : Überlegungen zum Verhältnis von Schöpfung und Gebet in Römer 8

This article probes the relationship between creation and prayer in Romans 8:18–27, par-ticularly the stylistic device of personification in vv. 19 and 22, where creation is said to “expect” and “groan.” In regard to the threefold “sighing” in Romans 8 and its biblical background, the study argues that Paul depicts a cosmic song of lament that is addressed to God, uttered jointly by the whole of creation, Christians, and the Holy Spirit. As a peti-tionary lament, corresponding to the “longing expectation” of creation (v. 19), it targets God’s eschatological intervention. Such a polyphonic cosmic prayer stands in contrast to the universal praise of God by all creatures of the heavenly and earthly world (cf. Psalm 148; Revelation 5:11–14), a figurative choral ensemble common in ancient literature. The article concludes with an inquiry into the ecotheological significance of Romans 8 in Christian prayer and daily life