Reviews

Books reviewed: Gerald R. McDermott, Jonathan Edwards Confronts the Gods Stanley J. Grenz and John R. Franke, Beyond Foundationalism: Shaping Theology in a Postmodern Context Gavin D’Costa, The Meeting of Religions and the Trinity David Fergusson and Marcel Sarot, (eds.) The Future as God’s Gift: Explorations in Christian Eschatology Richard Bauckham and Trevor Hart, Hope Against Hope: Christian Eschatology in Contemporary Context Gerhard Sauter, What Dare We Hope? Reconsidering Eschatology Douglas Farrow, Ascension and Ecclesia: On the Significance of the Doctrine of the Ascension for Ecclesiology and Christian Cosmology Celia E. Deane‐Drummond, Creation through Wisdom: Theology and the New Biology Gregory Baum, (ed.) The Twentieth Century: A Theological Overview Niels Grønkjaer, (ed.) The Return of God: Theological Perspectives in Contemporary Philosophy Christine Helmer, The Trinity and Martin Luther: A Study of the Relationship between Genre, Language and the Trinity in Luther’s Works (1523–1546) Niels Henrik Gregersen and J. Wentzel van Huyssteen, (eds.) Rethinking Theology and Science: Six Models for the Current Dialogue Wolfhart Pannenberg, Beitraege zur Systematischen Theologie. Band 3 Kirche und Oekumene Frank G. Kirkpatrick, The Ethics of Community     

Quantum perichoresis: Quantum field theory and the Trinity

The main thesis of this article is that the Trinitarian theological doctrine of perichoresis can be metaphorically interpreted as a form of Divine phase entanglement with the world. Such entanglement would entail non-local, relational holism and superposition through which the immanent unity of the Trinity is economically present in creation. Christ kenoticly empties himself of the immanent perichoresis of the Trinity in order to enter the economic perichoresis of the creation. The Spirit is then the continuing perichoretic love of God sanctifying the creation toward life and fulfillment from within. It is the Trinity in ongoing perichoretic entanglement with the creation, affirming Divine ubiquity and panentheism.     

Classical,Critical and Constructive: Paul Hinlicky's Beloved Community

This engagement with Paul Hinlicky's systematic theology, Beloved Community, provides both analysis of his text and constructive enhancement of the wider discussion of the Trinity. The term ‘Beloved Community’ is what Hinlicky calls the Trinity, an open Trinity that invites believers into the divine life. This book, like a springboard, encourages diving into the new trinitarianism inaugurated by the two Karls, Karl Barth and Karl Rahner. I place Hinlicky into this stream of thought and then raise the critical question: is this new trinitarianism conflictual or compatible with the classical theism we find in both Christianity and Islam?     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article: The Power Picture , by Estelle and Charles Mc Carthy . The Roman Catholic Church In England And Wales : A Short History , by E. E. Reynolds. The Pilgrim Continues His Way , translated by R. M. French . The Trinity and the Religious Experience of Man , by Raimundo Panikkar. Classical Approaches to the Study of Religion : Aims , Methods and Theories of Research. Kirchenkampf und Ökumene 1939-45: Darstellung und Dokumentation , by Armin Boyens. The Churches and Politics in Germany , by Frederic Spotts. Church , State and Opposition in the Ussr , by Gerhard Simon. Erlösung und Emanzipation , ed. by L. Scheffczyk. Zur Theologie der Welt , by Johann Baptist Metz.     

Eucharistic priority in Hilary of Poitiers' trinitarian theology: a critique of contemporary approaches to divine–human communio

The notion of koinonia or communio is at the heart of contemporary ecclesiology, and trinitarian theology has become its necessary presupposition. This article argues that the way many contemporary theologians have envisaged this link between divine and human communion is deeply problematic. Hilary of Poitiers was the first theologian of communio, and he offers a bold critique of contemporary discussions. Hilary gives eucharistic priority to trinitarian theology, that is, there is a movement from Eucharist to Trinity in his thinking on the relation between divine and human communion. A retrieval of Hilary's eucharistic priority in trinitarian discourse can provide constructive avenues in trinitarian theology which avoid the anthropocentric tendencies of contemporary social doctrines of the Trinity and reject the misdiagnosed problem of trinitarian ‘relevance’ in current discussions. Such a retrieval recovers trinitarian doctrine as a practised, performed reality, lived out in human communio itself through the eucharistic life of the Church.     

