DOCSLIB.ORG

Sanctification: Explorations in Theology and Practice

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Sanctification: Explorations in Theology and Practice SANCTIFICATION EXPLORATIONS IN THEOLOGY AND PRACTICE E D I T E D B Y KELLY M. KAPIC InterVarsity Press P.O. Box , Downers Grove, IL - World Wide Web: www.ivpress.com Email: [email protected] © by Kelly M. Kapic All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press. InterVarsity Press® is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, a movement of students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional activities, write Public Relations Dept., InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, Schroeder Rd., P.O. Box , Madison, WI -, or visit the IVCF website at www.intervarsity.org. Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright ©2011 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. While all stories in this book are true, some names and identifying information in this book have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. Cover design: David Fassett Interior design: Beth McGill Images: Holy Spirit (photo)/Godong/UIG/Te Bridgeman Art Library ©Chris Schmidt/iStockphoto ISBN ---- (digital) ISBN ---- (print) To Tabitha Kapic, Susan Hardman Moore, Elizabeth Patterson, Dayle Senef and Lynn Hall Each of you has, in various ways, had a profound impact on my life, especially through your own particular experiences of faith amid diverse struggles. In both strong and subtle ways, each of you has pointed me to the promises and call of sanctifcation in Christ by his Spirit. I remain deeply in your debt. CONTENTS Introduction Abbreviations Contributors PRELUDE: AN OPENING HOMILY . Holiness: Restoring God’s Image Colossians 3:5-17 Derek Tidball PART ONE: SANCTIFIED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN UNION WITH CHRIST . Living by Faith—Alone? Reformed Responses to Antinomianism Richard Lints . Sanctification by Faith? Henri Blocher . Covenantal Union and Communion Union with Christ as the Covenant of Grace Brannon Ellis . Sanctification After Metaphysics Karl Barth in Conversation with John Wesley’s Conception of “Christian Perfection” Bruce L. McCormack PART TWO: HUMAN AGENCY AND SANCTIFICATION’S RELATIONSHIP TO ETHICS . “Let the Earth Bring Forth . .” The Spirit and Human Agency in Sanctification Michael Horton . Sanctification and Ethics Oliver O’Donovan . On Bavinck’s Theology of Sanctification-as-Ethics James Eglinton PART THREE: THEOLOGICAL AND PASTORAL MEDITATIONS ON SANCTIFICATION . Gospel Holiness Some Dogmatic Reflections Ivor J. Davidson . Faith, Hope and Love A Theological Meditation on Suffering and Sanctification Kelly M. Kapic . Sonship, Identity and Transformation Julie Canlis . Sanctification Through Preaching How John Chrysostom Preached for Personal Transformation Peter Moore Subject and Name Index Scripture Index Praise for Sanctification About the Author More Titles from InterVarsity Press Textbook Selector INTRODUCTION While there is nothing new under the sun, diferent seasons do make us sensitive to changes in our environment. When winter dawns our attention turns to jackets, scarves and gloves; when spring arrives the renewed warmth of the sun beckons us outside. On cue, the seasons come and go and we would be foolish to treat them all the same. Each needs our attentiveness in due course, as each has a particular power over our lives and calls for us to respond accordingly. Similarly, the church ofen lives through diferent doctrinal seasons. With the faith, we embrace the truth of God in all its varied theological realities, but inevitably there are periods when one truth requires our renewed con- sideration. At times we discover we have neglected or distorted a biblical truth, and the result is similar to realizing you are trying to live through winter in your shorts and T-shirt. Sure, it can be done, but it is certainly not a healthy way to exist. In recent decades debates about justifcation have dominated the at- tention of many Protestants. While at times the cool winds of that season can still blow with great power, there are indications that a new season, with new challenges, is at hand. Evangelicals in particular demonstrate strong signs of a growing need to revisit the topic of sanctifcation. Fresh concern about this vital theological locus is surfacing, which is wonderful since this is where the church so ofen lives and breathes. Set free from the dominion of sin, “saints” are set apart for kingdom purposes: as God is holy, so he has called his people holy and promises to renew them