A Global Forum

ContentsContents THEME:THEME: Theology Heirs of in the Church Reformation and World HeirsEditorial of the Reformation page 99 EVANGELICAL REVIEW OF THEOLOGY VOLUME 41, NO 2, April 2017 EVANGELICAL REVIEW OF THEOLOGY VOLUME 39, NO 3, July 2015 Toward anEmilio Evangelical Antonio n EcclesiologyúñEz page 196 TimoThy GeorGe The Mandate of Asian pageAmerican 100 Evangelical Theology Amos Yong Of Mirrors and Men—Surveying a Trajectory for ‘Moving Beyond’ page 204 from Scripture to Theology A Trinitarianm Doctrineichael B oforowski Christian Vocation scottpage H A119rrowEr page 218 The Ecosapiential Theology of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job Jonathan Edwards, Slavery, and Africa Missions andrea l. roBinson wAYnE AlAn DEtzlEr page 134 page 229 Colin E. Gunton and Public Theologians: Toward a Trinitarian What’s in a Name? Should All Followers of Jesus Call Themselves Public Theology ‘Christians’? naomi noGuchi reese EDitED bY l.D wAtErmAn pagepage 150243 AddressingUnDErstAn theDing Scars AnD E onvAl theUAting Face tHE of P Christendom:ArticiPAtion of WorldfrAnco MissionPHonE ArticlesA Globaland book reviews Forum reflecting AfricandA Globalns in w PersecutionorlD mission :in c ongolan AgeEsE of working Changing in b Intra-ChurchUrUnDi bY foH l E global evangelical theology for the purpose lRelationsYgUnDA li-m Thomaspage k .255 Johnson of discerning the obedience of faith ‘Discerning the Obediencepage of 166Faith’: A history of the WEA Dying to Be the Church:Theological 1 Corinthians Commission 15 and Paul’s Shocking Revelation aboutDA viDeathD PArk andEr Resurrection roBpage a. F 271rinGer Book Reviewspage 174 page 280 reviews page 185

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ERT cover 39-3.indd 1 21/05/2015 14:04 ABSTRACTS/INDEXING This journal is abstracted in Religious and Theological Abstracts, 121 South College Street (P.O. Box 215), Myerstown, PA 17067, USA, and in the Christian Periodical Index, P.O. Box 4, Cedarville, Spirit and Gospel OH 45314, USA. Roland J. Lowther It is also indexed in the ATLA Religion Database, published by the American Theological Library Spirit and Gospel enables the reader to see that the Holy Spirit offers not just a fresh Association, 300 S. Wacker Dr., Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60606 USA, E-mail: [email protected], Web: vision of salvation, but also the wisdom to understand it, the courage to embrace it, and www.atla.com/ the power to live it. MICROFORM Spirit and Gospel offers clarity on the vital subject of Christian salvation. In revisiting This journal is available on Microform from UMI, 300 North Zeeb Road, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346, USA. Phone: (313)761-4700 Paul’s gospel presentation in Romans, this book reveals how Paul uses a sequence of highly-relevant metaphors to frame his holistic message of salvation. Whilst Subscriptions 2017 affirming Jesus Christ as the heart of Paul’s soteriology, this book advocates that the *Sterling rates do not apply to USA and Canada subscriptions. Please see below for further information. relationship of the Spirit to the Gospel engenders in Paul’s presentation a certain coherency and potency that many Christians fail to capture. For discerning Christians Institutions and Libraries Individuals seeking encouragement from a clear presentation of this timeless truth, this book is an Period UK Elsewhere UK Elsewhere indispensable read. Overseas* Overseas* Rowland Lowther’s Spirit and Gospel provides a helpful extension of a Reformed reading of

One Year: Romans. This book’s call to focus on the significance of the Holy Spirit in Paul’s explanation of the hard copy £81.00 £88.00 £48.00 £52.00 gospel constructively challenges past theological descriptions and invigorates believers to fulfill the electronic version £81.00 £88.00 £48.00 £52.00 living sacrifice for which Paul’s letter calls. Mark Reasoner, Marian University joint subscription £97.00 £104.00 £56.00 £60.00 Roland J. Lowther is the pastor of Eternity Presbyterian Church, Queensland, Two/Three Years, per year Australia. He holds a PhD from the University of Queensland on the subject, ‘Living by hard copy £74.00 £79.00 £43.00 £46.00 the Spirit’. electronic version £74.00 £79.00 £43.00 £46.00 ISBN 9781842278864 (e.9781842278802) / 136pp / 216mm x 140mm / £17.99 joint subscription £88.00 £94.00 £52.00 £56.00 Unlocking Revelation All USA and Canada subscriptions to: EBSCO Subscription Services, P.O. Box 1493, Birmingham, AL 35201-1943, USA Laurie Guy All UK and International subscriptions to: Revelation is a confusing book for many readers. This new work by Laurie Guy Paternoster Periodicals, c/o AlphaGraphics, 3.2 Clarendon Park, Nottingham, NG5 1AH, UK provides a solid, insightful foundation to clear that confusion and to give understanding. Tel: UK 0800 597 5980; Fax: 0115 704 3327 It does this by outlining five interpretive keys that are crucial to our reading; then by Tel Overseas: +44 (0)115 704 3315; Fax: +44 (0)115 704 3327 Email [email protected] identifying five key themes of Revelation. The author underlines the fact that Revelation Subscriptions can be ordered online at: is a Jesus book, and it is a book of hope. www.paternosterperiodicals.co.uk (Non USA and Canada subscriptions only) Unlocking Revelation is clear, succinct, thoughtful, well-written, helpful and relevant. Perhaps the Special Offer key feature of Guy’s book, however, is that the interpretative insights it offers are built on the best of All orders placed via our websites will receive a 5% discount off the total price. evangelical scholarship and undergirded by healthy doses of common sense. For many, if not most, Rates displayed on the websites will reflect this discount books on Revelation, this is much rarer than you might think. Greg Liston, Mt Albert Baptist Church, Auckland, New Zealand. Important Note to all Postal Subscribers When contacting our Subscription Office in Nottingham for any reason Until recently Laurie Guy was Vice Principal of Carey Baptist College, Auckland, New always quote your Subscription Reference Number. Zealand where he is presently an adjunct lecturer. ISBN 9781842279700 (e. 9781780782713) / 176pp / 216mm x 140mm / £14.99 Photocopying Licensing No part of the material in this journal may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, record- ing or otherwise without the prior permission of Paternoster Periodicals, except where a licence is held to make photocopies. Applications for such licences should be made to the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 9HE. Available from: 01908 268500 or [email protected] It is illegal to take multiple copies of copyright material. Evangelical Review of Theology A Global Forum

GENERAL EDITOR: THOMAS SCHIRRMACHER

Volume 41 • Number 2 • April 2017

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General Editor Dr Thomas Schirrmacher, Germany Executive Editor Dr David Parker, Australia Assistant Editor Thomas K. Johnson, Czech Republic Book Review Editor Michael Borowski, Germany

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Editorial: Theology in Church and World

We launch this issue with an article eschatologically formulated views pro- by well known American theologian, vide the resources necessary to move Timothy George, which outlines the toward a more robust, holistic, and basis for developing an evangelical trinitarian public theology that takes ecclesiology. From a wide background into account the triune God in a way of involvement in inter-church discus- that other examples do not. sions, he argues that the absence of Our final two articles provide an a well-founded ecclesiology weakens outside and inside view of the church evangelical identity and undermines as it seeks to witness in a world of the ability to participate in ecumenical people, politics and nature. The first relations. by Thomas K. Johnson (Czech Repub- We then go behind the scenes to lic) laments that historic ‘scars’ on the the important question of moving from church have limited its ability to impact scripture to theology and welcome the the world in a positive way. However, Book Review Editor of this journal, he now happily believes that some re- Michael Borowski (Germany), as he cent developments have changed this, outlines some recent expositions of so there is now hope that the church this process. In what is essentially a may be able to demonstrate the love prospectus for further research on this which defines it and so be in a position topic, we are given an insight into some to advance its mission more effectively. important contributions from masters These issues call for a profound in the field as they propose foundations change in the inner life of the church. for ‘mere evangelical theology’. The Bible study article by Rob Fringer Branching out further, we are next (Australia) points to the kind of dy- treated to an interesting creative exam- namic to achieve this by looking at ple of this ‘moving beyond’ as Andrea the ‘shocking revelation about death Robinson (USA) shows the connect- and resurrection’ in the famous chap- edness of all elements within God’s ter, 1 Corinthians 15. Fringer shows created order as presented in biblical that this passage is ultimately about wisdom literature. Robinson explains ‘how believers should embody Christ’s that ‘ecosapiential theology’ is a much life, death and transformation in the needed insight which includes caring stewardship of the environment, present’. Its plain message which has vigilant attention to the condition of often been ‘downplayed and ignored’, nature, and redemptive activity in all is in fact a powerful ‘warning of the im- aspects of creation. plication of following after a cost-less We now turn to the arena of ‘pub- gospel’. He concludes with words that lic theology’, for a focus on theological underline the entire contents of this is- reflection that impacts the world of sue, ‘[W]e do not want to be a divided everyday life. Naomi Reese (USA) ex- and ineffective church!’ amines the work of Colin Gunton. She Thomas Schirrmacher, General Editor concludes that his trinitarianly and David Parker, Executive Editor ERT (2017) 41:2, 100-118 Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology

Timothy George

On 29 July 1928, a young evangeli- to us if that word does not become cal pastor began his sermon on Saint important to us soon again, does not Paul’s discourse on the body of Christ become important in our lives. in 1 Corinthians 12 with these words: Yes, the word to which I am re- There is a word that, when a Catho- ferring is ‘Church’, the meaning of 1 lic hears it, kindles all his feeling which we propose to look at today. of love and bliss; that stirs all the These words were spoken by Dietrich depths of his religious sensibil- Bonhoeffer to a small German-speak- ity, from dread and awe of the Last ing congregation in Barcelona, Spain. Judgment to the sweetness of God’s They present both a diagnosis and a presence; and that certainly awak- challenge for evangelicals today who ens in him the feeling of home; are called upon to set forth a clear, the feeling that only a child has in compelling ecclesiology in the light relation to its mother, made up of of new conversations and developing gratitude, reverence, and devoted relations with their Roman Catholic love; the feeling that overcomes brothers and sisters. one when, after a long absence, one As an international, trans-denom- returns to one’s home, the home of inational fellowship of some one-half one’s childhood. billion believers around the world, And there is a word that to Prot- evangelicalism is in its very exist- estants has the sound of something ence an amazing ecumenical fact. As a infinitely commonplace, more or less theological movement, however, evan- indifferent and superfluous, that gelicalism has been slow to develop a does not make their heart beat fast- distinctive ecclesiology, and that for er; something with which a sense of boredom is so often associated, or which at any rate does not lend 1 Cited in Eberhard Bethge, Dietrich Bonhoef- wings to our religious feelings—and fer (New York: Harper & Row, 1970), 42. Cf. Bonhoeffer’s doctoral dissertation, first pub- yet our fate is sealed, if we are un- lished in 1930, on the doctrine of the church: able again to attach a new, or per- The Communion of Saints (New York: Harper & haps a very old, meaning to it. Woe Row, 1960).

Timothy George (ThD, Harvard) is founding dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University and teaches church history and doctrine. He is active in Evangelical–Roman Catholic Church dialogue and has chaired the Doctrine and Christian Unity Commission of the Baptist World Alliance. George is the general editor of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, and has written more than 20 books and many articles. An earlier version of this article was published as ‘Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology’ in Catholics and Evangelicals: Do They Share a Common Future? Thomas P. Rausch, ed. (New York: Paulist Press, 2000) 122-48. Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology 101 several reasons. First, evangelical of the evangelical tradition. Our fail- scholars have been preoccupied with ure to do so in the past has resulted in other theological themes, such as bibli- both a loss of evangelical identity and cal revelation, religious epistemology, a lingering perception of the church as and apologetics. Second, as an activ- trite, boring, and superfluous. ist movement committed to evange- The evangelical witness emerged lism, missions, and church planting, not only, and not primarily, as a pro- evangelicalism has not made reflective test against abuses in the church but ecclesiology a high priority. As some rather as a protest for (pro-testantes) might choose to put it, ‘We are too busy the truth of the gospel. How evangeli- winning people to Christ to engage in calism maintains the centrality of gos- something which seems too much like pel truth within ostensibly weak struc- navel-gazing’.2 This objection should tures of ecclesial authority is perhaps not be gainsaid, especially when cou- its greatest challenge today. However, pled with the warning by missiologist within the evangelical tradition itself, J. C. Hoekendijk, who once observed in its confessions and hymns no less that ‘in history a keen ecclesiological than its formal theological reflections, interest has, almost without exception, there is a rich reservoir for articulating been a sign of spiritual decadence’.3 a strong ecclesiology in the service of Third, evangelicalism is a fissipa- the Word of God. rous movement of bewildering diver- If it seems to Roman Catholics sity made up of congregations, denomi- and other observers that evangelicals nations, and parachurch movements are more concerned with individualis- whose shared identity is not tied to a tic therapeutic spirituality than with particular view of church polity or min- churchly Christianity, we must admit isterial orders. Amidst such variety, is that there is warrant for such a view. A it even possible to describe one single, popular book on the church, though not or even central, evangelical ecclesiol- written by a self-professed evangelical, ogy? reflects the kind of ecclesiology found These objections sharpen the dis- in abundance on the shelves of many cussion, but they must not forestall Christian bookstores. Some chapter ti- our pressing forward with the kind of tles are: ‘The Church as a Helpful Serv- sustained ecclesial reflection called ice Organization’, ‘The Church as an for not only by the present ecumeni- Insurance Policy’, ‘The Church Serves cal moment but, more importantly, by My Special Interests’, and ‘The Church 4 More biblical Christianity and Reformation Rescues Me in Times of Crisis’. damning still is the wording posted on theology, which are at the wellsprings a sign beside an evangelical congregation: ‘The church that asks nothing of 2 Donald A. Carson, ‘Evangelicals, Ecumen- you’! ism, and the Church’, in Evangelical Affirma- It would be a great mistake, howev- tions, ed. Kenneth S. Kantzer and Carl F.H. Henry (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1900), 355. 3 J. C. Hoekendijk, ‘The Church in Missionary 4 Barbara Brown Zikmund, Discovering the Thinking,’ The International Review of Missions Church (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 41 (1952), 325. 1983). 102 Timothy George er, to gauge the rich tradition of evan- The second definition is from the Sec- gelical ecclesiology by such trendy ond London Confession (1677/1689), a religious perversions. What are the Particular Baptist statement of faith, lineaments of a consensual evangelical which echoes the language of the ecclesiology? We shall consider this Westminster Confession: theme under three general rubrics: the The Catholic or universal Church, universality of the church, the priority which with respect to the inter- of the gospel, and, finally, the church 5 nal work of the Spirit, and truth of as one, holy, catholic and apostolic. grace, may be called invisible, consists of the whole number of the I The Universality of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, Church the head thereof; and is the spouse, Two classic texts from the evangelical the body, the fullness of Him, that tradition highlight the reality of the filleth all in all.7 church universal. The first is question fifty-four in the Heidelberg Catechism Georges Florovsky (1893-1979), (1563): one of the most important Orthodox theologians of recent times, once said What doest thou believe concerning that the church is characterized by an the holy Catholic church? Answer: ecumenicity in time as well as by an That out of the whole human race, ecumenicity in space. This motif is from the beginning to the end of the deeply rooted in the patristic tradition, world, the Son of God, by his Spirit East and West, and was given classic and Word, gathers, defends, and expression by Saint Augustine, whom preserves for himself unto everlast- Luther referred to as ‘that poor, insig- ing life, a chosen communion in the nificant pastor of Hippo’.8 unity of the true faith; and that I am, and forever shall remain, a living This idea is well represented also in member of the same.6 the first two chapters ofLumen gentium on ‘The Mystery of the Church’ and ‘The People of God’. God the Father, 5 D. A. Carson has taken a complementary says Vatican II, approach in defining evangelical ecclesiology determined to call together in a holy in terms of seven basic theses: (1) The church is the community of the new covenant. (2) Church those who should believe in The church is the community empowered by Christ. Already present in figure at the Holy Spirit. (3) The church is an eschatological community. (4) The church is the ‘gathered’ people of God. (5) The church is 7 In 1742, this same confession was pub- a worshipping community. (6) The church is lished in America, with slight alterations, as the product of God’s gracious self-disclosure the Philadelphia Confession of Faith. Cf. Timo- in revelation and redemption. (7) The church thy and Denise George, eds., Baptist Confes- is characterized by mission. See his ‘Evangeli- sions, Covenants, and Catechisms (Nashville: cals, Ecumenism, and the Church’, 358-71. Broadman & Holman, 1996), 84-85. 6 Philip Schaff, ed., Creeds of Christendom 8 Georges Florovsky, ‘The Quest for Christian (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1877), 3:324- Unity and the Orthodox Church’, Theology and 25. Life 4 (1961), 201. WA 50, 615 (WML 5,252). Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology 103