Some sources for a history of English Socinianism a bibliography of 17th century English Socinian writings

Conclusion In 1697, the Presbyterian, William Bates, presented an address, on behalf of some dissenting ministers, to William of Orange. In this, he called for measures against the Socinians and Deists, and, in particular, for the banning of the publication of Socinian works. Bates' address was published in JOHN HOWE, Sermon Preech'd on the Day of Thanksgiving (1698). On 17th February, 1698, the House of Commons presented an address to the King, We do further, in all humility, beseech Your Majesty, that Your Majesty would give such effectual order, as to Your Royal Wisdom shall seem fit, for the suppressing all pernicious books and pamphlets, which contain in them impious doctrines against the Holy Trinity, and other fundamental articles of our Faith, tending to the subversion of the Christian Religion; and that the authors and publishers thereof may be discounted and punished.The statute 9 and 19 William III, c. 32, An Act for the more effectual suppressing of Blasphemy and Profaneness, accepted these requests. It prohibited the writing, publishing and teaching of doctrines that were contrary to the Trinity, Christian truth or the divine authority of the Old and the New Testaments.It should be noted that the Toleration Act of 1689 does not extend tolerance to, amongst others, those who deny the dogma of the Trinity. It was not until 1813 that the Unitarians were free to practise their cult. The Trinity Act (An Act to relieve persons who impugn the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity from certain Penalties. 53 Geo. III, c. 160) of that year exempted the Unitarians from the penalties laid down by the Toleration Act and by the Blasphemy Act quoted above     

Unity and Distinction: The Nature of God in the Theology of Lucas Trelcatius,Jr

Abstract

The theology of Lucas Trelcatius, Jr belongs to both the broader trajectory of developing Reformed, academic formulation in the era of early orthodoxy and the carefully defined program of the Leiden University. Its way of arguing the ‘locus' on God provides an index to the nature and character of these formulations and, specifically, to issues of sources and method as well as to the still-debated questions of degree of metaphysical interest and the status of the doctrine of the Trinity. The present essay finds claims of excessive metaphysical ‘speculation’ and of de-emphasis on the doctrine of the Trinity unfounded.     

The Work of the Trinity and the Knowledge of God in Augustine's De Trinitate

This article seeks to set forth the contribution that book 8 of Augustine's De Trinitate makes to our understanding of Augustine's way of knowing and the structure of the De Trinitate. With regards to Augustine's way of knowing, I argue that, in contrast to the results to which the epistemological Christocentrism of Barthian theology can lead, Augustine is able to present an account of the knowledge of God that remains faithful to the witness of Scripture by building his account around the work of each person of the Trinity. With regards to the structure of the De Trinitate, I propose that Augustine's concern in De Trinitate 8 with vain mental images shows that the search for the true image of God in the second half of the De Trinitate is motivated by a concern for the way in which the imagination responds to teaching about the Trinity.     