in the image of his Son. In a way this is a simple idea. Yet, as will become apparent in the essays that follow, the topic of sanctifcation is 10 Sanctification profoundly intertwined with all manner of other topics, beyond simply its contested relationship to justifcation. Although justifcation remains a key idea that can never be lef behind, one must also learn to appreciate how sanctifcation relates to ethics, union with Christ, ecclesiology, adoption, eschatology and so on. Evangelicalism appears to be in a season of struggling with how best to think about sanctifcation. What is the relationship between “faith” and human responsibility? How might human agency relate not only to ques- tions of God’s saving grace but also to the way he sustains and preserves us by his grace? Does efort undermine the role of faith? How does all of this relate to our creaturely existence as it is fundamentally empowered by the Spirit? How do we understand the promises of God as we live in the escha- tological tension of the now and the not yet? At the more popular level we see mistrust and misunderstanding per- petuated. For some, the temptation is to reduce the gospel to moral im- provement, while for others, human efort appears irrelevant—if not down- right antithetical—to the Christian life. On the one hand, a number of prominent voices have emphatically focused their message on the “gospel,” by which some tend to mean narrowly “justifcation by faith alone.” Such voices have at times appeared to provide balm to wounded souls; too many have labored under the sufocating weight of certain forms of rigid funda- mentalism that reduced the gospel to a list of oppressive rules. To be told over and over of God’s unfinching love and grace, of your secure position as declared righteous because of Christ’s righteousness, can be both liber- ating and invigorating to such anguished listeners. On the other hand, some raise the concern that such a perspective, if lef undeveloped, might actually risk perverting grace rather than fully pro- claiming it. Tey worry that if in the process of declaring the “good news” we end up belittling the signifcance of human will and agency, we are not ultimately liberating people; we might be undermining the fullness of gospel life. Not only is the believer set free from the condemning power of sin, but they are also set free to love and serve others, to grow and to fourish under God’s care. A growing multitude echoes this renewed emphasis on personal piety, holiness and justice concerns even as it has welcomed renewed explo- ration on the topic of human agency. Introduction 11 While many of the representative voices on both sides of this come from the Reformed tradition, this conversation is being engaged in by a much larger audience, including many across the spectrum of evangelicalism. Unfortunately, much of the current conversation is only taking place at the more popular level. In this book, we ofer something a bit diferent. It is not intended as a direct engagement with those particular popular authors, but rather provides some “outside” perspective from theologians who are nevertheless also deeply concerned with the Protestant doctrine of sanctif- cation (and justifcation!). Representing a good portion of the breadth of the Reformed tradition, these scholars gathered in Edinburgh a number of years ago to ofer extended refections on sanctifcation. Most of the essays in this book grew out of that Edinburgh Dogmatics Conference. No attempt has been made to provide a unifed perspective on sancti- fcation here—we are not presenting some new school of thought or any- thing like that, as some of the subtle disagreements even within this volume indicate. Instead, this is an opportunity to explore the doctrine of sanctifcation; ofer various proposals that might stimulate further thought and discussion; and also hopefully encourage pastoral refection that is biblically, theologically and historically informed. It is our great hope that these essays by ecclesial-minded scholars might stimulate and foster this growing discussion. Beginning and ending with ecclesial concerns, this volume opens with a homily and closes with theological and pastoral meditations: we aim to place this discussion squarely within the life of the church, even if at times it can appear somewhat technical or philosophical. Te following brief re- views of the essays in this volume aim to give potential readers a survey of the work, hopefully orienting them to some of the directions in which the discussion will move. Derek Tidball’s homily on holiness as the restoration of God’s image com- bines careful exegesis with pastoral wisdom. Using Colossians 3:5-17 as a lens for understanding what it means for a believer to be holy, he proposes that the meaning of holiness in this passage is threefold: to have a Christlike character, to have a Christ-renewed mind and to belong to a Christ-renewed community. Holiness is relational because the church is the place where a new habitus is cultivated, where the image of God is restored. 