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The Trinitarian Ecclesiology of Thomas F. Torrance

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The Trinitarian Ecclesiology of Thomas F. Torrance Kate Helen Dugdale Submitted to fulfil the requirements for a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Otago, November 2016. 1 2 ABSTRACT This thesis argues that rather than focusing on the Church as an institution, social grouping, or volunteer society, the study of ecclesiology must begin with a robust investigation of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Utilising the work of Thomas F. Torrance, it proposes that the Church is to be understood as an empirical community in space and time that is primarily shaped by the perichoretic communion of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, revealed by the economic work of the Son and the Spirit. The Church’s historical existence is thus subordinate to the Church’s relation to the Triune God, which is why the doctrine of the Trinity is assigned a regulative influence in Torrance’s work. This does not exclude the essential nature of other doctrines, but gives pre-eminence to the doctrine of the Trinity as the foundational article for ecclesiology. The methodology of this thesis is one of constructive analysis, involving a critical and constructive appreciation of Torrance’s work, and then exploring how further dialogue with Torrance’s work can be fruitfully undertaken. Part A (Chapters 1-5) focuses on the theological architectonics of Torrance’s ecclesiology, emphasising that the doctrine of the Trinity has precedence over ecclesiology. While the doctrine of the Church is the immediate object of our consideration, we cannot begin by considering the Church as a spatiotemporal institution, but rather must look ‘through the Church’ to find its dimension of depth, which is the Holy Trinity. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are a full and replete communion of Triune love, and the free outpouring of this love upon humanity, alongside the corresponding invitation to humanity to participate in the Triune fellowship, are key to understanding the transcendent foundation of the Church. The central motif which we will engage with is the idea of koinōnia, exploring the correlation between the divine koinōnia, and human koinōnia. Part B (Chapters 6–10) lays out the implications of this key theological relationship for the order, structure, ministry and mission of the Church in the time between Christ’s two advents. This is because seeking to understand the external forms of the Church’s life without first considering it in its full theological relation to the doctrine of God results in a truncated ecclesiology. By taking this approach, the thesis shows how each 3 of these elements points forward to the consummation of God’s intentions for humanity, which is humankind’s full participation in the fellowship of the Trinity. The thesis concludes by comparing Torrance’s ecclesiology with representative samples of work from John Webster, Kathryn Tanner, Jürgen Moltmann and John Zizioulas, in order to situate Torrance as a conversation partner within wider theological dialogue. 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a community (and lots of coffee—thanks to all the Nelson cafés who let me use your Wi-fi for hours!) to write a doctoral thesis. Profound thanks go to my primary doctoral supervisor, Revd Dr Christopher Holmes, for his feedback and encouragement throughout this process, particularly in moments of self-doubt, and also to my secondary supervisor, Professor Murray Rae for his involvement in the sometimes arduous process of thesis writing. In addition to my formal supervisors, the entire faculty of Bishopdale Theological College deserves applause for answering my questions, and allowing me to have the sunniest office. A number of scholars made my research task much more enjoyable through assisting with their expertise and in conversation. In particular, I am grateful to Gary Deddo, David Fergusson, Myk Habets, George Hunsinger, Chris Kettler, Bruce McCormack, Paul Molnar, Alan Torrance, Andrew Torrance, Robert Walker and John Webster for making the time to meet with a visiting antipodean PhD student. I also appreciated the assistance of Kenneth Henke in accessing archival material at the Princeton Theological Seminary Library, and Iain Torrance for permission to utilise some of this material. Support in proofreading was undertaken by a number of people, to whom I am very grateful, especially Nick Gastrell who was the first to read the whole thesis. This project was undertaken with a generous doctoral scholarship from the University of Otago, and a scholarship from Princeton Theological Seminary as part of the Doctoral Research Scholars Programme, which enabled me to spend a semester working with T. F. Torrance’s unpublished material. Travel assistance was received from Te Kotahitanga, which assisted with the costs of a semester in Princeton, NJ, and a study trip to Edinburgh and St Andrews, Scotland, and the Monastery of Bose, Italy. Mum, Dad, Lisa and Abbey, as well as extended family and friends thanks for supporting from afar. My highest appreciation, however, is to the household that encouraged me to start this process, and to be aware not only of what I was learning through the process, but of what God was doing in me. Andrew, Rebecca, Miranda, Ruby, George, Henry and Victor (as well as all those who have come and gone); thanks for being whanau and fellow-disciples in the fullest sense possible. 5 6 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 9 1.1 ECCLESIOLOGY IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY ................................................................................................ 10 1.2 METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................................... 12 1.3 OVERVIEW OF CONTENT .......................................................................................................................... 12 1.4 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................................... 16 1.5 STYLISTIC NOTES .................................................................................................................................... 22 2 INTRODUCING T. F. TORRANCE AND HIS APPROACH TO THEOLOGY ................................................ 25 2.0 CHAPTER ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................ 25 2.1 A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF T. F. TORRANCE .................................................................................................... 25 2.2 HOW TO READ T. F. TORRANCE: A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO THEOLOGY ........................................................... 36 2.3 THE ECCLESIOLOGICAL TASK: WHY A TRINITARIAN THEOLOGY ......................................................................... 52 2.4 CHAPTER CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................ 55 3 THE TRINITY: A THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION ................................................................................... 57 3.0 CHAPTER ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................ 57 3.1 KEY INFLUENCES IN RELATION TO T. F. TORRANCE’S DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY TRINITY ......................................... 57 3.2 THE REVEALING OF THE DOCTRINE OF GOD ................................................................................................. 70 3.3 A COMMUNION OF FULLNESS—ONE BEING, THREE PERSONS ........................................................................ 80 3.4 A STRATIFIED STRUCTURE OF REALITY ........................................................................................................ 87 3.5 UNION AND COMMUNION WITH THE TRIUNE GOD ....................................................................................... 95 3.6 CHAPTER CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................ 99 4 A DIACHRONIC ECCLESIOLOGY ....................................................................................................... 101 4.0 CHAPTER ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................................. 101 4.1 ONE CHURCH, THREE STAGES ................................................................................................................. 101 4.2 THE ANTICIPATORY EXISTENCE OF ISRAEL AS THE CHURCH IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ............................................ 107 4.3 THE CHURCH IN THE TIME BETWEEN ........................................................................................................ 116 4.4 THE CHURCH AS THE NEW CREATION ....................................................................................................... 125 4.5 CHAPTER CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................... 134 5 THE CHURCH OF THE TRIUNE GOD ................................................................................................. 137 5.0 CHAPTER ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................................. 137 5.1 CHAPTER INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................
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