the beginning of the world,…it will concerning believing Catholics.11 The be brought to glorious completion recognition of a shared spiritual real- at the end of time. At that moment, ity leads on to activities of cooperation all the just from the time of Adam, and joint witness, the kind of things re- ‘from Abel, the just one, to the last ferred to in the encyclical as ‘spiritual of the elect’ will be gathered togeth- ecumenism’, including the fellowship er with the Father in the universal of prayer, the translation and dissemi- Church (LG, 2).9 nation of Holy Scripture, theological The church, then, is the body of dialogues, and a common agenda of Christ extended throughout time as convictional (as opposed to merely pru- well as space, consisting of all persons dential) co-belligerency against abor- everywhere who have been, as the Pu- tion, euthanasia, pornography, religious ritans would have put it, ‘savingly con- persecution, and the erosion of a moral verted’, that is, placed in vital union base for politics, law, and culture. with Jesus Christ through the ministry But evangelicals also understand of the Holy Spirit. Extra ecclesiam nulla the universality of the church in ways salus! Outside of this church, which is that are not compatible, or at least are the church in the most comprehensive, less compatible, with Catholic teach- all-encompassing sense, there is no ing. As Avery Dulles has shown, the salvation. concept of the church as the mystical This ecclesial motif is crucial for body of Christ was brought into the Catholic-evangelical fellowship in that mainstream of Catholic ecclesiology by it enables members of both traditions the famous encyclical of Pope Pius XII 12 to recognize in one another, ‘when and in 1943, Mystici corporis. Although where God so permits it’ (ubi et quando Lumen gentium modifies the positions visum est Deo), the evident reality of taken by Pius XII in several respects, God’s grace among those who have it does not retract the language of Mys- trusted Jesus himself as Lord, mas- tici corporis, which refers to the church ter, and divine Saviour.10 To be sure, quasi altera Christi persona, (‘as if it 13 this kind of fellowship is still a long were another person of Christ’). way from ‘full visible unity’, but it is equally distant from automatic mutual 11 Ut unum sint, 53. condemnation. 12 Dulles, Models, 52. Pope St. John Paul II said of those 13 Quoted, Schrotenboer, Roman Catholicism, Christians who are beyond the visible 21. However, the following statement in Lu- boundaries of the Catholic church, ‘We men gentium does not equate, but only com- can say that in some real way they pares, the church to the incarnation: ‘For this reason the church is compared, not without are joined with us in the Holy Spirit’; significance, to the mystery of the incarnate evangelicals too can declare the same Word. As the assumed nature, inseparably united to him, serves the divine Word as a living organ of salvation, so, in a somewhat simi- 9 Austin Flannery, ed., Vatican Council II: The lar way, does the social structure of the church Conciliar and Postconciliar Documents (Colle- serve the spirit of Christ who vivifies it, in the geville: Liturgical Press, 1975), 351. building up of the body (cf. Eph. 4:15)’ (LG, 8). 10 Augsburg Confession, Art. V. Vatican II, 357. 104 Timothy George

While some Protestant theologians to thousands upon thousands of have also spoken of the church as a angels of joyful assembly, to the continuation of the incarnation, most church (ekklesia) of the firstborn, evangelicals recoil from such a direct whose names are written in heaven. identification lest the church itself be You have come to God, the Judge of made into an object of faith alongside all men, to the spirits of righteous of Christ. Although Paul Tillich’s the- men made perfect, to Jesus the Me- ology can hardly be considered ‘ortho- diator of a new covenant, and to the dox’ by evangelical criteria, he speaks sprinkled blood that speaks a better for most, if not all, Protestants when he word than the blood of Abel. warns against the idolatrous tempta- Thus the church as a heavenly and tion to put the historical church in the eschatological entity includes the elect 14 place of God. In the New Testament, of all the ages: the saints of the old cov- the metaphor of the body of Christ de- enant as well as those of the new, the scribes the relationships of believers to ecclesia triumphans and also the ecclesia one another (in 1 Corinthians) and to militans. As a reality ‘beyond our ken’ Christ (in Ephesians and Colossians, (Calvin), this universal church is not where the body is distinguished from at our disposal, and thus we can only Christ its head), but not to the environ- believe it (credo ecclesiam)—not believe ing world. In other words, ‘the body im- in it as we believe in God the Father age looks inwards and upwards but not Almighty, Jesus Christ his only Son, 15 outwards’. and the Holy Spirit. Rather, when we In the New Testament, the church confess that we ‘believe the church’, universal is depicted as a heavenly and we are bearing witness to its reality. eschatological reality, not as an earthly We mean to say that we believe it institution to be governed and grasped exists; that we ourselves by God’s by mere mortals. The only text in the grace have been placed within it, along New Testament which directly refers to with all others who ‘bow their necks the church as the mother of believers is under the yoke of Jesus Christ’ (Belgic Galatians 4:26, in which, in contrast to Confession); and that the gates of hell the earthly city in Judea, the church is shall never prevail against it. called ‘the Jerusalem that is above, the There is indeed a sure and direct heavenly Jerusalem’. Another text of connection between this holy company major importance which extends this of the redeemed in heaven and the idea is Hebrews 12:22-24: pilgrim church which struggles for its But you have come to Mount Zion, footing in the awful swellings of the to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city Jordan here below. It is precisely in this of the living God. You have come eschatological setting that we find the most compelling New Testament proof text for regular church attendance: 14 Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology (Chicago: ‘Let us not give up meeting together, The University of Chicago Press, 1963), 3:162- 82. as some are in the habit of doing, but 15 P. T. O’Brien, ‘The Church as a Heavenly let us encourage one another—and all and Eschatological Entity’, Carson, ed., The the more as you see the Day approach- Church in the Bible, 113-14. ing’ (Heb 10:25). Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology 105

In Christian worship, our hearts are early on brought against Luther, name- lifted into the heavenly sanctuary as ly, that he wanted ‘to build a church we share together the bread and cup of as Plato wants to build a state, which the Lord’s Table in anticipation of the would be nowhere’.18 Thus Sebastian Marriage Supper of the Lamb. ‘Let us Franck declared: ‘I believe that the lift up our hearts…We lift them up to outward church of Christ, including the Lord!’ This sursum corda moves us all its gifts and sacraments, because forward in history even as it lifts us up- of the breaking in and laying waste by ward into heaven. There, Calvin says, Antichrist right after the death of the Christ has ascended, ‘not to possess apostles, went up into heaven and lies it by himself, but to gather you and all concealed in the Spirit and in truth.’19 godly people with him’.16 Other radical reformers, such as Casper Schwenckfeld, declared a mor- atorium (Stillstand) on the Lord’s Sup- II The Priority of the Gospel per, emphasizing instead the inward The concept of the invisible church has feeding upon the ‘celestial flesh’ of fallen onto hard times in recent years, Christ, a non-material Eucharist trans- not only among Catholic interpreters acted in the heart by faith (alone!). but also among Protestant exegetes Over against these spiritualizing as diverse as Karl Barth and D. A. Car- trends, however, Luther, Zwingli, son, who think it best not to apply the Calvin, Bucer, Cranmer, and indeed 17 idea of invisibility to the church. It is most of the evangelical Anabaptists easy to see why this expression gives too stressed the importance of the lo- so much offence. The church ‘invis- cal visible congregation where, in the ible’ sounds too much like Casper the famous words of the Augsburg Con- friendly ghost—so ethereal, so docetic, fession, ‘the Word is rightly preached so detached from the flow and flux of and the sacraments are rightly the real stuff of ordinary life. administered’.20 At the Leipzig Debate At the time of the Reformation, cer- with John Eck in 1519, Luther firmly tain spiritualist reformers seemed to give credibility to the charge which the Catholic polemicist Thomas Murner 18 WA 7, 683, 11. Cited in Werner Elert, The Structure of Lutheranism (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1962), 261. 16 John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Re- 19 George H. Williams, ed., Spiritual and ligion 4.17.29. Anabaptist Writers (Philadelphia: Westminster 17 Richard John Neuhaus wrote about the im- Press, 1957), 149. portance of ecclesiology in evangelical-Cath- 20 ‘The church is the assembly of saints in olic dialogue: ‘It is a question of the Church which the Gospel is taught purely and the sac- as such. Not an invisible church or a church raments are administered rightly.’ The Book of true believers that is conceptually removed of Concord, ed. Theodore G. Tappert (Phila- from the ambiguities and tragedies of history, delphia: Fortress Press, 1959), 32. On the but the Church that is this identifiable people Anabaptist view of the church, see Franklin through time, a people as vulnerable to the H. Littell, The Origins of Sectarian Protestant- real world of historical change as was, and is, ism (New York: Macmillan, 1964), and Arnold their crucified Lord.’Evangelicals and Catholics Snyder, The Life and Thought of Michael Sattler Together, 1-92. (Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1984). 106 Timothy George embraced the Augustinian concept of led him to describe justification by faith the church, reiterated in the late middle alone as ‘the summary of all Christian ages by John Wyclif and John Hus, as doctrine’. In 1537, he wrote, ‘Nothing ‘the whole body of the elect (praedesti- in this article can be given up or com- natorum universitas)’.21 But this concept promised, even if heaven and earth and did not prevent him from also exclaim- things temporal should be destroyed.’25 ing, ‘Thank God, a seven-year-old child This message, far from being the result knows what the church is, namely, holy of privatized religious experience or believers and sheep who hear the voice rebellious individualism, delivered the of their Shepherd’.22 soul precisely from such preoccupa- For Luther, the gospel, which he de- tions by pointing to the finished work fined as the good news of salvation by of Christ on the cross. grace alone through faith alone because As Luther put it in his lectures on of Jesus Christ alone, was constitutive Galatians in 1535: ‘This is the reason for the church, not the church for the why our theology is certain: it snatches gospel. As he wrote in the sixty-second us away from ourselves, so that we do of the Ninety-five Theses, ‘The true not depend on our own strength, con- treasure of the church is the holy Gos- science, experience, person, or works, pel of the glory and the grace of God.’ but depend on that which is outside As a doctor of Holy Scripture and as a ourselves, that is, on the promise and pastor of souls, Luther revolted against truth of God, which cannot deceive.’26 the church for the sake of the church, Luther’s doctrine of justification that is, against a corrupt church for the by faith alone was not a novel teach- sake of the ‘true, ancient church, one ing but one which he found scattered body and one communion of saints with throughout the writings of the early the holy, universal, Christian church’.23 church, especially in the prayers of The idea that Luther embodied ‘the the saints, and, above all, in the let- introspective conscience of the West’ ters of Saint Paul. (Melanchthon and that his lonely quest for truth pro- traced the expression sola fide to Saint pelled him into the abyss of subjectiv- Ambrose.)27 But clearly this teaching ism owes more to the romanticism of had become obscured in the interven- the nineteenth century and the indi- ing centuries. Luther’s ‘discovery of vidualism of the twentieth than to the the Gospel’ made justification by faith reformer’s own self-consciousness.24 alone the centerpiece of Reformation Luther’s commitment to the gospel ecclesiology.

21 WA 2, 287, 35. 25 WA 25, 357; 50, 119. See Timothy George, 22 Book of Concord, 315. Theology of the Reformers (Nashville: Broad- 23 LW 41, 119. man & Holman, 1988), 62-79. 24 See Timothy George, ‘Modernizing Luther, 26 LW 26, 387. Domesticating Paul: Another Perspective’ in 27 Book of Concord, 31-32. Hans Küng notes Justification and Variegated Nomism: Volume II many other citations of fides sola in pre-Ref- The Paradoxes of Paul, eds. D. A. Carson, Peter ormation writings. See his Justification: The T. O’Brien, and Mark A. Seifrid (Grand Rapids: Doctrine of Karl Barth and a Catholic Reflection Baker Academic, 2004), 437-463. (London: Thomas Nelson, 1964), 249-63. Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology 107

In recent years, justification by faith clared righteous before our heavenly has been the subject of extensive dia- Father. Albert Outler once summarized logue between Lutheran and Catholic the theology of John Wesley in a way scholars.28 In Europe some years ago, that might capture the heart of the Karl Lehmann, Catholic bishop of evangelical tradition at its best: faith Mainz, and Lutheran theologian Wolf- alone, working by love, leading to ho- hart Pannenberg led discussions on liness.32 the condemnations of the Reformation While the biblical doctrine of justi- era with respect to justification. Out fication remains the evangelical centre of these discussions came a question of the visible church, we must guard which could not have been asked even against making shibboleths out of the a generation earlier: Do the condem- precise formulations of Luther, Calvin, nations set forth in the Decrees of the or any other human teacher. To turn Council of Trent and in the Book of Con- justification by faith alone into justi- 29 cord still apply today? It is not sur- fication by doctrinal precision alone prising that proposals to reexamine the is to lapse into a subtle but insidious historic differences over justification form of justification by works. In this have met with stern resistance from regard we do well to heed the words various quarters within both the Catho- of Jonathan Edwards in his treatise on 30 lic and Protestant worlds. justification: An evangelical commitment to the priority of the gospel means that jus- How far a wonderful and mysteri- tification by faith alone should remain ous agency of God’s Spirit may so the kerygmatic centre of our proclama- influence some men’s hearts, that tion and common witness, even though their practice in this regard may be we also affirm with Calvin that ‘while contrary to their own principles, so we are justified by faith alone, the faith that they shall not trust in their own that justifies is not alone’fides ( ergo righteousness, though they profess sola est quae justificat; fides tamen quae that men are justified by their own justificat, non est sola).31 While good righteousness—or how far they works are never the condition, they are may believe the doctrine of justifica- indeed the consequence of our being de- tion by men’s own righteousness in general, and yet not believe it in a particular application of it to them- 28 See H. George Anderson, et al., eds., Jus- selves—or how far that error which tification By Faith: Lutherans and Catholics in they may have been led into by edu- Dialogue VII (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publish- ing House, 1985). cation, or cunning sophistry of oth- 29 Karl Lehmann and Wolfhart Pannenberg, ers, may yet be indeed contrary to eds., The Condemnations of the Reformation Era: the prevailing disposition of their Do They Still Divide? (Minneapolis: Fortress hearts, and contrary to their prac- Press, 1990). 30 See Lutheran World Federation and Ro- man Catholic Church, Joint Declaration on the 32 Cf. Albert C. Outler, ed., John Wesley (New Doctrine of Justification (Grand Rapids: Eerd- York: Oxford University Press, 1964), 28: ‘The mans, 2000). faith that justifies bears its fruits in the faith 31 CO 8:488. that works by love.’ 108 Timothy George