12 Sanctification Richard Lints opens up the frst section by addressing the relationship between sanctifcation and faith, and how this relationship is similar to and diferent from justifcation and faith.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Currents in Reformed Theology Vol
    UNION WITH CHRIST Currents in Reformed Theology Vol. 4, No. 1 / April 2018 4, No. Vol. Westminster International Theological Reformed Seminary Evangelical Philadelphia Seminary uniocc.com Vol. 4, No. 1 / April 2018 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REFORMED THEOLOGY AND LIFE Editorial Board Members Africa Flip Buys, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa Henk Stoker, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa Philip Tachin, National Open University of Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria Cephas Tushima, ECWA Theological Seminary, Jos, Nigeria Asia In-Sub Ahn, Chong Shin University and Seminary, Seoul, Korea UNION WITH CHRIST Wilson W. Chow, China Graduate School of Theology, Hong Kong Matthew Ebenezer, Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Dehra Dun, India Editorial Committee and Staff Benyamin F. Intan, International Reformed Evangelical Seminary, Jakarta, Indonesia Editor in Chief: Paul Wells Kevin Woongsan Kang, Chongshin Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea Senior Editors: Peter A. Lillback and Benyamin F. Intan In Whan Kim, Daeshin University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, Korea Managing Editor: Bernard Aubert Billy Kristanto, International Reformed Evangelical Seminary, Jakarta, Indonesia Book Review Editor: Brandon D. Crowe Jong Yun Lee, Academia Christiana of Korea, Seoul, Korea Subscription Manager: Audy Santoso Sang Gyoo Lee, Kosin University, Busan, Korea Assistant: Lauren Beining Deok Kyo Oh, Ulaanbaatar University, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Copy Editor: Henry Whitney Moses Wong, China Reformed Theological Seminary, Taipei, Taiwan Typesetter: Janice Van Eck Australia Mission Statement Allan M. Harman, Presbyterian Theological College, Victoria, Australia Peter Hastie, Presbyterian Theological College, Victoria, Australia Unio cum Christo celebrates and encourages the visible union believers possess Mark D. Thompson, Moore Theological College, Newtown, Australia in Christ when they confess the faith of the one holy catholic and apostolic church, the body of Christ.
    [Show full text]
  • THE DIVINE PERFECTION of OMNIPRESENCE in the THEOLOGY of KARL BARTH the Reverend Elizabeth Jarrell
    A THEOLOGY OF SPATIALITY: THE DIVINE PERFECTION OF OMNIPRESENCE IN THE THEOLOGY OF KARL BARTH The Reverend Elizabeth Jarrell Callender A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. 1 July 2011 Abstract Throughout its history, the Christian Church has commonly assumed that God’s own being or nature is the opposite of ours. Human existence is conditioned by the spatial and temporal order of creation, so God is thought to be a-spatial and eternal. Yet this does not account adequately for the biblical witness concerning God. Karl Barth radically claims that God is not merely spatial but that God has His own space and even is His own space. Barth bases this assertion upon an actualistic epistemology instead of the metaphysical framework grounding much of the Christian Church’s conceptualizations of God. Barth defines spatiality as a characteristic way of lovingly and freely being personally present with another distinct being in a rightly ordered relation. Beyond the discussion on the perfection of omnipresence, Barth does not directly develop this perfection further. However, his theology of spatiality underlies much of his theology, evident in his use of spatial language. Additionally, apparently lacking in Barth studies or elsewhere is a comprehensive theology of space or spatiality that begins by concretely considering God’s own space and His perfection of spatiality. This thesis aims to develop an actualistic theology of spatiality through an expositional exploration of the spatiality of the triune God in the theology of Karl Barth, primarily from his Church Dogmatics.