Short Notices

Books reviewed in this article: Alan Race, Interfaith Encounter Paul D. Wegner, The Journey from Texts to Translations: The Origin and Development of the Bible Paul J. Achtemeier, Joel B. Green, Marianne Meye Thompson, Introducing the New Testament, its Literature and Theology Richard A. Horsley, Hearing the Whole Story: The Politics of Plot in Mark’s Gospel Anna Wierzbicka, What did Jesus Mean? Explaining the Sermon on the Mount and the Parables in Simple and Universal Human Concepts James E. Tull (edited and with a preface by Morris Ashcraft), High‐Church Baptists in the South: The Origin, Nature, and Influence of Landmarkism Thomas C. Kennedy, British Quakerism, 1860–1920: The Transformation of a Religious Community Philip A. Cunningham, A Story of Shalom: The Calling of Christians and Jews by a Covenanting God Kathryn Tanner, Jesus, Humanity and the Trinity: A Brief Systematic Theology Paul Matthews, The Revelation of Nature Michael Palmer, The Question of God: An Introduction and Sourcebook Michael Paul Gallagher, Dive Deeper: The Human Poetry of Faith John Wijngaards, The Ordination of Women in the Catholic Church: Unmasking a Cuckoo’s Egg Tradition Andrew Davey, Urban Christianity and Global Order: Theological Resources for an Urban Future Anthony G. Reddie, Faith, Stories and the Experience of Black Elders B. J. Gibbons, Spirituality and the Occult from the Renaissance to the Modern Age James E. Gilman, Fidelity of Heart: An Ethic of Christian Virtue     

Short Notices

Jerrold E. Levy, In the Beginning: The Navajo Genesis Luise Schottroff, Silvia Schroer & Marie-Theres Wacker, Feminist Interpretation: The Bible in Woman's Perspective Ben Witherington, Grace in Galatia: A Commentary on St Paul's Letter to the Galatians Donald Armstrong (ed.), The Truth about Jesus R. N. Longenecker (ed.), Life in the Face of Death: The Resurrection Message of the New Testament A. Friesen, Erasmus, the Anabaptists and the Great Commission Alan P. F. Sell (ed.), Mill and Religion: Contemporary Responses to Mill's, ‘Three Essays on Religion’ G. W. F. Hegel (ed. Peter C. Hodgson), Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion, Volume III: The Consummate Religion John Webster, Barth's Moral Theology: Human Action in Barth's Thought Anne Hunt, What are they saying about the Trinity? David A. S. Fergusson, The Cosmos and the Creator: An Introduction to the Theology of Creation C. David Grant, Thinking Through Our Faith: Theology for 21st Century Christians Walter Wink, The Powers That Be: Theology for a New Millennium Michael Nazir-Ali, Citizens and Exiles: Christian Faith in a Plural World Robert J. Schreiter, The Ministry of Reconciliation: Spirituality and Strategies John Gladwin, Love and Liberty: Faith and Unity in a Postmodern Age Eric O. Springsted (ed.), The Spirituality and Theology: Essays in Honour of Diogenes Allen Kenneth Leech, Drugs and Pastoral Care S. E. Lammers and A. Verhey (eds), On Moral Medicine: Theological Perspectives in Medical Ethics Anthony Elliot (ed.), Freud 2000     

Continuity, Naturalism, and Contingency: A Theology of Evolution Drawing on the Semiotics of C. S. Peirce and Trinitarian Thought

The starting point for this article is the question of the relationship between Darwinism and Christian theology. I suggest that evolutionary theory presents three broad issues of relevance to theology: the phenomena of continuity, naturalism, and contingency. In order to formulate a theological response to these issues I draw on the semiotics (theory of signs) and cosmology of the American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce. Peirce developed a triadic theory of signs, underpinned by a threefold system of metaphysical categories. I propose a semiotic model of the Trinity based on Peirce's semiotics and categories. According to this model the sign‐processes (such as the genetic “code”) that are fundamental to life may be understood as vestiges of the Trinity in creation. I use the semiotic model to develop a theology of nature that addresses the issues raised by evolutionary theory. The semiotic model amounts to a proposal for a new metaphysical framework within which to understand the relationship between God and creation and between theology and science.     