tice—or how far some may seem the faithful are gathered together to maintain a doctrine contrary to through the preaching of the Gos- this gospel-doctrine of justification, pel of Christ, and the mystery of that really do not, but only express the Lord’s Supper is celebrated…. themselves differently from others; In these communities, though they or seem to oppose it through their may often be small and poor, or misunderstanding of our expres- existing in the diaspora, Christ is sions, or we of theirs, when indeed present, through whose power and our real sentiments are the same influence the One, Holy, Catholic, in the main—or may seem to differ and Apostolic Church is constituted more than they do, by using terms (LG, 26).34 that are without a precisely fixed The church universal and the church and determinant meaning—or to be local are related not as two species of wide in their sentiments from this the same genus but rather as two pred- doctrine, for want of a distinct un- icates of the same subject. Gregory the derstanding of it; whose hearts, at Great declared that: ‘The holy church the same time, entirely agree with it, has two lives: one in time and the other and if once it was clearly explained in eternity.’35 The connection between to their understandings, would im- the one church in its two successive mediately close with it and embrace states is the Holy Spirit. it:—how far these things may be, I will not determine; but am fully per- suaded that great allowances are to 1. The Church is one be made on these and such like ac- The New Testament speaks of ‘church- counts, in innumerable instances.33 es’ in the plural, particular congregations of baptized believers united in a common confession, sharing a mutual III One, Holy, Catholic, and love for one another across the barriers Apostolic of race and class, nation and ‘denomi- nation’ (‘I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, The invisible or universal church etc.’). In his letter to the Ephesians, emerges into visibility in the form of lo- the Magna Carta of New Testament cal congregations gathered around the ecclesiology, Paul makes this urgent faithful preaching of the Word of God: plea: ‘Make every effort to keep the a community (Gemeine was Luther’s unity of the Spirit through the bond of word) or called-out assembly of the peace. There is one body and one spir- people of God, the fellowship of believ- it—just as you were called to one hope ers, or, as the Apostles’ Creed has it, when you were called—one Lord, one the communion of saints. Thus, evan- faith, one baptism; one God and Father gelicals can agree wholeheartedly with the statement of Lumen gentium that in local churches 34 Vatican II, 381. 35 Gregory the Great, In Ezech. 2, 10 (PL 76, 1060). Cited in Henri de Lubac, The Splendor 33 The Works of Jonathan Edwards (Edin- of the Church (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, burgh: Banner of Truth, 1974) 1:654. 1956), 78. Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology 109 of all, who is over all and through all of this process was the proliferation and in all’ (Eph 4:3-5). of numerous denominations and com- Thus the unity of the church is peting sects, ‘separated brethren’ who based on the fact that we worship were often more separated than broth- one God. As Edmund Clowney has ob- erly in their relations with one another! served, ‘If we served many gods—Isis, Evangelicals today are heirs of both Apollo, Dionysos, Demeter—then we reformational and restitutionist mod- might form different cults, for there els of ecclesiology, and their approach were “gods many and lords many.” But to controverted questions of church or- we serve the one true God, who is also der, ministry, and ecumenism often de- the heavenly Father of his one family’ pends on which of these two paradigms (Eph 3:14).36 is more prevalent. The fact that most Heiko A. Oberman has claimed that evangelicals are less than enthusiastic schism was not the result of the Ref- about the modern ecumenical move- ormation but instead its genesis and ment in its liberal Protestant modality point of departure.37 It is clear that does not mean that they have no con- neither Luther nor Calvin had any idea cern for the unity of the church. It does of starting new churches; they aimed mean, however, that the question of instead to reform the one, holy, catho- the church’s unity cannot be divorced lic, and apostolic church. As Calvin put from that of its integrity. it, ‘To leave the church is nothing less The call to be one in Christ rings than a denial of God and Christ’ (Dei et hollow when it comes from church 38 Christi abnegatio). leaders who either themselves deny, Continental Anabaptists, English or wink at others who do, the most Separatists, and biblical restoration- basic Christological affirmations of the ists pursued a different ideal of re- Christian faith, including the virgin form, seeking not so much to purify the birth, bodily resurrection, and actual church as to restore it to its original, return of Christ himself. Thomas Oden New Testament condition. Thus, by speaks for many evangelicals when he gathering new congregations of ‘vis- declares: ible saints’, organized according to the blueprint of church order in the New Too many pretentious pseudoecu- Testament, these radical reformers be- menical efforts have been them- lieved that they could restore, as one selves divisive, intolerant, ultra- of them put it, ‘the old glorious face of political, misconceived, utopian, primitive Christianity’.39 The end result abusive, nationalistic, and culturally imperialistic….Hence modern ecumenical movements are themselves 36 Clowney, The Church, 79. called to repentance on behalf of the 37 Heiko A. Oberman, Luther: Man Between God and the Devil (New Haven: Yale University unity of the Church. Without true Press, 1982), 249. repentance, it is doubtful that the 38 Institutes, 4.3.2. varied houses of Protestantism can 39 See Timothy George, ‘The Spirituality of the Radical Reformation,’ Christian Spiritual- ity: High Middle Ages in Reformation, ed. Jill Raitt (New York: Crossroad, 1987), 334-71. 110 Timothy George

speak confidently of the one body of scattered throughout the Roman Em- Christ.40 pire, he said, ‘Do not conform to the But evangelicals too are called to re- evil desires you had when you lived in pentance. We too have sinned against ignorance. But just as he who called the body of Christ by confusing loy- you is holy, so be holy in all you do; alty to the truth with party spirit and for it is written: “Be holy because I am kingdom advance with petty self-ag- holy”’ (1 Pet 1:1-2, 14-16). grandizement. We need the wisdom of The church on earth is holy not by the Holy Spirit to know when, like the virtue of its being set apart from every Confessing Church in Nazi Germany, it other institution and community in is necessary to stand against schemes its external organization, as though it of false church unity and compromised were some kind of cordon sanitaire in theology to declare, ‘Jesus Christ, as the midst of the contagion all around he is testified to us in the Holy Scrip- it, but only because it is animated by ture, is the one Word of God, whom we the Holy Spirit and joined in vital union are to hear, whom we are to trust and with its heavenly head, Jesus Christ obey in life and in death.’41 himself. Thus Zacharias Ursinus in his Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism said the church 2. The Church is holy is called holy because it is sancti- Of the four classic attributes of the fied of God by the blood and Spirit of church, holiness is the one best at- Christ, that it may be conformable tested to in the most primitive versions to him, not in perfection, but by the of the baptismal creed: ‘I believe in the imputation of Christ’s righteous- hagian ekklesian’, or, according to a ness, or obedience; and by having variant tradition, ‘I believe through the the principle of holiness; because holy church (per sanctam ecclesiam).’42 the Holy Spirit renews and delivers The church is a ‘called-out assembly’; the church from the dregs of sins by it is sancta, ‘holy’, in so far as it exists degrees, in order that all who belong over against the environing culture to it may commence and practice all which surrounds it. 43 The apostle Peter addressed his the parts of obedience. first epistle to ‘God’s elect, strangers Evangelicals insist, however, that in the world…who have been chosen the holiness of God be clearly dis- according to the foreknowledge of God tinguished from the holiness of the the Father through the sanctifying church. The holiness of the church on work of the Spirit for obedience to Je- earth is entirely derived, emergent, sus Christ’. To these gentile churches and incomplete; that of God is eternal, substantial, and unbroken by the vicis- situdes of imperfection and finitude. 40 Thomas C. Oden, Life in the Spirit (San Francisco: Harper-Collins, 1992), 309. 41 ‘The Barmen Declaration’, in Creeds of 43 Zacharias Ursinus, Commentary on the Hei- the Churches, ed. John H. Leith (Atlanta: John delberg Catechism (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Knox Press, 1982), 520. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Com- 42 Oden, Life in the Spirit, 316. pany, 1992), 289. Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology 111

Thus we take exception to the state- While it is true that for Luther the ment of Yves Congar that ‘there is no sole, uninterrupted, and infallible mark more sin in the church than in Christ, of the church was and remained the of whom she is the body; and she is his gospel—ubi evangelium, ibi ecclesia—he mystical personality.’44 has also much to say about good works In an early draft of the section of and growth in holiness as the fruit of Lumen gentium describing the church having been declared righteous by God as the people of God, there was an ac- through faith alone. Later reformers knowledgment of the sin to which the placed more emphasis on the ‘marks church is susceptible in its earthly pil- of the true church’ (word and sacra- grimage. In the official text, however, ment for Luther and Calvin, discipline the putative sinfulness of the church as well for later Reformed confessions, was qualified by adding the words ‘in English Separatists, and Anabaptists). its members’. However, as Hans Küng Calvin in particular is clear about the has said, ‘There is no such thing as a function of the marks: ‘For, in order church without members…it is human that the title “church” may not deceive beings, not God, not the Lord, not the us, every congregation that claims the Spirit, who make up the church.’45 The name “church” must be tested by this justified believer is always simul iustus standard as by a touchstone.’47 et peccator, ‘at the same time righteous The evangelical marks—procla- and sinful’, and, consequently, the vis- mation, worship, and discipline—are ible church must be at the same time a thus distinguished from the traditional communio peccatorum as well as a com- Nicene attributes precisely because munio sanctorum. they are not merely descriptive but dy- Did Luther’s univocal insistence namic. They call into question the unity, upon justification by faith alone as catholicity, apostolicity, and holiness of the centre of evangelical proclama- every congregation which claims to be tion leave no room for sanctification, a church. In this way, as Calvin says, good works, or growth in grace and ‘the face of the church’ emerges into 48 holiness? The Catholic prince Duke visibility before our eyes. George of Saxony thought so: ‘Luther’s By elevating discipline to the status doctrine is good for the dying, but it is of a distinguishing mark of the church, no good for the living.’ Erasmus was Puritans, Pietists, and the early Meth- less kind: ‘Lutherans seek only two odists defined the true visible church things—wealth and wives…to them as a covenanted company of gathered the Gospel means the right to live as saints, separated from the world in its they please.’46 organization and autonomy and sepa- rating back to the world through con- gregational discipline those members 44 Yves Congar, Sainte Eglise (1963), 144ff. whose lives betrayed their profession. Cited in G. C. Berkouwer, The Church (Grand Such procedures were meant to be Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976), 341. 45 Küng, The Church, 415-16; Clowney, The Church, 86. Oxford University Press, 1928), 7, 366. 46 P. S. Allen and H. M. Allen, eds., Opus 47 Institutes 4.1.11. Epistolarum Des Erasmi Roterodami (Oxford: 48 Institutes 4.1.9. 112 Timothy George remedial rather than punitive; they The True Catholick, 1660). were intended to underscore the im- Indeed, it is not too much to say peratives of life and growth within the that these evangelical forebears op- church, understood as an intentional posed the Church of Rome not because community of mutual service and mu- it was too Catholic but because it was tual obligation by which ‘the whole not Catholic enough. They spoke of body, bonded and knit together by eve- the evidence for catholicity in three ry constituent joint…grows through respects: its geographical extent, the due activity of each part, and builds the church as spread over the whole itself up’ (Eph 4:16). world, not restricted to any particular place, kingdom, or nation; its inclusive 3. The Church is catholic membership, gathered from all classes and ranks of human society; and its Most evangelicals are happy to con- indefectibility, based on the promise fess that the church is one, holy, and of the risen Christ: ‘I will be with you apostolic. These are, after all, not only always even to the end of the world’ biblical concepts but also New Testa- (Mt 28:20).50 ment terms. But in what sense can Evangelical expositors, however, evangelicals affirm credimus catholicam were careful not to define true catholic- ecclesiam? ity in terms of quantifiable, empirical Many contemporary evangelical evidence alone. Ecclesiastical longev- churches have long abandoned the ity can be deceptive, for, as the Scots word ‘Catholic’, and would even con- Confession of 1560 points out, Cain sider it an insult to be called such, and with respect to age and title was pre- have gone so far as to alter the tradi- ferred to both Abel and Seth.51 So too, tional wording of the Apostles’ Creed historical continuity, numerical quan- to avoid the duty of pronouncing it. tity, and cultural variety do not them- But none of this changes the fact that selves constitute true catholicity. evangelicals are indeed catholics in so The true church might be quite far as they believe that in its essence small: ‘Where two or three of you are the Christian community is one and the gathered together in my name’, Jesus same in all places and in all ages— said, ‘there I am in your midst.’ This the one, holy, universal church which ‘I’ is the only basis of true catholicity. embraces true believers in all sectors As Barth puts it, ‘The Real Church is of human society and in all epochs of the assembly which is called, united, human history.49 The reformers of the held together and governed by the sixteenth century and the Puritans of Word of her Lord, or she is not the Real the seventeenth, not excluding Bap- Church.’52 tists, were happy for their churches to In contemporary evangelical life, be called catholic (cf. Richard Baxter,