    [Show full text]
  • David W. Congdon Curriculum Vitae | January 2019
    Congdon CV — 1 David W. Congdon Curriculum Vitae | January 2019 2502 Westbrooke Circle, Lawrence, KS 66045-4444 2008 SW 1st St, Lee’s Summit, MO 64081 [email protected] www.dwcongdon.com 785.864.6059 EDUCATION 2014 Ph.D., Systematic Theology, summa cum laude, Princeton Theological Seminary 2008 M.Div., Princeton Theological Seminary 2004 B.A., English Literature, summa cum laude, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT 2017–Present Acquisitions Editor, Political Science and Law University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 2017–Present Adjunct Instructor University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, Dubuque, IA 2012–2017 Associate Editor IVP Academic, Westmont, IL PUBLICATIONS Books 2016 The God Who Saves: A Dogmatic Sketch. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books. 2015 Rudolf Bultmann: A Companion to His Theology. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books. 2015 The Mission of Demythologizing: Rudolf Bultmann’s Dialectical Theology. Minneapolis: Fortress Press. Congdon CV — 2 Edited Volumes In Press Converting Witness: The Future of Christian Mission in the New Millennium (coedited with John G. Flett). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. 2014 Karl Barth in Conversation (coedited with W. Travis McMaken). Eugene, OR: Pickwick. Book Chapters In Press “The Use of New Testament Scholarship in Twentieth-Century Theology.” In T&T Clark Companion to Christology, edited by Chris Tilling and Darren Sumner. London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark. In Press “Desperatio Fiducialis: Barth and Bultmann on the Anthropological Significance of Revelation.” In Luther, Barth, and Movements of Theological Renewal (1918-1933), edited by Christine Helmer, Bruce L. McCormack, and Heinrich Assel. In Press “Barth and Hermeneutics.” In The Oxford Handbook of Karl Barth, edited by Paul Dafydd Jones and Paul T.
    [Show full text]
  • Princeton Theological Seminary 6/19/10 12:07 PM
    Princeton Theological Seminary 6/19/10 12:07 PM HOME | PTS COMMUNITY | BLACKBOARD | WEBMAIL | SEARCH | A TO Z INDEX WELCOME, GUEST ( LOGIN) ABOUT PTS ACADEMICS ADMISSIONS ALUMNI/AE CONTINUING EDUCATION LIBRARY PUBLICATIONS PTS PEOPLE GIVE TO PTS PUBLIC EVENTS CALENDAR PRINCETON PROFILES PHOTO GALLERIES George Hunsinger Recipient of 2010 Karl Barth COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Publishing Process Award from Union of Evangelical Churches in Press Releases Logo and Identity Manual Germany Request Forms Princeton, NJ, June 18, 2010–George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary’s Hazel Thompson ‐ Graduation Announcement McCord Professor of Systematic Theology and a scholar on the work of Karl Barth, has been chosen as ‐ Photography the recipient of the 2010 Karl Barth Award by the jury of the Union of Evangelical Churches in the ‐ Poster Evangelical Church in Germany. Barth is widely recognized as the most important theologian of the ‐ Publishing twentieth century. ‐ Pulpit Supply According to the jury statement, Hunsinger is being “honored for ‐ Web Project his interpretation of Karl Barth’s theology and the political ‐ Wineskin testimony that resulted from it as well as his achievements as a teacher of theology.” He “has dedicated decades of his theological FOR THE MEDIA work to the interpretation of Karl Barth’s theology in the American Faculty Experts context.” By awarding him the Karl Barth Award, the Union of President‘s Biography Evangelical Churches honors Hunsinger as a “theological teacher in Statistics the full sense of the word,” and thanks him for his “ecclesial teaching in the sense of a truly generous orthodoxy, and a world‐ Web Photos for Download oriented interpretation and practice of [Barth’s] Church Dogmatics.” NEWS The award also recognizes that Hunsinger’s theological achievements are linked to his critical view of the present and to George Hunsinger Recipient of 2010 his political engagement.