The Relationship Between Personality and Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction with Ministry Among Female Stipendiary Anglican Clergy in the UK

A sample of 565 female stipendiary Anglican clergy in the UK completed the short form Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire together with indices of satisfaction with ministry and of dissatisfaction with ministry. The data demonstrate that satisfaction with ministry is associated with stable extraversion, while dissatisfaction with ministry is associated with toughminded neuroticism. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction with ministry are not opposite ends of the same continuum. Pastoral Theology and Mansel Jones Fellow at Trinity College     

Ecological Themes in Evangelii Gaudium,Together towards Life,and The Cape Town Commitment for Fraternity with God's Creation

The main purpose of this study is to explore the Christian response to the current ecological crisis by examining three statements using a method of theological reflection: Evangelii Gaudium (EG), Together towards Life (TTL), and The Cape Town Commitment (CTC). The three statements request Christians’ care for creation, which is now threatened. In contemplating the ecological crisis, the three statements call attention to the widespread abuse and destruction of the Earth due to an economic system that accelerates consumerism and human greed. To overcome this ecological crisis, Pope Francis recalls the joy of the gospel overflowing from the Trinity; TTL and CTC echo this, drawing their faith tradition from the Trinity with widening understanding of God who is creator, redeemer, and sustainer. The three statements also identify the rest of creation as the new poor in order to recall that the suffering of the poor and the suffering of the earth are one, inseparable from the suffering of Jesus. Finally, this study examines the three statements in relation to the spirituality of ecological themes. In particular, EG and TTL discern a false spirituality that is a form of individualism and a theology of prosperity, but suggest a spirituality that is referred to as either transformative spirituality or mystical fraternity. The study concludes that it is time to turn to the cosmological dimension of spirituality and theology for fraternity with God's creation and the future of the earth community.     

The Aesthetic Collision: Hans Urs von Balthasar on the Trinity and the Cross

The relationship envisioned by Hans Urs von Balthasar between the Trinity and the events of Christ's passion and death has elicited concern from various theologians that he has muddled the important distinction between God's eternal life ad intra and his interaction with the world through the economy of his actions. This article argues that such a reading of Balthasar's theology is ultimately a serious misconstrual of his work since it overlooks the aesthetic categories established early in The Glory of the Lord through which his narration of the cross‐event must ultimately be interpreted. By interpreting Balthasar in this manner, this article clarifies the content of what is perhaps Balthasar's most important theological contribution, and provides a creative alternative for how best to situate the relationship (oft‐discussed in twentieth‐century theology) between the Trinity and the crucifixion.     

REVIEWS

Aristotele. La Metafisica. Traduzione, introduzione, commento a cura di Giovanni Reale . Vol. I God and the Empiricists. By Harry R. Klocker . The Elusive Mind. By H. D. Lewis . Absolute Value. A study in Christian Theism. By Dom Illtyd Trethowan . Human Values and Christian Morality. By Josef Fuchs , s.j. Three Issues in Ethics. By John Macquarrie . Conflict of Ideals: Changing Values in Western Society. By Luther J. Binkley . The Philosophy of Martin Buber. Edited by Paul Arthur Schilpp and Maurice Friedman . Augustine the Theologian. By Eugene Te Selle . Stephanus de Lingua-tonante: Studies in the Sermons of Stephen Langton. By Phyllis Barzillay Roberts . The Monastic Theology of Aelred of Rievaulx. By Amédée Hallier . The Great Schism 1378: The Disintegration of the Papacy. By John Holland Smith . Alexander III and the Twelfth Century. By Marshall W. Baldwin . A Social and Religious History of the Jews. Volumes XIII, XIV: Late Middle Ages and Era of European Expansion. By Salo Wittmayer Baron . The Yahwist. The Bible's First Theologian. By Peter Ellis , c.ss.r. A Study of the Psalms of Ascents. By Cuthbert C. Keet . Death and Immortality. By Joseph Pieper . The Nature and Destiny of Man. By J. R. Surcher . The Trinity. By Karl Rahner . Translated by Joseph Donceel . Christ and Church. By M. J. Le Guillou . New Testament Questions of Today. By Ernst Kasemann .     