50 Ursinus, Commentary on the Heidelberg Cat- 49 This point is elaborated most effectively in echism, 289-90. Oden, Life in the Spirit, 337-49. See also Küng, 51 Schaff, Creeds of Christendom 3:461. The Church, 383-411; Clowney, The Church, 90- 52 Karl Barth, ‘The Real Church’, Scottish 98. Journal of Theology (1950), 337-51. Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology 113 perhaps the most notable aspect of 4. The Church is apostolic catholicity is the worldwide mission- Because the church is one, holy and ary vision which is the heart and soul catholic, it is also apostolic, a word of the evangelical movement. Indeed, added to the Nicene description of the what ecumenism is to post-Vatican II church in 381 but clearly expressed al- Catholicism, missions and world evan- ready in Paul’s metaphor of the church gelization are for evangelicalism: not as ‘God’s house, built on the founda- an appendix added to church activity tion of the apostles and the prophets, but an organic part of its life and work. and the cornerstone is Christ Jesus The importance of declaring the gospel himself’ (Eph 2:20). That church is to those who have never heard was at apostolic which stands under the di- the heart of William Carey’s mission to rection and normative authority of the India in 1793, an event which launched apostles, whom Jesus chose and sent what Kenneth Scott Latourette called forth in his name. Evangelicals, no ‘the great century’ of Protestant mis- less than Roman Catholics, claim to sionary advance.53 be apostolic in this sense, but the two This witness continues today traditions differ sharply in the way in through the many mission efforts of which they understand the transmis- evangelical denominations and a vast sion of the apostolic witness from the network of international parachurch first century until now. ministries, such as the Billy Graham Catholics believe that the church Evangelistic Association, Campus continues to be ‘taught, sanctified, and Crusade for Christ, WorldVision, and guided by the apostles…through their Prison Fellowship. The evangelical un- successors in pastoral office: the col- derstanding of catholicity is nowhere lege of bishops, assisted by priests, in better seen than in this world-Christian union with the successor of Peter, the movement through which redeemed church’s supreme pastor’. As the Cat- saints ‘from every tribe and language echism of the Catholic Church puts it, and people and nation’ are being gath- ‘The bishops have by divine institution ered by God’s grace into that heavenly taken the place of the apostles as pas- chorus to sing with the angels, mar- tors of the Church, in such wise that tyrs, and all the saints: ‘The Lamb is whoever listens to them is listening worthy—the Lamb who was slain. He to Christ and whoever despises them is worthy to receive power and riches despises Christ and Him who sent and wisdom and strength and honor Christ.’54 and glory and blessing’ (Rev 5:9, 12). As heirs of the Reformation, evangelicals do not define the apostolicity of the church in terms of a literal, line- ar succession of duly ordained bishops. They point instead to the primordial 53 Kenneth Scott Latourette, A History of Christianity (New York: Harper & Row, 1953). See also Timothy George, Faithful Witness: The 54 Catechism of the Catholic Church (Washing- Life and Mission of William Carey (Birmingham: ton: United States Catholic Conference, 1994), New Hope Press, 1991). 227-9. 114 Timothy George character of the gospel, the inscriptur- true touchstone of doctrinal and spir- ated witness of the apostles, and the itual authenticity is God himself, what succession of apostolic proclamation. he has irrevocably done in Christ and While the church is indeed built vouchsafed to us in Holy Scripture, not on the foundation of the holy apostles the qualifications, charisma, or even and their predecessors, the prophets, theology of any human leader.55 As the there is something more basic and authorized representatives of Jesus more important than even these wor- Christ, the apostles have faithfully and thy servants, namely, the message they accurately transmitted their authorita- proclaimed: Jesus Christ and him cruci- tive witness to their Lord in the divine- fied. This is a constant note throughout ly inspired writings of Holy Scripture. the ministry of Paul, who wrote to the The teaching authority of the apos- Corinthians, ‘For we do not preach our- tles thus resides in the canonical scrip- selves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and tures of the Old and New Testaments, ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ the self-authenticating Word of God, sake’ (2 Cor 4:5). the truth of which is confirmed in the Again, in writing to the Galatians believer by the illuminating witness of when his own apostolic authority was the Holy Spirit. under severe attack, Paul appeals to an For evangelicals, the principle of authority beyond himself—the gospel. sola Scriptura means that all the teach- ‘But even if we or an angel from heav- ings, interpretations, and traditions of en should preach a gospel other than the church must be subjected to the the one we preach to you, let him be divine touchstone of Holy Scripture eternally condemned!’ (Gal 1:8). Paul itself. But sola Scriptura is not nuda brought himself under his own curse: Scriptura. Evangelicals cannot accept ‘But even if we….’ Paul did not ask the the idea of tradition as a coequal or Galatians to be loyal to him but rather supplementary source of revelation, to the unchanging message of Christ, but neither can we ignore the rich ex- Christ alone, that he had preached to egetical tradition of the early Christian them. writers whose wisdom and insight is In a different form, this same issue vastly superior to the latest word from would surface again during the Do- today’s ‘guilded’ scholars. natist controversy. The question was The consensus of thoughtful Chris- whether religious rites such as bap- tian interpretation of the Word down tism, the Lord’s Supper, and ordina- through the ages—and on most mat- tion could be valid and effective when ters of importance there is such a performed by a minister who was mor- thing—is not likely to be wrong, and ally impure. Augustine argued that the sacraments were effective by virtue of the power invested in them by Christ 55 On the significance of the Donatist contro- himself and the promise of his Word. versy in the history of Christian thought, see At the time of the Reformation, this Jaroslav Pelikan, The Emergence of the Catho- lic Tradition (100-600) (Chicago: University of issue came under review again, and Chicago Press, 1971), 307-18. See also Timo- the essential point of the Augustinian thy George, Galatians (Nashville: Broadman & position was recognized as valid: The Holman, 1994), 96-8. Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology 115 evangelicals, no less than other Chris- struction and preaching’ (IO, 7).57 tians, have much to learn from the Evangelicals, no less than Catho- church fathers, schoolmen, and theolo- lics, should strive for a proper balance gians of ages past.56 among these constituent acts of wor- Even before their inspired message ship. In doing so, however, evangeli- was committed to writing, the apostles cals must not compromise the priority were effectively proclaiming the good of proclamation, for today, as in the news of Jesus Christ throughout the time of the apostles, ‘God is pleased Roman Empire. Thus, Paul said to the through the foolishness of what is Ephesians, ‘Remember that for three preached to save those who believe’ (1 years I never stopped warning each Cor 1:21).58 of you night and day with tears’ (Acts 20:31). To the Thessalonians he re- called how ‘our gospel came to you not IV Ecclesia In Via Crucis simply with words, but also with power ‘I believe in one, holy, catholic and with the Holy Spirit and with deep con- apostolic church’, Archbishop William viction’ (1 Thess 1:5). Temple once remarked, ‘but regret that For evangelicals, public preach- it doesn’t exist.’59 To which the evan- ing of the Word of God is a sure sign gelical responds: If by ‘exist’ we mean of apostolicity, for through the words perfect, complete, unbroken, infallibly of the preacher the living voice of the secure, verifiably visible in its external gospel (viva vox evangelii) is heard. structures and temporal resources, The church, Luther said, is not a ‘pen then it is clear that such a church does house’ but a ‘mouth house’. The Sec- not exist in this world. Furthermore, if, ond Helvetic Confession (1566) goes so far as to say that ‘the preaching of the Word of God is the Word of God’. 57 Vatican II, 46. The almost sacramental quality of 58 In what is quite a remarkable statement from an evangelical theologian, Wayne preaching in the evangelical tradition Grudem concedes that on the basis of pure has sometimes obscured the impor- preaching of the Word of God and an accept- tance of the ‘visible words’ of God in able sacramental practice, true churches may baptism and the Lord’s Supper. ‘The be found within the established structures of Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy’ Roman Catholicism. Wayne Grudem, System- from Vatican II recognizes, according atic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doc- trine (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 866. to Inter oecumenici, that ‘it is especially On the possibility of true churches in Roman necessary that there be close links be- obedience, Grudem, it seems, has Calvin on tween liturgy, catechesis, religious in- his side. ‘Therefore’, wrote the Genevan reformer, ‘while we are unwilling simply to con- cede the name of Church to the papists, we do 56 In writing against the Anabaptists in not deny that there are churches among them’ 1528, Luther said: ‘We do not reject everything (Institutes 4.2.12). See Alexandre Ganoczy, that is under the dominion of the Pope. For in The Young Calvin (Philadelphia: Westminster, that event we should also reject the Christian 1987), 266-86. church. Much Christian good is found in the 59 Cited in George Carey, A Tale of Two papacy and from there it descended to us.’ LW Churches (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVar- 40, 231. sity Press, 1985), 147. 116 Timothy George after a thorough investigation, a panel the midst of infuriated men who set of ecumenical experts, well trained in sword, fire, and water in motion in the latest techniques of sociological order to kill her and wipe her from research, were to announce at a press the face of the earth.61 conference that they had at long last In God’s sight the church is pure, holy, found such a church, then nothing in unspotted, the dove of God; but in the heaven and earth would be more cer- eyes of the world, it bears the form tain than that that church could not be of a servant. It is like its bridegroom, the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Christ: ‘hacked to pieces, marked with church founded by Jesus Christ. scratches, despised, crucified, mocked’ In this life the true church is always (Is 53:2-3).62 ecclesia in via (Kirche im Werden), the It is only from a posture of eccle- church in a state of becoming, buffeted sial vulnerability that evangelicals and by struggles, beset by the eschatologi- Catholics will be able to reach out to cal ‘groanings’ which mark those ‘upon one another across the great divide whom the ends of the world have come’ which still separates us. Only in this (Rom 8:18-25; 1 Cor 10:11). way can we, believing Catholics and In 1525 Luther wrote a lyrical hymn confessional evangelicals, reach out praising the church: to one another in openness and love, To me she’s dear, the worthy maid, the kind of love which is not puffed and I cannot forget her; up, seeketh not its own; the kind of Praise, honor, virtue of her are said; love which rejoices not in iniquity but then all I love her better. rejoices in the truth and, for this very On earth, all mad with murder, the reason, is able then to bear all things, mother now alone is she, believe all things, hope all things, and But God will watchful guard her, endure all things. and the right Father be.60 Only in this way will we be able re- To the eyes of faith the church is a ally to hear one another and thus to ‘worthy maid’, the bride of Christ, but avoid what Edward Idris Cardinal Cas- by the standards of the world she is a sidy has aptly called ‘the dialogue of poor Cinderella surrounded by numer- the deaf’. For evangelicals to imagine ous dangerous foes: that nothing has changed in Catholi- cism since the Council of Trent, and If, then, a person desires to draw for Catholics to see evangelicals as the church as he sees her, he will rebellious sects who must return, like picture her as a deformed and poor prodigal sons, to the haven of Rome, is girl sitting in an unsafe forest in the to engage in a dialogue of the deaf. We midst of hungry lions, bears, wolves, will not break down the walls of divi- and boars, nay, deadly serpents; in sion and distrust in this way. As evangelicals and Catholics pur- 60 LW 53, 293. This hymn is based on the sue theological dialogue, moved by our text in Revelation 12:1-2 which describes a woman suffering in childbirth, which Luther interpreted as the church under assault by 61 WA 40/3, 315. Satan. 62 LW 54, 262. Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology 117 love for the truth and our love for one lace, along with two Roman Catholic another, we must not let our discus- missionaries, Bishop Donaghy and sions degenerate into a kind of arm- Sister Rosalia of the Maryknolls, were chair ecumenism, heady, aloof, and arrested by Communist thugs and divorced from an awareness of ‘the brutally mistreated because of their pestilence that walks in darkness, and Christian faith. Dr. Wallace was even- the destruction that wastes at noonday’ tually killed by his captors. Following (Ps 91:6). We have been brought to- his death, Thomas Brack, leader of the gether by what I have called elsewhere Maryknoll Mission, sent the following ‘an ecumenism of the trenches’.63 letter to the Southern Baptist Foreign We are comrades in a struggle, not Mission Board (now the International a struggle against one another, and Mission Board): not a struggle against men and women The Maryknoll fathers of the Wu- outside the Christian faith who reject chow Diocese mourn the loss of the light of divine grace because they Dr. Wallace whose friendship they have fallen in love with the darkness esteem. He healed our malaria, our which surrounds them; no, our con- skin ulcers, and the other illnesses flict is against the prince of evil him- that missioners manage to pick up. self, against the cosmic powers and He will be mourned by thousands potentates of this dark world. For the of Chinese, at whose bedside he sat church, much more is at stake than and in whose eyes his name will who comes out on top in the current always bring a light of gratitude, ‘culture wars’. though governments may come and All of our programs and plans will go.65 ring hollow unless we stand in soli- darity with our brothers and sisters On another continent, in a differ- in Christ, evangelicals and Catholics ent war, the cost of discipleship was alike, who live under the shadow of no less dear. Several years ago on a the cross and whose faithful witness is visit to Germany, I was taken to what even now leading many of them to the remains of the concentration camp at shedding of their blood. Throughout Ut Buchenwald near Weimar. Here, more unum sint, Pope St. John Paul II calls than sixty-five thousand people were us to remember ‘the courageous wit- put to death by a totalitarian regime ness of so many martyrs of our centu- which saw in the Christian faith, in ry, including members of churches and both its Catholic and Protestant ex- ecclesial communities not in full com- pressions, a threat to the ideology of munion with the Catholic church’.64 death. More than a decade before the con- At Buchenwald, there was one vening of Vatican II, a Southern Bap- block of cells reserved for prisoners tist medical missionary, Dr. Bill Wal- deemed especially dangerous or notable. In cell 27 they placed Paul Sch- neider, a Lutheran pastor, who was 63 See Timothy George, ‘Catholics and Evan- gelicals in the Trenches’, Christianity Today 38/6 (May 1994) 16. 65 Jesse C. Fletcher, Bill Wallace of China 64 Ut unum sint, 49. (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1996), 241. 118 Timothy George called ‘the Preacher of Buchenwald’ by four cells, walked the via crucis and because, even from the small window bore witness together to their common in his cell, he loudly proclaimed the Lord, Jesus Christ, the sole and suf- gospel of Jesus Christ in defiance of the ficient redeemer. As evangelicals and orders of the Gestapo guards. In cell Catholics together, we remember them 23, they placed Otto Neururer, a Catho- and give thanks to God for them and lic priest, whose work on behalf of the for countless others like them, who Jews and other so-called ‘undesirables’ share a koinonia in the sufferings of had made him a threat to the Nazi war- Jesus, for today, as in ages past, the lords. He too ministered in Jesus’ name blood of the martyrs is the seed of the to his fellow inmates in the concentra- church—the one, holy, catholic, and tion camp. apostolic church. In Buchenwald, a son of Rome and Ipsi Gloria In Ecclesia. a son of the Reformation, separated Amen. no longer by four centuries but only

PATERNOSTER THEOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS The Omnipresence of Jesus Christ A Neglected Aspect of Evangelical Christology Theodore Zachariades This important book reassesses the classic Chalcedonian view of Jesus, ‘one person, two natures’. It carefully rejects all forms of kenotic Christology and affirms that Jesus possessed and used all the divine attributes, in particular, that of omnipresence, arguing that evangelical scholars have abandoned this important truth. This has ramifications for our view of the Holy Spirit and of Christ’s presence with his people. It challenges us to read the Scriptures again and to live in the presence of Jesus. In this important study of orthodox Christology, Dr Zachariades develops an aspect of it that has generally been neglected. How should we understand the universal presence of the risen, ascended and glorified Christ? Starting with the controversies of the early church, he takes us through the questions involved in the discussion and points us to a deeper understanding of how Christ is both God and man at the same time. Gerald L. Bray, Research Professor of Divinity, History and Doctrine, Beeson Divinity School, USA Theodore Zachariades, a Greek Cypriot, has been in active Christian ministry since 1991 in Canada and the USA. He gained an MDiv and a PhD from Southern Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky. ISBN 9781842278499 (e.9781780783307) / 200pp / 229mm x 152mm / £24.99

Available from: 01908 268500 or [email protected] ERT (2017) 41:2, 119-133 Of Mirrors and Men—Surveying a Trajectory for ‘Moving Beyond’ from Scripture to Theology

Michael Borowski

Is there such a thing as a particular which evangelicals can do theology evangelical theology? And if there is, that is faithful to scripture in the 21st what does it look like? Over a longer century. period, one would have argued, evangelicalism can be found in many denominations, probably even all. Since the I Mere Evangelical Theology last decade of the 20th century, David Bebbington’s quadrilateral fostered 1. The Marshall Plan significant progress by submitting that In 2002, the Institute for Biblical Re- evangelicalism can be identified by the search heard the annual lecture given now famous four components of bibli- by the late I. Howard Marshall, who cism, crucicentrism, conversionism was professor of New Testament Ex- and activism. egesis at the University of Aberdeen While it was helpful to identity over several decades. The lecture, as these components, they are rather de- well as some of the responses to it led scriptive in nature, and do not provide to the publication of a book titled Be- answers for other questions that arise. yond the Bible—Moving from Scripture How should evangelicals do theology? to Theology (Baker Academic, 2004). How should they move from hundreds In this book, Marshall presents an ar- of pages of texts to doctrine that guides gument that may be summarized like the faith? How should one ‘move be- this: The task of hermeneutics in the yond’ scripture to theology? evangelical realm is one that cannot be In this article, I summarize three ignored. Even though evangelicals do stages of what can respectively be de- not read ‘just some book’ when they scribed as a trajectory towards what read the bible, but a book that ‘pos- Vanhoozer and Treier call ‘Mere Evan- sesses authority over its readers’, the gelical Theology’—a framework within hermeneutical task remains. In fact,

Michael Borowski, M.Th. (Evangelische Theologische Faculteit Leuven, Belgium), M.Div. (Columbia Inter- national University, USA), Diploma in Public Management and Law. He is Review-Editor of Evangelical Review of Theology and Lecturer of Systematic Theology and Ethics at Martin Bucer Seminary and the University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany). He is affiliated with the International Institute of Religious Freedom and about to start his dissertation on the issue of ‘moving beyond’ scripture to theology. 120 Michael Borowski the hermeneutical task may be even Marshall, who also sees methodo- more crucial, just because both nature logical problems,6 points out that both and function of this particular text are the routes of ‘liberalism’ (namely, leav- of utmost importance and authority.1 ing behind claims of scripture which are interpreted as ‘incompatible’ with 1. Marshall’s proposal the modern reader) and ‘fundamentalism’ (namely an approach in which For the purposes of his case, Marshall often just one form of interpretation distinguishes three levels: general would be pursued as ‘biblical’, while all hermeneutics, exegesis, and exposition (or application). In reference to these others would be rejected) should not be 7 three levels, Marshall comments on the route evangelicalism follows. the current status within the evangelical world, claiming that possibly the a) Ethics, worship and doctrine most important and controversial issue How should we move on, then? In his might be the third one.2 He describes third level, exposition, Marshall dis- a ‘typical’ approach of appropriating cusses three areas: ethics, worship, ancient text for a modern world by re- and doctrine. In each case, Marshall ferring to J. I. Packer,3 arguing that, lays out two approaches. Regarding although there are strengths in such a ethics, Marshall argues that some tend typical approach, there would also be to take scripture at face value, while significant problems. others may assume that ‘there may be For one, different conclusions cases where, for example, some scrip- would often be drawn, even if the inter- tural teaching is relativized by other preters worked under the same kind of teachings, or where we are called to do setting.4 For another, particular diver- things that may go beyond scriptural sity would be visible where Christians reasoning’.8 dealt with issues for which there are With regard to worship, he distin- no close analogies within scripture. guishes a normative approach, in which Thirdly, modern Christians would actu- various practices are permitted as long ally criticize developments of our time, as they are not excluded by scripture, although scripture would have known and on the other hand, a regulative ap- some of such developments, but did not proach, in which worship has to be ‘pre- criticize those with even a single pas- scribed’ or at least implicitly permitted sage (take, for instance, the issue of by scripture.9 With regards to doctrine, 5 slavery). Marshall claims that there is in fact a certain development. He cites the ex- 1 I. Howard Marshall, Beyond the Bible— ample of the Formula of Chalcedon or Moving from Scripture to Theology (Grand Rap- the forms of the doctrine of atonement ids: Baker Academic, 2004), 13. 2 Marshall, Beyond, 26. 3 Marshall, Beyond, 26-7. 6 Marshall, Beyond, 30. 4 Marshall, Beyond, 28. 7 Marshall, Beyond, 31-2. 5 Examples are submission to political frame- 8 Marshall, Beyond, 35. works, the issue of slavery. 9 Marshall, Beyond, 40-1. Of Mirrors and Men 121 through history.10 However, again there of the canon is not closed, Marshall would be two approaches to dealing claims: ‘The closing of the canon is not with the situation. Marshall addresses incompatible with the nonclosing of these approaches as ‘conservative’ and the interpretation of that canon.’14 ‘progressive’, one preventing (or ignor- ing) any development, one accepting b) Going beyond 11 (and advocating) it. From here, Marshall moves on to There would be, then, such devel- search for principles to ‘go beyond’ opment for various reasons: the ques- the bible ‘biblically’. He starts out by tions of readers change, for instance asking what took place when writers with increasing knowledge about the of the New Testament made use of the world as it is. Furthermore, statements Old Testament. of scripture may be required in a form that is in itself not found in scripture. i) Old Testament Challenges arise also if a text of scrip- Marshall does so by focusing on the ture stands in tension with other texts; New Testament usage of Leviticus. certain solutions to those tensions Working through eight references from would often differ from others. Finally, the New Testament to the Old, he draws readers with a mind nurtured by the four conclusions: a) offerings are obso- gospel will change their interpretation lete since the death of Jesus; b) Jesus’ over time, and so there will be not only teaching goes beyond the teaching of development within the interpreter, but the Old Testament and (probably) ap- also variation between different inter- plies today; c) the law has to be fulfilled preters. by the followers of Jesus until today, In all of this, Marshall’s challenge and consummated in the command to is to ‘provide some kind of reasoned, love one’s neighbour, and (d) the state- principled approach to the question ment that people will live (that is, will of the development of doctrine from be justified) by acting out the law is set Scripture’.12 Marshall follows develop- aside explicitly by Paul (while the law ments of doctrine from the OT on to- still prescribes how to live).15 wards the teachings of Christ and up Marshall concludes that while the to some developments within the apos- authority of the Pentateuch continues, tolic teachings, claiming that develop- ‘it is read in a manner different from ments took place at each stage.13 what it used to be’, and eventually ‘it This conclusion leads him to his may be best to say that it is reading the ultimate concern: Is there develop- Old Testament in light of Christ as the ment in doctrine today? He argues that inaugurator of the new covenant that in some sense there is not, since the is the guiding principle in the present canon is closed. However, interpretation instance’.16 This inauguration through Christ includes, for example, a spir-

