Jason Byassee, Vancouver School of Theology Th 6/780 Contemporary Trinitarian Thought Fall 2021, Tuesday Mornings 9 AM-12

Jason Byassee, Vancouver School of Theology Th 6/780 Contemporary Trinitarian Thought Fall 2021, Tuesday mornings 9 AM-12.

The 20th century saw a remarkable revival of a doctrine once considered dead and deadly: the doctrine of the Trinity. This revival was kicked off by Karl Barth and continues to this day as theologians produce work of remarkable creativity and practitioners do likewise. This course will focus on the doctrine of the Trinity in both contemporary and classical exposition, since the former cannot be understood without the latter. Students will study one classical interpreter, such as Tertullian, Augustine, the Cappadocians, Julian, Karl Barth, Karl Rahner, Sarah Coakley, Sallie McFague (note: classical doesn’t have to mean dead!). You will present your findings on this figure in class. Students will also study a contemporary expositor of the doctrine, such as Richard Rohr, Cynthia Bourgeault, Miroslav Volf, John Zizioulas (like the first list this one could expand infinitely). These folks do something unique with the doctrine—trying to emphasize how it shapes our view of humanity, society, spirituality, politics, gender, or nearly any other created thing of your choice. We will also each read the material for class which reflects both classical and contemporary approaches. Students will take turns leading off discussion for the day. Students will conclude the course with an appropriate project to demonstrate what they have learned—an academic paper perhaps of some 15 or so pages, a series of sermons, a catechetical exercise, plans for a political gathering—the possibilities are nearly endless. Please clear your plans with the instructor first. The goal here is not merely to read a lot or write a lot. It is to think and act trinitarianly for the sake of the church’s faithfulness and the world’s blessing. Pre-requisite: TH500

Competencies

1-Describe the biblical and theological sources for the doctrine and why it matters for the church’s life today.

2-Offer trinitarian reflection in your own voice, off the script, improvised. Students will need to show they can do more than cite sources (as crucial as that is!)—you can do something new with this doctrine. Required books (these are ordered through the UBC bookstore and so should be available on campus).

Julie Canlis A Theology of the Ordinary (Godspeed Press, 2017). ISBN: 0692840281

Sarah Coakley God, Sexuality, and the Self: An Essay ‘On the Trinity’ (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013). ISBN: 0521899494

Katherine Sonderegger Systematic Theology, Vol. 2: The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity: Processions and Persons (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2020). 145148285X Recommended for papers Hans Urs Von Balthasar Theo-Drama: Theological Dramatic Theory. III. The Dramatis Personae: Persons in Christ, trans. Graham Harrison (San Francisco: Ignatius, 1993). Part V.

Boris Bobrinskoy The Mystery of the Trinity (St. Vladimir’s 1999) ISBN: 0881418595

Sarah Coakley God, Sexuality, and the Self: An Essay on the Trinity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013).

Karl Barth Church Dogmatics I.1, trans. G. W. Bromiley (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 2004).

Leonardo Boff Trinity and Society (Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf & Stock, 2005). ___ Holy Trinity: Perfect Community (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis, 2000).

Paul Fiddes Participating in God: A Pastoral Doctrine of the Trinity (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2000).

David Bentley Hart The Beauty of the Infinite (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004), 153-248.

Robert W. Jenson Systematic Theology. Vol. 1: The Triune God (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001).

Elizabeth Johnson She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse 3rd ed. (New York: Crossroad, 2017).

Veli-Matti Karkkainen The Trinity: Global Perspectives (Louisville: Westminster, 2007). Catherine LaCugna God For Us: The Trinity and the Christian Life (Harper, 1993) ISBN: 0060649135

Peter Leithart Traces of the Trinity: Signs of God in Creation and Human Experience (Baker, 2015) ISBN: 1587433672

Vladimir Lossky The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church (Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir’s, 1997).

John Milbank The Word Made Strange: Theology, Language, Culture (Oxford: Wiley- Blackwell, 1997), chapters 5-8.

Jurgen Moltmann The Trinity and the Kingdom (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993).

Wolfhart Pannenberg Systematic Theology Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991), chs. 5- 6.

Karl Rahner The Trinity (New York: Crossroad, 1997). Joseph Ratzinger The God of Jesus Christ: A Meditation on the Trinity (San Francisco: Ignatius, 2008). Michael Reeves Delighting in the Trinity (InterVarsity Academic, 2012). ISBN: 0830839836

Katherine Sonderegger Systematic Theology: The Doctrine of God, Volume 1 (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2015).

Kathryn Tanner Jesus, Humanity, and the Trinity: A Brief Systematic Theology (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2001).

Miroslav Volf After Our Likeness: The Church as the Image of the Trinity (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).

Simon Weil, “Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies with a View to the Love of God,” in Gravity & Grace (on canvas).

Rowan Williams On Christian Theology (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2000), especially the essays in parts II & III plus chapter 15.

John Zizioulas Being as Communion (Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir’s, 1997).