Short Notices

Books reviewed in this article: Julian Baldick, Animal and Shaman: Ancient Religions of Central Asia David Noel Freedman, Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Tod Linafelt (ed.), Strange Fire: Reading the Bible after the Holocaust Michael Joseph Brown, What They Don't Tell You: A Survivor's Guide to Biblical Studies Esther Fuchs, Sexual Politics in the Biblical Narrative: Reading the Hebrew Bible as a Woman Karl Löning and Erich Zenger, To Begin with, God Created ≡: Biblical Theologies of Creation Gregory W. Dawes (ed.), The Historical Jesus Quest: Landmarks in the Search for the Jesus of History Kevin Ward and Brian Stanley (eds), The Church Mission Society and World Christianity, 1799–1999 Leslie J. Francis and Yaacov J. Katz (eds), Joining and Leaving Religion: Research Perspectives Kimon Howland Sargeant, Seeker Churches: Promoting Traditional Religion in a Nontraditional Way J. Heywood Thomas, and Paul Tillich, Outstanding Christian Thinkers John Webster, and Karl Barth, Outstanding Christian Thinkers Samuel M. Powell, The Trinity in German Thought James Woodward and Stephen Pattison (eds), The Blackwell Reader in Pastoral and Practical Theology Marc Gopin, Between Eden and Armageddon: The Future of World Religions, Violence, and Peacemaking John Hick, The Fifth Dimension: An Exploration of the Spiritual Realm Mark Larrimore (ed.), The Problem of Evil: A Reader Michael Taylor, Poverty and Christianity: Reflections at the Interface between Faith and Experience Patrick Riley, Civilizing Sex: On Chastity and the Common Good Brian S. Hook and R. R. Reno, Heroism and the Christian Life: Reclaiming Excellence Douglas A. Hicks, Inequality and Christian Ethics Joseph Sittler, Evocations of Grace: Writings on Ecology, Theology and Ethics M. W. Sinnett, Restoring the Conversation: Socratic Dialectic in the Authorship of Søren Kierkegaard Eef Dekker, Middle Knowledge Pierre‐Marie Emonet, The Dearest Freshness Deep Down Things. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Being Pierre‐Marie Emonet, The Greatest Marvel of Nature. An Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person Scott Cowdell, A God for this World Alister E. McGrath (ed.), Christian Literature: An Anthology Rowan Williams, Lost Icons: Reflections on Cultural Bereavement     

Divine Simplicity in Historical Perspective: Resourcing a Contemporary Discussion

This article seeks to resource contemporary discussions about divine simplicity by exploring how this doctrine was understood throughout patristic and medieval church history, especially with respect to the relation of divine simplicity to the doctrine of the Trinity. It argues, first, that there have been different versions of divine simplicity throughout church history, though most current treatments focus on the Thomist version. Second, it suggests that divine simplicity had a greater role in the witness and worship of the church than is generally recognized today. Third, it argues that many of the differences between contemporary and ancient treatments of divine simplicity boil down to more basic ontological differences. Finally, it draws attention to the close connection between divine simplicity and the Trinity throughout church history, and suggests that the doctrine of divine simplicity provides a more reliable means of grounding the Trinity as monotheistic than the doctrine of perichoresis.     

Trinity and Apologetics In the Theology of St. Augustine

This article examines Trinitarian themes in St. Augustine's City of God and in his On the Trinity. It argues that the scope and intention of the latter work can be clarified to some extent by noticing the apologetic commitments entailed in the exposition of the doctrine of the Trinity in the former. It argues against the tendency of some recent scholarship to restrict the intelligibility of the On the Trinity to converted Christians, even as it also defends the irreducibility of the doctrine of the Trinity, in Augustine's thinking, to any doctrine of pagan learning. Without prejudice to recent scholarly clarifications of the polemical origins of some of the arguments in the On the Trinity, the article argues (in effect) that the work is more than the sum of its polemical parts, and is intentionally addressed by Augustine to a wide readership, deliberately unspecified in identity except insofar as they are united as “human beings who are seeking God.” Just as ancient apologetics, including Augustine's, was addressed to a variety of people, pagan and Christian, in various states of conviction and conversion, so the On the Trinity is meant to address many types of readers, at various levels of conversion and understanding, hoping to bring all of them closer to—or to confirm and deepen their participation in—the true worship of the one true God, without which, Augustine believes, no one can ultimately find the God they seek.     