10 Marshall, Beyond, 42. 11 Marshall, Beyond, 44. 14 Marshall, Beyond, 54. 12 Marshall, Beyond, 45. 15 Marshall, Beyond, 58. 13 Marshall, Beyond, 48-53. 16 Marshall, Beyond, 58. 122 Michael Borowski itualization of the covenant—a difficult iii) Apostles term, Marshall agrees, but a neces- A final step for Marshall then is the sary one, for instance when it comes teaching of the early church. Within to such issues as a physical land for the Apostolic Tradition, Marshall re- 17 Christians. fers to the ‘keryma’, or the ‘apostolic ii) Gospels deposit’—a basic core for defining the A second step of Marshall is to look at centre of Christian theology and also 22 how the early church read the gospels as an interpretative key for it. How- of Jesus Christ. Marshall offers four ever, it would be easy to direct a given parameters by which the teaching of interpretation towards an understand- Jesus would have been constrained: ing the interpreter himself prefers. (1) It was given before his death and That is unless the interpreter has resurrection, (2) it is elementary in- a mind which is ‘nurtured on the Gos- struction for beginners, (3) it is given pel’. Marshall refers to the concept of in and for a Jewish context, (4) it uses Christian wisdom in order to determine the imagery and thought forms current the truth, for instance by referring to at the time.18 1 Corinthians 2:13-15.23 From the con- Marshall expands those parameters cept of ‘kerygma’ and a mind nurtured by interpreting them as liminal. Now, on the gospel, Marshall deduces his by referring to a liminal period Mar- twofold principle: apostolic deposit and shall submits that we witness a ‘stage Spirit-given insight.24 during which something is coming to birth and therefore is neither com- 2. Vanhoozer’s response pletely out of the womb nor completely into independent existence’, a ‘time of Kevin Vanhoozer, research professor transition’.19 of Systematic Theology at Evangelical As a result of reinterpreting his Trinity Divinity School, was one of the parameters, Marshall concludes that responders to Marshall’s lectures. In ‘the Gospels sometimes have to be Beyond the Bible, he agrees in general understood on two levels: the level of with Marshall’s proposal. In particular, the original hearers of Jesus and the he describes four ways of going beyond level of Matthew’s audience (including the Bible to develop doctrine biblically. ourselves).’20 His point is that Jesus’ With Calvin, he addresses the way teaching continues into the liminal pe- of ‘extrabiblical conceptualities’, refer- riod—it is not ‘set aside’, but it has to ring to doctrine which conceptualizes be understood in the ‘light of the con- biblical content; an example is the case tinuing revelation in the post-Easter of the concept of homoousios.25 With period’.21 Webb, adjunct professor at Tyndale Seminary Toronto, he addresses the

17 Marshall, Beyond, 62-3. 18 Marshall, Beyond, 63. 22 Marshall, Beyond, 70. 19 Marshall, Beyond, 63. 23 Marshall, Beyond, 70-1. 20 Marshall, Beyond, 68, emphasis his. 24 Marshall, Beyond, 71. 21 Marshall, Beyond, 68-9. 25 Marshall, Beyond, 89. Of Mirrors and Men 123 way of ‘redemptive trajectories’ (a top- or even against scripture. Rather, the ic we will discuss in more detail in the expression would refer to ‘a theologi- following section). With Wolterstorff, cal construct that cannot claim a bib- Professor of Philosophy at Yale and lical context that directly teaches the known for his advocacy of Reformed point scored’.27 Are such moves beyond epistemology, he addresses the way of scripture necessary for evangelicals, or ‘divine discourse’, arguing that a pas- more importantly, are they permitted? sage of scripture must be understood And if so, how should one move beyond in the light of the entire canon. His from scripture to theology? position, named ‘continuing canonical practices’, refers to the idea of doctrine 1. Kaiser that must ‘go beyond’ by being set into practice.26 The first answer to these questions is It should be noted that Marshall’s given by Walter Kaiser and his meth- proposal did not go unchallenged. One od of ‘principlizing’. He sketches the example of such a critique is that of method in this way: after determining Walter Kaiser Jr. which is represented subject, emphasis and context, the in- in the next section. Here I want to terpreter has to set out propositional point out, though, that Marshall pro- principles provided through the given 28 vides a highly readable presentation text. Finally, Kaiser focuses on the of his case—a case which is rather ‘Ladder of Abstraction’, which would short on the other hand (less than 100 work ‘from the ancient specific situ- pages), and which leaves plenty of ation’, from where ‘we move up the room for critical questions. So it is not ladder of the institutional or personal surprising that Marshall’s proposal has norm’ in order to reach ‘the top of the been debated. ladder, which gives to us the general principle’.29 Now, as a matter of fact, Kaiser II ‘Moving beyond’—a Debate presents his approach rather briefly— In 2009, Walter Kaiser Jr., Daniel Do- also by referring to his earlier and riani, Kevin Vanhoozer and William somewhat influential textbook, Toward Webb discussed the question of how an Exegetical Theology: Biblical Exeges- to ‘move beyond’ the Bible to theology. is for Preaching and Teaching (Baker The discussion is published as a part Academic, 1998), then spending signif- of Zondervan’s ‘Counterpoints’ series, icant time on examples through which entitled Four Views on Moving Beyond he applies his model of principlizing to the Bible to Theology. The editor, Gary such issues as euthanasia, women and Meadors, assured his readers on the first pages that such a ‘move beyond’ 27 Marshall, Beyond, 9. the Bible is not a liberal idea—in 28 Walter C. Kaiser Jr., ‘A Principlizing Mod- other words, ‘moving beyond’ would el’, in Four Views on Moving Beyond from the not refer to the idea of going without Bible to Theology, Stanley N. Gundry & Gary T. Meadors, eds (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009), 23. 26 Marshall, Beyond, 93. 29 Kaiser, ‘A Principlizing Model’, 25. 124 Michael Borowski the church, the bible and homosexual- narrator approves the pattern, it di- ity, the bible and slavery, abortion, and rects believers, even if no law spells embryonic stem cell research. In sum, out the lesson.33 Kaiser challenges the idea of going ‘be- More concretely, interpreters may yond the sacred page’ in general –the ‘go beyond’ through (a) casuistry and principle of sola scriptura must not be (b) asking the ‘right questions’. With abandoned for the sake of modern cu- the former, Doriani refers to ‘the art riosity.30 of resolving particular cases of conscience through appeal to higher 2. Doriani general principles’;34 with the latter, identifying the particular questions of A second answer to the questions re- casuistry, namely questions of duty, garding the idea of ‘going beyond’ is character, goals and vision.35 given through the representation of In all of this, Doriani does not ques- Doriani’s ‘Redemptive-Historical Mod- tion the need for moving beyond as el’. Doriani sketches this method in Kaiser does. He uses a practical ques- this way. tion, how to celebrate his daughter’s After paying close attention to a wedding in accordance with scripture, given passage (step 1), one must syn- to exemplify his approach for moving thesize this passage with the ‘master- beyond in a case for which there is no texts’, i.e. texts displaying God’s plan direct teaching of scripture regarding of redemption throughout history (step that particular issue. Again, he does so 31 2). A passage, however, must not by searching for general biblical prin- only be understood, but also applied in ciples (for instance, ‘In biblical wed- the same approach (step 3): imitation dings, friends and family gather for a of Christ is the central theme, as God’s feast, with music and joyful celebra- plan of redemption was the theme in tion, before bride and groom go off to 32 step 2. Doriani’s final step is his cru- bed’) and by moral reasoning (for in- cial one, as he himself stresses: The stance, there is room for improvisation Bible, being a narrative itself, would among the families within the general have more to offer than commands, ethical guidelines of scripture).36 and in regard to the advice it gives, It seems that Doriani combines a this narrative must not be neglected, version of principlizing with moral rea- Doriani argues. Thus: soning—the latter is necessary, then, Where a series of acts by the faith- since he acknowledges that there are ful create a pattern, and God or the questions that cannot be deduced from

30 Kaiser, ‘A Principlizing Model’, 26-7. 33 Doriani, ‘A Redemptive-Historical Model’, 31 Daniel M. Doriani, ‘A Redemptive-Histor- 89. ical Model’, in Four Views on Moving Beyond 34 Doriani, ‘A Redemptive-Historical Model’, from the Bible to Theology, Stanley N. Gun- 100. dry & Gary T. Meadors, eds. (Grand Rapids: 35 Doriani, ‘A Redemptive-Historical Model’, Zondervan, 2009), 85-6. 103. 32 Doriani, ‘A Redemptive-Historical Model’, 36 Doriani, ‘A Redemptive-Historical Model’, 86. 91-2. Of Mirrors and Men 125 scripture directly. In conclusion, Do- while in all following the rule of love riani demonstrates this approach by and the way of wisdom.40 addressing issues such as gambling, Ultimately, Vanhoozer presents two architecture and women in ministry. case studies on ‘how to make canoni- cally correct judgments’, namely the 3. Vanhoozer doctrine of Mary as the mother of God and the issue of transsexuality. I will Vanhoozer presents a third an- cover only the earlier here. swer by laying out his ‘Drama-of- Vanhoozer argues that Mary is Redemption’model. For Vanhoozer, bib- rightly portrayed in using the con- lical interpretation is a ‘joint project’ of cept of theotokos, as ‘God-bearer’, by the various disciplines of theology, and the Council of Ephesus in 431. This ultimately an ecclesiastical one—holy concept would display not only ‘good scripture must lead to holy doctrine, canonical judgment, but it clarifies and holy doctrine must lead to holy further the identity of some of the key living.37 dramatis personae’, since Christology is ‘Going beyond’ is ‘participating in at stake, namely Christ as one person the great drama of redemption of which 41 scripture is the authoritative testimony in two natures. and holy script’38: The church is par- Now, for evangelicals the critical is- ticipating by putting scripture into sue comes into focus with Vatican I— practice, and doctrine gives directions should we state that Mary is a ‘great for doing so. Performing the script is exception’ who did not sin? Beside re- Vanhoozer’s term of choice, for this is ferring to the obvious lack of scriptural another term for living the Bible: evidence for such a claim, Vanhoozer locates Mary within the theodrama in We move beyond the script and order to answer the question of who become faithful performers of the Mary is: In giving birth to the Messiah, world it implies by cultivating minds she would play a key role within the nurtured on the canon.39 theodrama, but she would also play a The ‘way forward’, then, may be key role in the transition from Israel summarized as the task of being a towards the church.42 Vanhoozer con- discerning church—finding answers cludes: that fit both the particular part of story Mary is thus the only figure in the within scripture for one and the partic- Bible who plays a role in Acts Two, ular context of the church for another Three, and Four alike: she represents the believing remnant of Is- 37 Kevin J. Vanhoozer, ‘A Drama-of-Redemp- rael; she is the mother of Jesus who tion Model’, in Four Views on Moving Beyond from the Bible to Theology, Stanley N. Gun- dry & Gary T. Meadors, eds (Grand Rapids: 40 Vanhoozer, ‘A Drama-of-Redemption Mod- Zondervan, 2009), 155. el’,175-86. 38 Vanhoozer, ‘A Drama-of-Redemption Mod- 41 Vanhoozer, ‘A Drama-of-Redemption Mod- el’, 156. el’, 188. 39 Vanhoozer, ‘A Drama-of-Redemption Mod- 42 Vanhoozer, ‘A Drama-of-Redemption Mod- el’, 170. el’, 189-90. 126 Michael Borowski

remains with him to his death; she ultimate ethics lead towards an affir- is a follower of the risen Jesus and mation of an abolitionist ethic.46 From gathers together with other believ- Webb’s perspective, the latter texts on ers to pray. corporal punishment would likewise However, Vanhoozer rejects any bear witness to the redemptive spirit of ontological superiority of Mary for the scripture. lack of canonical evidence.43 Now, it appears to me that the crucial question is how one obtains an ‘ultimate ethic’. In the case of corporal 4. Webb punishment, Webb provides ‘three cru- A fourth answer is presented by Wil- cial areas of biblical meaning’, namely liam Webb and his approach of the purpose meaning, abstracted meaning redemptive-movement model. Webb and redemptive-movement meaning.47 begins by stating that there would ba- Corporal punishment would have the sically be two ways to read through purpose of turning children away from the Bible—one being a ‘redemptive- folly and towards wisdom. It would movement appropriation’, ie, one that teach abstract lessons (such as ‘Disci- ‘encourages movement beyond the pline your children’) through concrete original application of the text in the commands. ancient world’, and the other, a more Yet ultimately, movement meaning static or stationary appropriation of within the biblical texts on corporal Scripture.44 The latter would under- punishment would open the door to stand biblical texts in isolation from ‘a kinder and gentler administration of their cultural, historical and canonical justice that underscores the dignity of context and with little emphasis on the the human being that is punished’48 underlying spirit (if any), which would than might have been the case without lead to a misappropriation of the text. the very biblical texts. This way, while The earlier model—the one Webb pro- explicitly not answering the question poses—would lead towards an ‘ulti- of whether the purpose, the abstract mate ethic’. lessons and the movement meaning of Webb uses ‘the slavery texts’ and texts on corporal punishment could not texts on corporal punishment to il- be achieved without corporal punish- lustrate his point: The earlier texts ment (and therefore against these very show that slavery was part of ancient texts) today, Webb indicates that this cultures and had to be dealt with,45 but might be the exact way to go.49 Now, it is not my aim to assess the