    [Show full text]
  • Debate Over Justification by Faith: Evangelicals and Catholics
    Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 20:1-2 (2009):112-146. Article copyright © 2009 by Norman R. Gulley. Debate Over Justification by Faith: Evangelicals and Catholics Norman R. Gulley Southern Adventist University 1. Biblical Understanding of Justification by Faith Paul says “they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24, RSV), for “a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Rom 3:28 RSV), with even faith a gift (Rom 10:17). Humans are “justified by his blood” (Rom 5:9, ESV). Calvary was the “one act of righteousness” which “leads to justification and life for all men” (Rom 5:18b, ESV). “God made him [Christ] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21). Justification is found in Christ, and is received by faith. This has nothing to do with Christ’s faithfulness in the covenant which continues human membership in the covenant, as proposed by “New Perspectives on Paul” scholarship. Justification explains how one gets in (not how one stays in) the covenant. Justification is an entry level reality, having to do with how one is saved. The word justify in Hebrew (hitsdiq) and Greek (dikaioun) “never refer to the infusion of righteousness, that is the transformation of someone from being ungodly to being virtuous.” Justification is the same throughout humans’ history, in old and new covenant periods, because it is about the one eternal gospel (Rev 14:6).
    [Show full text]
  • Seminars in 2010
    Foundation for Reformed Theology Seminars in 2010 The Foundation sponsored thirteen ministerial study seminars in 2010. They read twelve different topics and met at eight different institutions in eight different states. Blakely, August 22–26, 2010, Montreat Conference Center, Montreat, North Carolina Option XVIII: The Christian Life Bohler, April 26–30, 2010, Montreat Conference Center, Montreat, North Carolina Option XXVI: The Theological Legacy of Reinhold Niebuhr Cottrell, May 3–7, 2010, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Option XXII: Reformed Theology and the Family Coulter, November 3–7, 2010, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia First Seminar: John Haddon Leith Evans & McLeod, April 5–9, 2010, Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, Virginia Reading: Christian Faith in Our Violent World Farley, January 25–29, 2010, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California Option XXXI: John Calvin, Selected Readings Gardner, March 22–26, 2010, Austin Theological Seminary, Austin, Texas Option XXIX: The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church Goodloe, April 12–16, 2010, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey Reading: Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, Volume I, “The Doctrine of the Word of God” Gordon, October 18–22, 2010, Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina Option IX: Karl Barth for Preachers Johnson, October 11–15, 2010, Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, Virginia Option VIII: The Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds McCollum, April 26–30, 2010, Steamboat,
    [Show full text]
  • Theology Today
    Theology Today volume 67, N u m b e r 1 A p r i l 2 0 1 0 EDITORIAL Chivas and Jesus 1 JAMES F. KAY ARTICLES The Lord’s Supper and the Church’s Public Witness 7 J. TODD BILLINGS Kierkegaard’s Eucharistic Spirituality 15 OLLI-PEKKA VAINIO Kierkegaard’s Purity of Heart and the “Sunday-Monday Gap” 24 TRAVIS TUCKER Missional Church, Missional Liturgy 36 RUTH A. MEYERS CRITIC’S CORNER Orthodox and Modern: Just How Modern Was Barth’s Later Theology? 51 PAUL D. MOLNAR Let’s Speak Plainly: A Response to Paul Molnar 57 BRUCE L. McCORMACK THEOLOGICAL TABLE TALK Rome and the Holy Offices of Protestant Churches 66 JUSTUS GEORGE LAwLER BOOK REVIEwS Revelation: A Commentary, by Brian K. Blount 70 CRAIG R. KOESTER TT 67-1.indb 1 2/4/10 11:49 AM Calvin: A Brief Guide to His Life and Thought by Willem Van’t Spijker 71 SUZANNE MCDONALD Calvin: A Guide for the Perplexed, by Paul Helm 74 JAMES C. GOODLOE IV Political Grace: The Revolutionary Theology of John Calvin by Roland Boer 75 wILLIAM R. STEVENSON JR. Triune Atonement: Christ’s Healing for Sinners, Victims, and the Whole Creation, by Andrew Sung Park 78 SALLY A. BROwN Desire, Gift, and Recognition: Christology and Postmodern Philosophy, by Jan-Olav Henriksen 80 VELLI-MATTI KÄRKKÄINEN Hugh of Saint Victor, by Paul Rorem 83 BERNARD MCGINN Pain and Suffering in Medieval Theology: Academic Debates at the University of Paris in the Thirteenth Century by Donald Mowbray 85 CAROLINE wALKER BYNUM The Pastoral Luther: Essays on Martin Luther’s Practical Theology edited by Timothy J.