REVIEWS

Books reviewed: Antony Copley (ed.), Hinduism in Public and Private: Reform, Hindutva, Gender, and Sampraday James D.G. Dunn and John Rogerson (eds), Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible John Webster, Holy Scripture: A Dogmatic Sketch Musimbi R.A. Kanyoro, Introducing Feminist Cultural Hermeneutics: An African Perspective Eryl W. Davies, The Dissenting Reader: Feminist Approaches to the Hebrew Bible Ralph McInerny, Aquinas Sarah Borden, Edith Stein M.F. Snape, The Church of England in Industrialising Society: The Lancashire Parish of Whalley in the 18^th Century Stephen Platten (ed.), Anglicanism and the Western Christian Tradition: Continuity, Change and the Search for Communion Paul Avis (ed.), Seeking the Truth of Change in the Church: Reception, Communion and the Ordination of Women Donald Fairbairn, Eastern Orthodoxy Through Western Eyes Wallace M. Alston, Jr. and Michael Welker (eds), Reformed Theology: Identity and Ecumenicity John G. Stackhouse, Jr. (ed.), Evangelical Ecclesiology: Reality or Illusion? Lamin Sanneh, Whose Religion is Christianity? The Gospel Beyond the West Joerg Rieger (ed.), Opting for the Margins: Postmodernity and Liberation in Christian Theology Andrew Wright, Religion, Education and Postmodernity Karl Ernst Nipkow, God, Human Nature and Education for Peace: New Approaches to Moral and Religious Maturity Henrique Pinto, Foucault, Christianity and Interfaith Dialogue Viggo Mortensen (ed.), Theology and the Religions: A Dialogue Michael L. Peterson and Raymond J. Vanarragon (eds), Contemporary Debates in Philosophy of Religion Pamela Sue Anderson and Beverley Clack (eds), Feminist Philosophy of Religion: Critical Readings Bruno Forte, The Essence of Christianity Jean‐Louis Chrétien, The Ark of Speech David Bentley Hart, The Beauty of the Infinite: The Aesthetics of the Christian Faith Gerald O’Mahony, A Way into the Trinity: The Story of a Journey Peter Byrne, God and Realism Simon Francis Gaine, ‘Will There Be Freedom in Heaven?’: Freedom, Impeccability and Beatitude Michael Washburn, Embodied Spirituality in a Sacred World Michael Breen, Eamonn Conway, Barry McMillan, (eds), Technology and Transcendence Alan G. Padgett, Science and the Study of God: A Mutuality Model for Theology and Science Anne Primavesi, Gaia's Gift: Earth, Ourselves and God after Copernicus Eric O. Jacobsen, Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith Gerard Loughlin, Alien Sex: The Body and Desire in Cinema and Theology Kathryn Rountree, Embracing the Witch and the Goddess: Feminist‐Ritual Makers in New Zealand     

The Brothers Karamazov: Dostoevskij’s Hosanna

The novel The Brothers Karamazov shows the spiritual rebirth of man and society. At first the world of the town Skotoprigon’evsk is depicted as heathen and even demonic, where everyone is in search of earthly justice, forgetting about love and losing a connection to God; here the theme of orphanhood is dominant. The second half of the novel is dominated by the image of the Holy Trinity, the symbol of mutual love and unity. The human world, according to Dostoevskij, cannot be divided into adults and children, the guilty and the innocent, insofar as all can freely participate in the redemption of humanity’s sin (like Christ, the paragon of innocence). If all people are God’s children, death does not have power over them. Upon completing his final novel Dostoevkskij wrote: “my Hosanna has passed through a big crucible of doubt.” The Brothers Karamazov is Dostoevskij’s Hosanna. Translated by Robert Bird