43 Vanhoozer, ‘A Drama-of-Redemption Mod- el’, 190-1. 46 Webb, ‘A Redemptive-Movement Model’, 44 William J. Webb, ‘A Redemptive-Move- 228. ment Model’, in Four Views on Moving Beyond 47 Webb, ‘A Redemptive-Movement Model’, from the Bible to Theology, Stanley N. Gun- 236-40. dry & Gary T. Meadors, eds (Grand Rapids: 48 Webb, ‘A Redemptive-Movement Model’, Zondervan, 2009), 217. 240, emphasis his. 45 Webb, ‘A Redemptive-Movement Model’, 49 Webb, ‘A Redemptive-Movement Model’, 225. 240. Of Mirrors and Men 127 positions laid out by the contributors in nately, Vanhoozer and Treier have pub- full scale. In fact, even the presenta- lished their book on ‘mere evangelical tion of those approaches appears to be theology’, which I will address now. burdened with the necessity of brevity, and at times I believe the contributors would have actually made an (even) III Towards a Mere better case if there had been more Evangelical Theology room for doing so.50 But even a short In 2015, Kevin J. Vanhoozer and Daniel analysis will have to address the fact J. Treier addressed the issue of moving that there are significant differences in from scripture to theology within a full- moving from scripture to theology as fledged proposal for ‘mere evangelical portrayed in the four models. theology’. While Theology in the Mirror While Kaiser believes that one can of Scripture—A Mere Evangelical Ac- generate biblical principles for Chris- count does not limit itself to the ques- tian conduct, Doriani emphasizes the tion of ‘moving beyond’, the very ques- act of moral reasoning regarding prin- tion regarding evangelical theology ciples, but also character, goals and vi- today implies this question to some de- sion. While I see Doriani’s approach as gree. I will therefore survey this title, a differentiated example of the general and I will do so by dividing the survey approach Kaiser promotes, Vanhoozer into two parts, as it is presented within and Webb promote significantly differ- the book. ent views on ‘moving beyond’. Vanhoozer’s approach seeks to do 1. Agenda justice to the tentativeness of doctrine, to the requirement of putting Vanhoozer and Treier start their ac- scripture into practice, and to the di- count by laying out both the material versity of real-life-situations of biblical and the formal principles of evangeli- interpreters. I feel that in some sense, cal theology. his account can be understood only if one reads more of his writings. Webb, a) Material principle then, promotes his interpretation ‘by The material principle addresses the trajectory’, an approach that per se can reality that scripture then addresses: hardly survive without the very idea of What is the essence of evangelical moving beyond. faith, the ‘agreed-upon doctrinal core’? Now, while I have tremendous re- And right here the first problem pre- spect for all four of the contributors, senting itself is identified, namely I have to say that all leave the reader that there just is no such thing as a with substantial questions.51 Fortu- universally accepted doctrinal core in evangelicalism.52 In proposing such

50 I believe this is especially true when it comes to the presentation of case studies. personal, individual exegesis of a given text. 51 I have to say, though, that for me, Kaiser’s 52 Kevin J. Vanhoozer and David J. Treier, approach seems to be more an example of the Theology and the Mirror of Scripture—A Mere problem than an example of a solution, for in Evangelical Account (Downers Growe: IVP his case the ultimate solution lies within his Academic, 2015), 46-7. 128 Michael Borowski a core, Vanhoozer and Treier propose sofar as the Spirit unites us to Christ’. an anchored set rather than a bound or Being part of this family, we are to cel- centred set: the church is the vessel, ebrate Christmas forever ‘with the holy the anchor is God’s very being.53 family, exchanging gifts—of grace, This being of God is then appro- gratitude and glorification—around priated in Vanhoozer and Treier’s fol- the tree of life’.58 lowing sections. They start with the But Vanhoozer and Treier’s ontology gospel: God has acted, and God has does not stop here—both scripture and spoken—God reveals what he himself the church have a place in the economy has done,54 and by doing so, who he of light as well: Scripture is ‘a text au- is.55 All of this is mirrored in Christ: thored (ultimately) by God, with God he is the imago dei, communicating (Jesus) as its ultimate content, and God’s being, act and speech. In Christ, with God (Holy Spirit) as its ultimate therefore, is ‘a whole economy—an interpreter.’59 Scripture is authored by outworking of the divine purpose to God, bears witness of God and is read share God’s light, life and love with the through God’s redemptive work in time entire cosmos, and the human creature and space. It is read by the church— 56 in particular’. the domain in which Jesus now reigns, It is essential to Vanhoozer and a ‘reality of the new creation in the Treier to understand that the economic midst of the old’.60 Trinity (that is, what the Father, Son In sum, Vanhoozer and Treier sketch and Spirit do in history) ‘is a dramatic mere evangelical theology as a frame- representation of what God’s eternal work of the worldwide renewal move- life is (the immanent Trinity)’ and to ment with which they identify evangeli- understand ‘his eternally gracious calism. Subsequently, mere evangelical 57 disposition toward the world’. At the theology is not concerned with particu- centre of the economic Trinity, we find lar confessional statements, but with Jesus Christ as portrayed in the Gos- this very anchoring framework.61 pels, a ‘moving picture’ of the way God is in eternity, which is why Jesus Christ b) Formal principle is the ultimate point of reference. Vanhoozer and Treier flesh out a bit The formal principle of evangelical the- more of what they call the first theol- ology addresses scripture itself. Van- ogy of a mere evangelical account, hoozer and Treier shift from the ontol- namely what is ‘in Christ’. In Christ, ogy of the gospel in chapter one to the then, would be the state of humans ‘in- epistemology of the gospel in chapter two. The presenting problem identified here is summarized by the claim that 53 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 48-52. 54 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 58 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 53-6. 72-3. 55 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 59 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 73. 56-7. 60 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 77. 56 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 63. 61 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 57 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 65. 79-80. Of Mirrors and Men 129

‘interpretive anarchy nullifies biblical which would ultimately be that of tes- authority’.62 timony: historical facts, told by making In other words: where evangelical sense of what happened, in various theology is lacking an agreed-upon literary genres, but yet truly commu- core regarding its doctrine, it finds it- nicating ‘what is’ in order to edify the self challenged by countless interpre- reader. The texts of Scripture ‘culti- tations of scripture to begin with—a vate wisdom: knowledge that gets lived mere fact, which challenges not only out’.67 the quest for doctrine, but the very With this general trajectory in authority of scripture. Agreeing that mind, Vanhoozer and Treier call for a moving from the ‘canonical cradle’ to biblical reasoning that does connect the ‘development of doctrine’ is a very the ‘canonical dots’ (that is, the vari- challenging task, Vanhoozer and Treier ous authoritative texts in Scripture, dare to submit a proposal which starts namely by ‘figurally reading’), but that with what they call a critical (evangeli- does not convert sola scriptura into solo cal) biblicism.63 scriptura. When connecting the canoni- Rather than ‘short-circuiting the cal dots, we have to keep in mind the economy of light’,64 the task of evangel- nature of doctrine, they claim: while ical theology would be to set forth the Scripture is a verbal icon of what is in truth of the gospel in speech, seeking Christ, doctrine helps to answer ques- and promoting understanding of ‘what tions about the story of salvation, in- is in Christ’65—that is by expounding, cluding the realities presupposed and not by inventing. Such a process must implied as well as locating one’s own 68 start with the internal resources of the place within this story. gospel, Vanhoozer and Treier claim. It therefore sets forth in communi- They start with Jesus as the teacher cative action what is in Christ ‘on the 69 and the gospel’s content, a gospel that basis of the Scriptures’. The domain was written through and is understood of the gospel, however, is the church, by the work of the Holy Spirit. which reads Scripture, interprets and 70 According to Scripture, Vanhoozer applies it. Since evangelical theology and Treier claim, the gospel can- communicates the gospel into different not be understood properly without times and places, there is no inherent Scripture,66 and evangelical theology conflict with the fact of a ‘Pentecostal’ must therefore be done in accordance plurality—rather, different churches or denominations may be seen as differ- with Scripture. But how does one do ent ‘voices … to articulate all the wis- theology ‘in accordance with Scrip- ture’? Vanhoozer and Treier stress the importance of the nature of the gospel, 67 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 99, emphasis his. 68 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 62 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 82. 105-6. 63 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 85. 69 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 64 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 85. 106. 65 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 86. 70 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 66 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 94. 110. 130 Michael Borowski dom and blessings that are in Christ’.71 secular enterprise and doomed to pass Mere evangelical theology, then, is away, and Christian wisdom, which is the found among those believers who pur- 74 wisdom to know the difference be- sue maturity and which will endure. tween courageously preserving the Christian wisdom rests on Scrip- truths of the gospel that cannot ture, but listens and contemplates; it change and charitably acknowledg- includes personal knowledge, and can, ing the interpretive diversity of non- at its best, be termed as theology, Van- essential truths’72 hoozer and Treier claim.75 One of its most important potentials would be On the one hand, there is the mag- to heal the wound between head and isterial authority of the canonical heart.76 While the issue of Christian judgments—a gospel which cannot wisdom would be generally absent in change. On the other hand, there is the both evangelical prolegomena and ministerial authority of the scope of the theological education, Vanhoozer and Spirit’s illumination—the requirement Treier call for a ‘more unified notion of of doing theology in communion with theory and practice than either evan- the saints.73 gelical saints or scholars tend to possess’.77 2. Analysis Such a notion would require bolder To flesh out the consequences the ap- integration of both saints and scholars, plication of their agenda would have of both word and spirit, of both dogmat- on evangelical theology, Vanhoozer and ics and ethics,78 leaving ‘room for later Treier address four areas: a focus on discernment about philosophical nu- the pursuit of wisdom, theological ex- ances’ regarding more detailed meth- egesis, the fellowship with the saints odological questions explicitly.79 and scholarly excellence. However, what Vanhoozer and Trei- er do address at some length is the gen- a) Wisdom eral path towards wisdom. They do so Vanhoozer and Treier finished the first by focusing on biblical hermeneutics. part with the argument that wisdom is More concretely, they address theologi- required in order to discern (unchang- cal interpretation of Scripture, seeking ing) gospel from interpretive diversity of non-essential truths. In search of 74 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, such wisdom, Vanhoozer and Treier 138. conclude from 1 Corinthians 1-2 that 75 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, there is both pagan wisdom, which is a 140. 76 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 141. 71 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 77 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 121-2. 148. 72 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 78 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 122. 152-3. 73 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 79 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 122-7. 156. Of Mirrors and Men 131 to answer the question ‘in what basic the Word of the Son, by the Spirit, help- practice the wisdom of authentically ing people to grow into final freedom ‘evangelical’ theology fundamentally reflecting the Father’s own life.’85 consists.’80 In doing so, Vanhoozer and Vanhoozer and Treier take this is- Treier claim that ‘history’ and ‘mys- sue further by addressing the theologi- tery’ must not be pitted against each cal concepts in sapiental contexts. Via other; rather, ‘mystery gets defined Rorty’s ‘Philosophy and the Mirror of redemptive-historically by Paul, while Nature’ they arrive at ‘philosophy’s redemptive history is perceived spiritu- pragmatist turn’, which translates into ally and not just naturally.’81 (evangelical) theology as a perspective in which wisdom functions as a regula- b) Exegesis tive virtue.86 One resource for an evangelical theology that mirrors biblical teaching c) Church is a theological exegesis of Scripture How would church and academy fit (TIS).82 TIS, then, emphasizes canon, into the given framework? Vanhoozer creed and culture—canon, since TIS and Treier refer back to 1 Corinthians does not ‘shy away’ from interpret- once more, stressing the fact that Paul ing one passage of Scripture through acknowledges ‘factions’ within the the entire canon; creed, since TIS in- Corinthian church: those ‘necessary terprets a passage of Scripture in the divisions within an apocalyptic context light of ‘the Trinitarian and Christolog- … reveal divine approval and/or disap- ical heritage of the early church that proval of those being tested’.87 became formalized in symbols such as They move on to argue that in this 83 the Nicene Creed’; and culture, which very letter, Paul would demonstrate refers to the reflection regarding the teachings representing ‘first level doc- present-day conditions for our own trine’, namely Christ crucified in the hermeneutics. beginning of the letter, and then the is- After presenting clarifications and a sue of resurrection at the end, present- defence of TIS,84 Vanhoozer and Treier ing a core consisting of Christ’s death, lay out their view on the essence of TIS burial and resurrection—an approach by first addressing Scripture’s eschato- that would be found in the remaining logical and ethical context: the mirrors letters of the New Testament as well. in Scripture ‘display the image of God: For evangelical catholicity, this treatment of the gospel would entail 80 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, two implications, namely identifying 158, emphasis his. and preserving the gospel. However, 81 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 161. 82 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 85 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 164. 180. 83 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 86 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 166. 184. 84 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 87 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 168-176. 197. 132 Michael Borowski

1 Corinthians would hint ‘at a second degree.91 level of Christian division and dogmatic rank by mentioning allegiances d) Theology to various leaders such as Apollos, Pursuing wisdom in theological ex- Cephas and Paul’.88 They use the egesis as the church, Vanhoozer and dispute between Paul and Barnabas Treier finally focus on theology as an concerning John Mark as an example intellectual discipline. Their assess- (Acts 15:36-41)—‘Christian fellowship ment falls in line with their argument remains, even if ministry is pursued so far and is, therefore, a humble one: 89 separately’. Evangelical theology cannot grasp Thirdly, there are divisions of the any certainty apart from the gospel, lowest dogmatic rank. As an exam- and divine revelation does not grant ple, Vanhoozer and Treier use Romans comprehensive knowledge in this 14-15. Vanhoozer and Treier do pay era of redemptive history. Scripture attention to ‘current evangelical alter- can mirror only partially the full- natives’, though, by addressing the de- ness one might long to know, and bate within Four Views on the Spectrum theology can mirror only partially of Evangelicalism, by Andrew David the teaching of Scripture itself. Only Naselli and Collin Hansen (Zondervan, in the context of charity, with escha- 2011). Summarizing the positions of tologically informed humility, do we Kevin Bauer (fundamentalism), Albert claim theological knowledge.’92 Mohler (confessional evangelicalism), John Stackhouse (generic evangelicalism) and Roger Olson (Postconserva- IV Conclusion tive evangelicalism), they conclude How should we move beyond from that ‘consistently missing are overtly Scripture to theology? Not by coinci- scriptural accounts of apostolicity and dence this article has focused on some catholicity, of how evangelical fellow- of the contributions of Kevin Vanhooz- ship might reflect and contribute to the er, for the question posed appears to be biblical fidelity and wholeness of the one of the major ones Vanhoozer has 90 church(es).’ been dealing with over decades. It ap- This is not to say that there is noth- pears, then, that with ‘Theology in the ing constructive in those contribu- Mirror of Scripture’ we have the actions—far from it. However, Vanhoozer count Vanhoozer has been aiming for and Treier’s concern is that the discus- over a considerable period of time. sion focuses only on the gospel and the There might be rightful critique in church in a few cases and to a certain

91 Vanhoozer and Treier state that they have 88 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, the greatest affinity with Stackhouse’s ap- 202. proach. However, they also recommend the 89 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, concept of gospel doctrines in Bauder’s con- 202. tribution. 90 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 92 Vanhoozer & Treier, Mirror of Scripture, 211. 224. Of Mirrors and Men 133 a number of instances—Vanhoozer and evangelical theology’, which might ac- Treier state this themselves. However, tually function as a foundation for both such a critique would require separate the academia and the church. Hence and dedicated treatment. The purpose both are ‘run’ by ordinary women and of this article was to survey a part of men, yet their theology needs to ‘con- the remarkable journey towards what I tinue scripture’ by living out the Bible believe to be a proposal for doing ‘mere and therefore mirroring Christ.

Dangerous Prayer Discovering a missional spirituality in the Lord’s Prayer Darren Cronshaw Dangerous Prayer offers a strategy for fostering prayer and spirituality in mission that focuses on neighbourhood transformation and global needs using the Lord’s Prayer as a radical blueprint. Sustainability in mission is not possible without prayer; vibrancy in prayer is not possible without mission. Christians on mission need a vibrant life of prayer in order to be effective yet to have a vibrant prayer life they need an outlet in mission. The Lord’s Prayer offers a radical inspirational framework to help move Christians beyond praying just for themselves and to have their imaginations captured by the mission of God and concern for global needs. Jesus’ words guide us to pray for God’s Kingdom on earth, for restoration, for food for all who are hungry, for people to experience forgiveness and all that really is good news about Jesus. It is a dangerous prayer because of its counter- cultural and radical stance, and because it invites us to be, in part, the answer to our prayers. This book offers inspiring and practical approaches for unleashing the whole people of God for missional prayer and prayerful mission. …Darren Cronshaw’s challenging book on Dangerous Prayer will inspire and motivate you to pray and live differently. Structured around the Lord’s Prayer, the book is filled with profound and often overlooked insights, whilst always remaining readable and accessible. This is a book you will keep returning to. It is also ideal for small group study and discussion. Risk reading it. Dr Brian Harris, Principal Vose Seminary, Perth, Australia Darren Cronshaw is Pastor of AuburnLife, Researcher with the Baptist Union of Victoria, and Professor of Missional Research with Australian College of Ministries.