    [Show full text]
  • Covenant of Redemption in the Theology of Jonathan Edwards: the Nexus Between the Immanent and the Economic Trinity
    CALVIN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY COVENANT OF REDEMPTION IN THE THEOLOGY OF JONATHAN EDWARDS: THE NEXUS BETWEEN THE IMMANENT AND THE ECONOMIC TRINITY A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF CALVIN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY REITA YAZAWA GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN MAY 2013 CALVIN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 3233 Burton SE • Grand Rapids, Michigan • 49546~4301 800 388-6034 fax: 616 957-8621 [email protected] www. calvinseminary. edu This dissertation entitled COVENANT OF REDEMPTION IN THE THEOLOGY OF JONATHAN EDWARDS: THE NEXUS BETWEEN THE IMMANENT AND THE ECONOMIC TRINITY written by REITA YAZAWA and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy has been accepted by the faculty of Calvin Theological Seminary upon the recommendation of the undersigned readers: /' ~George M. Marsden,~a, Ph.D·~. Richard A. Mulier, Ph.D. ~ ... ~ SJeVe:M:StUdebaker, Ph.D. Rona~e~ Date Dean of Academic Programs Copyright © 2013 by Reita Yazawa All rights reserved CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................... vi ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ viii Chapter ONE INTRODUCTION: CRITICISM OF THE IMMANENT TRINITY IN CONTEMPORARY THEOLOGY ........................................................ 1 Present Status of the Problem ..................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ...........................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Election and Trinity
    WTJ 71 (2009): 53-81 ELECTION AND TRINITY JAMES J. CASSIDY I. Introduction . election is God’s self-election, God’s decision to be God in this way, in and as the man Jesus. The consequence is that God is the one who determines himself to be in relation to us through Christ.1 The current debate among Barth scholars concerning the Swiss theologian’s understanding of the relation between the Trinity and God’s decree is as stimu- lating as it is potentially useful for aiding the church to advance a robust Christian doctrine of God. At the heart of the debate is this question: Does God’s being in triunity constitute his divine act of electing, or,conversely,does God’s act of elec- tion constitute his essence as the triune God? The question could be posed another way: Does God’s act constitute his being or does his being constitute his act? The discussion has also spilled over into the area of Christology.How are we to understand the relation between the two natures of Christ? If election con- stitutes God’s being then we cannot speak of some abstract notion of the second person of the Trinity, the Logos asarkos, who is eternally self-existing without any necessary reference to being pro nobis. Therefore, the discussion has opened up a number of possibilities for refining and perfecting the church’s understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ in our redemption. We will attempt to show that in this debate there are two mutually exclusive positions: a position that proves itself to be a more accurate interpretation of Barth, and a position that proves itself to be closer to the historic Christian posi- tion on the matter.