ISBN 9781842279762 (e. 9781780782775) / 177pp / 216mm x 140mm / £14.99

Available from: 01908 268500 or [email protected] ERT (2017) 41:2, 134-149 The Ecosapiential Theology of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job

Andrea L. Robinson

In the 2013 film Snowpiercer a cata- capacity to sustain all life, the earth strophic attempt to reverse global was not intended to sustain the kind of warming triggers an ice age that wipes excess in which humans regularly and out nearly all life on earth.1 The only consistently indulge.2 The human ten- survivors consist of a lucky few who dency to elevate the self regardless of board a train that unceasingly circum- the consequence has become more ob- navigates the globe. The perpetual-mo- vious due to the increasing attention to tion train serves as a futuristic Noah’s ecological damage. People have made Ark in which the remnant of humanity idols of themselves, consuming the struggles to survive. The movie alle- goodness of God’s creation like para- gorically illustrates the environmental sites. The only antidote is a humble use hubris that characterizes mankind. and enjoyment of creation that holds the Humans abuse the environment to the perverse self-elevation of humankind in breaking point, and then in greater acts check. of arrogance attempt to restore the Perhaps the best resource for re- world through intelligence and might. storing the biblical perspective on Even Snowpiercer’s train, the pinnacle of human innovation, eventually shat- creation is the Wisdom Literature. Pro- ters under the weight of human folly. verbial sayings are a key to creaturely When people take liberties that be- stability, offering invaluable insight in long to God alone, disaster is the natu- times of crisis. More specifically, the ral outcome. The visceral human worry over having enough to survive has long 2 Richard Bauckham, The Bible and Ecology: been overtaken by the drive for greater Rediscovering the Community of Creation (Waco, affluence. While God’s creation has the TX: Baylor University Press, 2010), 35, 74; Jonathan A. Moo and Robert S. White, Let Creation Rejoice: Biblical Hope and Ecological 1 Joon-ho Bong, Snowpiercer, DVD (CJ Enter- Crisis (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, tainment, 2013). 2014), 11-18.

Andrea L. Robinson (BSE, MA, ThM) is in the senior residency phase of PhD work at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (New Orleans, LA, USA), were she also teaches as an adjunct instructor. Andrea has worked at the Tel Gezer water system excavation project in Israel and plans to return for the 2017 dig season. The primary focus of her research is ecotheology and creation theology, spanning both Old and New Testa- ments, specifically with regard to the relationship between theology and ecology in wisdom literature, prophetic literature, and apocalyptic literature. In addition to academic pursuits Andrea is an ordained minister and occasional conference speaker. The Ecosapiential Theology of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job 135 primary emphasis of biblical wisdom is I An Ecosapiential Apologetic the harmonious functioning of all ele- The Judeo-Christian viewpoint has of- ments of creation within God’s created ten been accused of pitting humans order. Sapiential theology teaches that and spirituality against nature and the true religion entails love of God, as physical world.5 Yet, Christian theology well as love for fellow humans, fellow is inherently ‘green’. William Brown 3 creatures, and all of nature. writes, ‘Central to the Christian faith is This paper is therefore developed a doctrine that resists the temptation upon the hypothesis that understand- to distance the biblical world from the ing ecosapiential theology can help re- natural world: the incarnation.’6 Jesus store the divinely ordained relationship does not merely save individuals from between God, people, and the natural sin, but he becomes part of creation 4 world. Through an analysis of biblical and restores it.7 A faith in Christ thus wisdom literature it will be shown that calls believers to respect the natural when people reflect the image of God by world and all the wonders it holds. care for fellow creatures and the land, The drama of redemption finds the natural resources of the world will greatest expression when applied to all flourish and God’s plan of redemption of nature.8 Salvation includes the heal- will reach its fullest expression. ing of all of creation, and is as broad as Although wisdom elements appear creation itself. Believers are called to throughout the Bible, the current paper participate in a new creation – a new will focus specifically on Proverbs, Ec- and embodied reality.9 Such a reality clesiastes, and Job. These books offer is impossible to understand without a sustained presentation of sapiential wisdom theology. Wisdom literature thought and utilize frequent ecologi- reintegrates the doctrine of salvation cal references. The large number of with the sapiential emphasis on all of verses that employ ecological termi- creation. Wisdom invites hearers to nology cannot be examined in detail. encounter God in a broader way than Instead, passages that give sustained attention to ecotheological issues will be examined in greater detail than the 5 Victorino Pérez, ‘A Espiritualidade Ecológ- remainder of the material. The meth- ica: Una Nueva Manera de Acercarse a Dios odology employed will be a theologi- desde el Mundo’, Theologica Xaveriana 60 (2010): 191-214. cal interpretation of the passages, by 6 William P. Brown, The Seven Pillars of Crea- which ecosapiential themes will be tion: The Bible, Science, and the Ecology of Won- evaluated and practical implications der (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010), will be noted. 7; cf. D. C. Jones, ‘Nature, Theology of’, EDT 817-18; Pérez, ‘A Espiritualidade Ecológica’, 200. 3 Moo and White, Let Creation Rejoice, 15, 7 Bartholomew and O’Dowd, Old Testament 24-27. Wisdom, 14. 4 Ecosapiential theology is defined as the 8 Jones, ‘Nature’, 817. interconnectedness of all elements of visible 9 Wright, Surprised by Hope, 194-97; Sny- creation in relationship with God and each oth- der and Scandrett, Salvation Means Creation er as presented in biblical wisdom literature. Healed, 146-50. 136 Andrea L. Robinson simply salvation from sin.10 misleading as punishments and re- The reversal of the environmental wards are not mechanistic or automat- crisis will not come about through ac- ic.15 The wisdom of Proverbs describes tivism or conservation alone. An ecosa- a long-term trajectory. Biblical and An- piential approach seeks to address not cient Near East (ANE) wisdom is not only the abuses of the environment, but intended as legislation, but as practi- also the underlying spiritual causes. cal advice whereby life decisions are Change will come only when humans based on complex factors.16 Van Leeu- recover a deeper sense of the relation- wen describes the primary concern of ship between human life and the bio- Proverbs as ‘the relation of ordinary sphere as a whole.11 Amy Pauw opines, life in the cosmos to God the Creator’.17 ‘In our own time, environmentalists Proverbial wisdom reveals that God en- are perhaps the voices closest to the gages every facet of creation and takes sages of Proverbs.’12 Just as Proverbs delight in it. conveys a sense of communal moral urgency, modern environmentalists warn of the folly of ecological abuse. 1. Proverbs 8:22-36 Christian environmentalism is not na- 22 The Lord possessed me at the ive utopianism or an attempt to halt beginning of his way, technological progress, but a multi- Before His works of old. faceted response to industrial society, 23 From everlasting I was its economy, its technology, and its in- established stitutions.13 From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth. (Prov 8:22-23, NASB)18 II Proverbs A major theological element of wisdom 14 A close study of Proverbs reveals a literature can be found in creation and general character-consequence frame- primeval history.19 Sapiential texts work. However, a strict deed-consequence-retribution theology would be 15 Russell Meek, ‘Wisdom Literature and the ‘Center’ of the Old Testament’, Criswell Theo- 10 Pauw, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, 61. logical Review 11 (2014): 63-77. 11 Northcott, The Environment and Christian 16 Susan Power Bratton, ‘The Precautionary Ethics, 122. Principle and the Book of Proverbs: Toward an 12 Pauw, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, 8. Ethic of Ecological Prudence in Ocean Man- 13 Pérez, ‘A Espiritualidade Ecológica,’ 194- agement’, Worldviews 7 (2003): 253-273; Bar- 95. tholomew and O’Dowd, Old Testament Wisdom, 14 References to the natural world in Prov- 271. erbs: 1:17, 27; 3:19-20; 4:18-19; 5:15-19; 6:5- 17 Raymond Van Leeuwen, ‘Proverbs’, in 11; 7:22, 23; 8:22-31; 10:5; 11:25, 26, 28, 30; Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament: 12:9-12; 13:23; 14:4; 15:11, 17, 19; 16:15, 24; A Book-by-Book Survey, ed. Kevin J. Vanhoozer 17:12; 18:4, 20, 21; 20:4, 5; 21:19, 31; 22:2, 5; (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2008), 171-78. 23:5, 10, 34; 24:13; 25:3, 13, 14, 16, 23, 25, 18 All scriptures are reproduced from the 26; 26:1-3, 8, 9, 11, 13, 17, 20, 21; 27:3, 4, 7, NASB. 8, 15-27; 28:1, 3, 4, 15, 19; 30:4, 14, 18, 19, 19 Hans-Jürgen Hermission, ‘Observations 21, 24-31. on the Creation Theology in Wisdom’, in Crea- The Ecosapiential Theology of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job 137 portray wisdom as existing before the cern for the other and a longing for world and the foundation upon which all creation to flourish before God’.23 it was created.20 Because Wisdom was Creation is the habitation of wisdom, present at creation, she can therefore and when creation flourishes, wisdom guide humans into successful interac- likewise flourishes.24 tions with God, fellow men, and na- Along similar lines, when wisdom ture.21 Through wisdom the Creator deteriorates, the created order also grants humankind the ability to master suffers. The abuse of the earth creates creation and perform the tasks that a trajectory toward greater abuse and have been assigned from the begin- evil in the world. Proverbs teaches that ning. Humans are entrusted not only nature cannot indefinitely withstand abuse and evil.25 According to Proverbs with the earth, but also with the work 8:36, ‘He who sins against [wisdom] and maintenance of it. The success of injures himself; and those who hate such an endeavour is the concern of [wisdom] love death’. wisdom literature.22 Proverbs 8:22-36 implies that wisdom is the binding material that holds 2. Proverbs 12:9-12 creation together. Biblical wisdom re- 9 Better is he who is lightly flects God’s character by ‘filling the esteemed and has a servant earth with creativity, generosity, con- Than he who honors himself and lacks bread. 10 A righteous man has regard for tion in the Old Testament, IRT 6, ed. Bernhard the life of his animal, W. Anderson (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984), But even the compassion of the 118-134; J. Lindblom, ‘Wisdom in the Old Testament Prophets’, in Wisdom in Israel and wicked is cruel. 11 in the Ancient Near East: Presented to Profes- He who tills his land will have sor Harold Henry Rowley, SVT 3, ed. M. Noth plenty of bread, and L. Winton Thomas (Leiden: Brill, 1969), But he who pursues worthless 192-204; Claus Westermann, Elements of Old things lacks sense. Testament Theology, trans. Douglas W. Stott 12 The wicked man desires the (Atlanta: John Knox, 1982); R. Dennis Cole, ‘Foundations of Wisdom Theology in Genesis booty of evil men, One to Three’ (MTh thesis, Western Conserva- But the root of the righteous yields tive Baptist Seminary, 1978); Fretheim, God fruit. and World in the Old Testament; Roland E. Mur- These four verses from Proverbs 12 phy, ‘Wisdom and Creation’, JBL 104 (1985): address the importance of honest work 3-11; Leo G. Perdue, Wisdom and Creation (Eugene, Ore.: Wipf and Stock, 1994); John H. and productivity. The somewhat diffi- Walton, The Lost World of Genesis One (Down- cult verse 9 points out that reality is ers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009). more important than appearance. One 20 Compare Prov 3:19-20. 21 Bartholomew and O’Dowd, Old Testament Wisdom, 89. 23 Bartholomew and O’Dowd, Old Testament 22 Westermann, Elements of Old Testament Wisdom, 88. Theology, 11, 100; Bartholomew and O’Dowd, 24 Brown, The Seven Pillars of Creation, 169. Old Testament Wisdom, 86; Brown, The Seven 25 Bratton, ‘The Precautionary Principle’, Pillars of Creation, 162-63. 268. 138 Andrea L. Robinson who lives humbly, but has sufficient ments, and wine skins.30 resources, is better off than one who Before moving on it should be noted is highly esteemed, but has ‘no food’.26 that the Bible does not portray ani- The desire for status and acclaim mals preying on other animals, or even is a familiar vice in modern society. humans eating animals as immoral. Families drown themselves in debt to Rather, the moral problem is in the appear affluent and prosperous. Davis mistreatment of animals through ‘mod- aptly writes, ‘Contrary to popular wis- ern methods of factory farming and in- dom, a massive cash flow does not in it- tensive rearing’, in which animals are self make an economy healthy. People raised in ‘spaces which allow no room spending no more than they can afford for movement, and the chemically and constitute a healthy economy.’27 genetically altered environment which The disembedding of people from farm animals increasingly inhabit, are nature through human commerce has all indicators of unnecessary suffering, also distanced the human conscious- and of the denial of any possibility of ness from the created order.28 Verse 10 life quality…’31 Human actions toward instructs humans to be attentive to the animals should reflect God’s own com- needs of their animals. Bauckham in- passion for his creatures. terestingly notes that the terminology Moving on from the value of crea- here, to have regard for (ya-da‘ ) the life tures to the value of the land, the sa- (nepeš) of an animal, is strikingly simi- gacious author of verses 11-12 lauds lar to that of Exod 23:9, in which Isra- the value of hard work. Israelite fam- elites are to know (ya-da‘ ) the condition ily units learned that their plot of land (nepeš) of the alien in their midst.29 could quickly come to ruin if not cared Wisdom from Proverbs 8 can be ap- for properly. In order to leave an inher- plied also to 12:10-12. All of creation itance for posterity they had to care- is connected such that caring for live- fully serve their small plot of land and stock and farmland benefits humans. guard its fertility. Working the land Protecting the welfare of livestock is was both a familial and a spiritual ob- beneficial to their caretakers. Animals ligation, ‘for Israelites understood that are a self-renewing resource. In the God, too, was invested in the health of ANE they provided a range of provi- their land’.32 The Israelite perspective sions, including food, clothing, instru- on the land is instructive for modern humans. If productive land is to be left

26 Tremper Longman, III, Proverbs, BCOTWP (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006), 273. 30 Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Proverbs: 27 Ellen F. Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Chapters 15-31, NICOT (Grand Rapids: Eerd- the Song of Songs, WBC (Louisville: Westmin- mans, 2005), 390. ster John Knox, 2000), 85. 31 Northcott, The Environment and Christian 28 Northcott, The Environment and Christian Ethics, 101. Ethics, 78-83. 32 Ellen F. Davis, ‘Just Food: A Biblical Per- 29 Bauckham, The Bible and Ecology, 138-39; spective on Culture and Agriculture’, in Crea- cf. Norman Whybray, The Book of Proverbs: A tion in Crisis: Christian Perspectives on Sustain- Survey of Modern Study, HBIS 1 (Leiden: Brill: ability, ed. Robert S. White (London: SPCK, 1995), 193. 2009), 122-136. The Ecosapiential Theology of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job 139 for posterity, it must be cared for prop- 24 For riches are not forever, erly. Nor does a crown endure to all generations. 25 3. Proverbs 24:30-34 When the grass disappears, the 30 new growth is seen, I passed by the field of the And the herbs of the mountains are sluggard gathered in, And by the vineyard of the man 26 The lambs will be for your lacking sense, clothing, 31 And behold, it was completely And the goats will bring the price overgrown with thistles; of a field, Its surface was covered with 27 And there will be goats’ milk nettles, enough for your food, And its stone wall was broken For the food of your household, down. And sustenance for your maidens. 32 When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction. Structural and topical similarities be- 33 ‘A little sleep, a little slumber, tween 24:30-34 and 27:23-27 may in- A little folding of the hands to rest’, dicate that the units are to be heard 34 Then your poverty will come as a in tandem. The wise man who works robber harmoniously with nature in chapter And your want like an armed man. 27 contrasts with the sluggard who 35 The comments from the previous vers- neglects his fields in chapter 24. es apply again here in chapter 24. In- The mention of ‘riches’ in 27:24 indi- stead of extolling the benefits of hard cates that even a surplus of resources work, however, these verses warn will eventually run out if one neglects against the consequences of sloth. La- one’s work, just as the sluggard does in ziness is the height of foolishness and chapter 24. By refusing to act as good the antithesis of wisdom.33 Poverty is stewards of the environment, people personified as a vagrant who comes are impoverishing future generations. to steal the sluggard’s possessions. From an ecological perspective, Though a man may sleep, his enemy these verses call for an appreciation is alert and ready. Perhaps the human of the earth’s resources. Longman failure to change course can be likened explains; ‘This proverb unit seems to to the inactivity of the ‘sluggard’ of advocate a fundamental dependence on Prov. 24:30.34 renewable resources, such as letting fresh grass replace dried grass and gathering vegetation from the moun- 4. Proverbs 27:23-27 tains as crops for food. Lambs and 23 Know well the condition of your goats provide food, milk, and clothes.’36 flocks, Everything the human family needs is And pay attention to your herds;