    [Show full text]
  • JOHN R. BOWLIN Princeton Theological Seminary 64 Mercer Street P.O. Box 821 Princeton, NJ 08542 609-497-3665 (Office) 609-497-7
    JOHN R. BOWLIN Princeton Theological Seminary 64 Mercer Street P.O. Box 821 Princeton, NJ 08542 609-497-3665 (office) 609-497-7829 (fax) [email protected] Degrees Earned: Ph.D., 1993 Princeton University M.A., 1987 Princeton University M.Div., 1985 Union Theological Seminary, New York B.A., 1981 St. Olaf College _____________________________________________________________ Areas of Specialization: Christian Moral Theology (history and problems); Moral Philosophy (history and problems); Contemporary Social Ethics and Criticism; Modern Religious Thought _____________________________________________________________ Professional Experience: Robert L. Stuart Associate Professor of Philosophy and Christian Ethics, 2015- Rimmer and Ruth de Vries Associate Professor of Reformed Theology and Public Life, Princeton Theological Seminary, 2007-2015 Associate Professor of Religion, University of Tulsa, 1998- Director, University Honors Program, University of Tulsa, 2001-2004 Assistant Professor of Religion, University of Tulsa, 1990-1997 ______________________________________________________________ Professional Memberships: American Academy of Religion Society of Christian Ethics American Political Science Association _______________________________________________________________ Honors, Awards, and Fellowships: Henry Luce III Fellowship, 2010-2011 Senior Fellow, Emory University, Center of the Study of Law and Religion, 2006-2010 Visiting Scholar, Oklahoma Scholar-Leadership Enrichment Program, 2006 Lilly Endowment/Louisville Institute, Christian
    [Show full text]
  • Donald Macleod, "Amyraldus Redivivus: a Review Article," Evangelical Quarterly 81.3
    EQ 81.3 (2009), 210–229 Amyraldus redivivus: a review article Donald Macleod Donald Macleod is Principal of the Free Church College, Edinburgh. KEY WORDS: Amyraldus (Amyraut); Beza; Alan Clifford; Calvinism; Dort. Someone who chanced to see this book1 lying on my desk instantly quipped, ‘Are there still Amyraldians?’ The remark was natural enough in a day when old dis- tinctions are largely obsolete. Evangelicalism may still be riven, but the fault-lines are no longer those of yore. Calvinists and Arminians have been superseded by Dispensationalists, Charismatics, the Emerging Church and the Federal Vision. But, yes, there are still Amyraldians, marshalled by the crusading Dr. Alan C. Clifford of Norwich,2 editor of this collection of papers delivered at the 2006 Conference of the Amyraldian Association. Dr Clifford belongs to an interesting species: the ardent, passionate advocate of the via media. The overall purpose of these papers is in accord with this. They seek to portray Amyraldianism as the biblical middle way, offering a balanced alternative to both Calvinism and Arminianism. Unfortunately, advocacy of the middle way does not always imply moderation, and this book makes consider- able use of derogatory labels. Dr Clifford himself, in the introductory chapter (8), notes that, ‘up until about the year 1600 being an “Evangelical” and being a “Calvinist” meant one and the same thing.’ To Clifford, however, the term ‘Cal- vinist’ itself requires modulation. There is authentic Calvinism, namely Amyral- dianism; and there is the supplanter, variously designated as Bezan Calvinism, Owenite Calvinism, Extreme Exaggerated Calvinism, High Calvinism, Scholastic Calvinism, So-called Calvinism and Ultra Orthodoxy.
    [Show full text]
  • This Thesis Has Been Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for a Postgraduate Degree (E.G
    This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree (e.g. PhD, MPhil, DClinPsychol) at the University of Edinburgh. Please note the following terms and conditions of use: • This work is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, which are retained by the thesis author, unless otherwise stated. • A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. • This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author. • The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. • When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. Introduction A number of years ago, when I was first exploring this topic and my interest in the Christian community in Karl Barth’s theological project, I shared this interest with a prominent contemporary theologian. ‘Karl Barth had an ecclesiology?’ he responded rhetorically, if not a bit sarcastically. In much contemporary theological discussion, Karl Barth’s theology of the church is seen either as a useless dead end or as a topic of little interest or import to more interesting themes in Barth’s theological corpus. In addition, Barth’s concept of the threefold Word of God is all too familiar terrain that could not possibly be worth any additional detailed engagement and re- visitation. This thesis runs counter to these two commonly held assumptions: that Karl Barth had a weak ecclesiology, and that nothing new or significant can be gleaned from a detailed study of the threefold Word of God in Barth’s theology.
    [Show full text]