35 The verses also conclude consecutive po- 33 Longman, Proverbs, 443. etic units; Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, 390. 34 Compare Prov 6:6. 36 Tremper Longman III, Proverbs, 483. 140 Andrea L. Robinson available through responsible domin- hard work, there are proverbs that ion and stewardship of the land. warn against the human tendency to Such sage advice is especially overindulge. Proverbs 25:16 counsels needed in relation to modern meth- restraint, self-control, and moderation. ods of farming and animal husbandry. Even with something as delightful and While slothfulness is hardly a prob- beneficial as honey, over-consumption lem, the rush to obtain greater and leads to sickness. God’s desire for greater yields prompts unethical prac- people to enjoy life and partake of the tices. The fertility of the land is being bounties of the earth is counterbal- leeched through the erosion of topsoil anced by the admonition to take only and chemical agents.37 Animals are re- what is needed. moved from their natural habitats, thus Greed prompts the exploitation of inhibiting the natural fertilization proc- natural resources, which in turn has ess and simultaneously contributing to detrimental effects on individuals and pollution problems.38 The teaching in society.41 Greed is similar to pride in Proverbs 27 provides a needed correc- that it leads to abusive relationships tive to such practices. Human caretak- with other creatures in a struggle for ers can ‘know their flocks’ by engaging mastery and dominion. Indulging in av- in ‘constant information gathering, and arice sets humans outside the created repeated assessment of the state of the order rather than within it. As a result, resource’.39 humans unwittingly debase themselves as the harmonious interconnectedness of creation is disrupted.42 5. Proverbs 25:16 16 Have you found honey? Eat only 6. Proverbs 30:24-28 what you need, 24 That you not have it in excess and Four things are small on the vomit it.40 earth, But they are exceedingly wise: In between the passages that laud 25 The ants are not a strong people, But they prepare their food in the 37 DeWitt, Calvin B., ‘Unsustainable Agri- summer; culture and Land Use: Restoring Stewardship 26 The shephanim are not mighty for Biospheric Sustainability’, in Creation in people, Crisis: Christian Perspectives on Sustainability, Yet they make their houses in the ed. Robert S. White (London: SPCK, 2009), rocks; 137-56. 27 The locusts have no king, 38 Northcott notes that, ‘The methane emit- ted by the billions of cattle in the world is one Yet all of them go out in ranks; of the largest sources of the enhancement of 28 The lizard you may grasp with the greenhouse effect, and the effluent from the hands, intensive animal rearing represents a serious pollution problem.’ Northcott, The Environment and Christian Ethics, 101. 41 Bratton, ‘The Precautionary Principle’, 39 Bratton, ‘The Precautionary Principle’, 260. 268. 42 Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song 40 Compare 25:27. of Songs, 145-46. The Ecosapiential Theology of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job 141

Yet it is in kings’ palaces.43 triousness often lacks foresight and The ‘four wee but wise beasties’ of sustainability. The wisdom of the natu- 30:24-28 survive and succeed through ral world offers a better way forward, adhering to God’s wisdom in the cre- one by which the cancer of pride and ated order.44 The creaturely wisdom greed can be remedied with the salve stands in contrast to those who over- of compassion. turn the social order in the previous verses of chapter 30. II Ecclesiastes By personifying the insects as peo- At first glance Qohelet’s musings47 ple in verse 25 the author intends the seem to reflect an epistemology that is ants to serve as a model for humans. antithetical to that of proverbial wis- While the exceptional achievement of dom. Proverbs articulates a loose deed- the ants seems out of proportion to consequence theology, whereas the their diminutive size, they nonetheless opening lines of Ecclesiastes lament provide an example of industriousness, the meaninglessness of human effort. discipline, and foresight.45 In a fasci- The author of Ecclesiastes writes as if nating study of ants Bert Hölldobler his relationship with God has led him and Edward O. Wilson draw the follow- to ‘expect certain outcomes—such as ing conclusions: justice and righteousness—and yet If all humanity were to disappear, he observes just the opposite over and the remainder of life would spring again’.48 Further, Qohelet does not be- back and flourish. The mass extinc- gin, as Proverbs recommends, with the tions now under way would cease, fear of the Lord. His insights are based the damaged ecosystems heal and upon observation, reason, and experi- expand outward. If all the ants ence alone. somehow disappeared, the effect Rather than opposing the message would be exactly the opposite, and of Proverbs, however, Ecclesiastes catastrophic. Species extinction complements proverbial wisdom by ex- would increase even more over the ploring the paradox between faith and present rate, and the land ecosys- pragmatism. Even after his empirical tems would shrivel more rapidly as investigation Qohelet ends just where the considerable services provided Proverbs begins, with the fear of the by these insects were pulled away.46 Lord.49 In contrast to the ant, human indus- Thus, the overarching message of Ecclesiastes is that the wise person will fear God, trust him, and enjoy what 43 Compare 6:1-11. blessings are possible, even in the face 44 Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, 495. 45 Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, 496-97; Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of 47 References to the natural world in Eccle- Songs, 55. siastes: 1:3-7, 14, 17; 2:4-7, 11; 3:2, 5, 16-22; 46 Bert Hölldobler and Edward O. Wilson, 5:9; 7:6; 8:8; 9:12; 10:7-9, 11, 20; 11:1-7; 12:1, Journey to the Ants: A Story of Scientific Explo- 2, 4, 5. ration (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 48 Meek, ‘Wisdom Literature’, 73. 1994), 206. 49 Prov 1:7; Ecc 12:13. 142 Andrea L. Robinson of life’s difficulties.50 Creaturely life is the tone of the passage. most fulfilling when shaped in conform- Pauw contends that the actions of ity to God’s design. Qohelet discovers the natural world here give the indica- that a life lived in pursuit of selfish de- tion of movement without progress, ef- sires is ultimately self-debasing.51 fort without change. She writes, ‘The wearisome repetition of the cosmos 1. Ecclesiastes 1:3-7 also finds an echo in the insatiabil- ity of human desire: just as the sea is 3 What advantage does man have in never filled by water flowing from the all his work streams, so human yearning is never Which he does under the sun? fulfilled by what flows to the eye and 4 A generation goes and a ear (1:8b).’53 generation comes, Qohelet’s opening meditations on But the earth remains forever. the created order are still relevant 5 Also, the sun rises and the sun today. Despite modern scientific ad- sets; vances, mankind is still seeking—and And hastening to its place it rises failing—to control and direct the mys- there again. teries of the natural world. Humans 6 Blowing toward the south, are not satisfied with incomplete Then turning toward the north, knowledge and incomplete power.54 Yet The wind continues swirling along; the perspective of Ecclesiastes 1:3-7, And on its circular courses the and indeed the entire book, encourages wind returns. believers to be at peace with unknown 7 All the rivers flow into the sea, elements in the world. . Yet the sea is not full. Qohelet may also be warning read- To the place where the rivers flow, ers to stay within boundaries set by the There they flow again. creator.55 If the constancy of natural cy- The introductory verses of Ecclesi- cles falters due to human intervention, astes link people to the ground. Just as the beneficiality of nature may turn the, sun, wind, and rivers are cyclical, into a harsh new reality.56 Knowledge humankind returns to dust and is cre- and progress are not inherently good. ated anew from it.52 A range of inter- The lack of any mention of God in pretations is possible for these opening the verses is telling. Brown explains verses, from exultation over the con- that, stancy of God’s creation to frustration Whereas the great creation tradi- over life’s monotony. This paper argues that a cynical interpretation best fits 53 Pauw, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, 146; cf. Brown, The Seven Pillars of Creation, 196. 50 Meek, ‘Wisdom Literature’, 73; Pauw, 54 Micah D. Kiel, ‘Ecclesiastes’, in The Old Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, 61. Testament and Apocrypha: Fortress Commentary 51 Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song on the Bible, eds. Gale A. Yee, Hugh R. Page of Songs, 161. Jr., and Matthew J. M. Coomber (Minneapolis: 52 Nili Samet, ‘Qohelet 1,4 and the Structure Fortress, 2014), 627-42. of the Book’s Prologue’, ZAW 126 (2014): 92- 55 Meek, ‘Wisdom Literature’, 75. 100. 56 Bill McKibben, The End of Nature, 90. The Ecosapiential Theology of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job 143

tions of Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, other; indeed, they all have the and Job boldly claim the world as same breath and there is no created, wrought by a beneficent advantage for man over beast, deity, Qohelet’s cosmology, for all for all is vanity. intents and purposes, excludes cos- 20 All go to the same place. All mogony. As there is no beginning, came from the dust and all there also seems to be no point. return to the dust. Qohelet’s world is a creation void of 21 Who knows that the breath of creation, and hebel is its name (1:2; man ascends upward and the 12:8).57 breath of the beast descends Such a nihilistic view indicates that downward to the earth? progress without the wisdom of God is 22 I have seen that nothing is better not progress at all. Peter Brunner elo- than that man should be happy quently explains, ‘The striving toward in his activities, for that is his nothing is therefore the opposite of a lot. For who will bring him to redemptive movement; it is a never- see what will occur after him? ending self-contradiction and therefore The circular conduit of Ecclesiastes 1 58 a never-ending torment.’ is portrayed now as a pendulum swing. The constant movement emphasizes 2. Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 the value of life and death, both of 16 Furthermore, I have seen under which are ordained by God.59 The juxta- the sun that in the place of position of justice with creaturely mor- justice there is wickedness and tality is an intentional statement on in the place of righteousness interrelatedness of creatures. Injustice there is wickedness. involves one entity failing to acknowl- 17 I said to myself, ‘God will judge edge another entity as a creature of both the righteous man and the God. On the other hand, justice ‘means wicked man,’ for a time for every respecting the needs and the dignity of matter and for every deed is each of my fellow creatures, acknowl- there. edging that we are more similar than 18 I said to myself concerning the different, for we depend for our exist- sons of men, ‘God has surely ence entirely upon God’s gracious acts tested them in order for them to of creation and preservation’.60 see that they are but beasts.’ 19 The mention of work in proximity to For the fate of the sons of men creaturely life is also significant (3:9). and the fate of beasts is the ‘Work’ (‘a-s´ah) does not necessarily same. As one dies so dies the denote toil. Rather, the same term is used of God’s creative activity in Gen- 61 57 Brown, The Seven Pillars of Creation, 181; esis. Work can be defined as healthy, cf. Pauw, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, 145. 58 Peter Brunner, ‘Gott, das Nichts und die Kreatur: eine dogmatische Erwägung 59 Brown, The Seven Pillars of Creation, 185. zum christlichen Schöpfungsglauben,’ KD 6 60 Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song (1960): 172-93; as translated in Hendry, The- of Songs, 187. ology of Nature, 194. 61 Genesis 1:7, 16, 25, 26; 2:2, 4. 144 Andrea L. Robinson productive activity, and based on obser- and God enjoy perfect harmony.65 vations from Psalms, a chief means by which humans form a beneficial connection with the rest of creation. Pro- III Job ductive work contributes meaningfully As with Ecclesiastes, the book of Job66 to the world and fosters a sense of sat- should be heard against the backdrop isfaction, thankfulness, and intercon- of Proverbs. The expansive theological nectedness. On the other hand dissat- perspective of Job provides a necessary isfaction often leads to mistreatment of counterpoint to the ordered world that others and various forms of injustice.62 is presented in Proverbs. Like Eccle- The relationship between man and siastes, Job serves as a corrective to animals is of obvious interest in the an overly literalistic understanding of passage. Qohelet’s statement seems to character-consequence wisdom (Prov throw into doubt mankind’s superiority 3:9-10; 10:27-32). In fact, Job’s friends over animals. He regards a man as but personify such an erroneous view with a beast (šəhem-bəhe-ma-h) and declares their contention that Job’s suffering that humankind has no advantage over must be due to some moral failure.67 animals (3:18-19). When taken in the Waltke explains, broader OT context, however, the kin- [God’s] government transcends a ship of people with the earth is bal- simple calculus that rewards good anced by their distinct role as caretak- and punishes evil. If God’s actions ers of the natural world. do not conform to earthlings’ under- Psalm 8:6-8 clearly articulates standing, that does not mean that man’s dominion over all animals, birds, he is dark and/or disinterested. He and aquatic creatures.63 Nonetheless, rules by containing darkness and Qohelet encourages humanity to come wildness within a government that to terms with the symbiotic nature of transcends human ‘wisdom,’ not by creation.64 Meek goes so far as to propose that verbal and thematic parallels between Genesis and Ecclesiastes 65 The echo of Gen 3:19 in Ecc 3:20 is clear: dust to dust, good, man/adam, eat; Meek, evoke an ‘alternate vision’ of a return ‘Wisdom Literature’, 74. to paradise where humans, animals, 66 References to the natural world in Job: 1:19; 3:8-9; 4:10; 5:10, 22, 23, 25, 26; 6:3, 5, 15-18; 7:5, 9, 12; 8:11-17; 9:5-10, 17, 26; 10:8, 62 Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song 16; 11:8, 9, 12, 16; 12:7-10, 15; 14:2, 7-9, 11, of Songs, 188. 18, 19; 15:32-33; 18, 3-4, 16; 19:10, 25; 20:14, 63 6 You make him to rule over the works of 16, 17, 27; 21:10, 11, 18, 26, 33; 22:8, 12, 14, Your hands; You have put all things under his 16, 24, 25; 24:2-8, 11, 18-20, 24; 25:5, 6; 26:5- feet, 7 All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts 14; 27:18, 20-22; 28:1-28; 29:19, 23; 30:1, 4-8, of the field, 8 The birds of the heavens and the 14, 22, 29; 31:8, 20, 26, 38-40; 33:6; 34:13, fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the 15; 35:5, 11, 12; 36:27-33; 37:2-12, 15-18, 21; paths of the seas. 38:1-41; 39:1-30; 40:1-4, 15-24; 41:1-34; 42:1. 64 Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song 67 Lindsay Wilson, ‘Job’, in Theological Inter- of Songs, 188; Douglas John Hall, Imaging God: pretation of the Old Testament: A Book-by-Book Dominion as Stewardship (Grand Rapids: Eerd- Survey, ed. Kevin J. Vanhoozer (Grand Rapids: mans, 1986), 165. Baker, 2008), 148-156. The Ecosapiential Theology of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job 145

eliminating it.68 questions about justice and injustice. Even elements that appear ‘evil’ by In fact, God’s comments have very human standards are not beyond God’s little to do with human beings at all. control.69 God shifts the focus from Job’s suffer- In Job chs. 38-42 God speaks direct- ing to the ordering of all creation. The ly to Job. God’s monologue describes Lord meets the needs of Job while also the origin of the universe, meteorologi- broadening his understanding of his 71 cal phenomena, and a variety of wild place within creation. animals. Both wild and domesticated Chapters 38-42 present a non-an- 72 animals, uninhabited and cultivated thropocentric view of the world. God land, the heavens, and the depths are describes a world without people, a world that has meaning independent of all listed, ‘even symbolic places such 73 as Sheol and the ‘innermost parts’ of human activity. In the light of such, human beings’.70 the passage reminds people of their A primary theme of 38-42 therefore finitude and limited ability. Job 38:4-7 carries an allusion to appears to be that no aspect of creation Proverbs 8:22-31, which describes wis- is beyond God’s control. Further, the dom as being present at the creation of way that Job portrays God’s ordering of the universe. The statement suggests creation indicates that God’s concern that if Job was present at creation then for creation goes far beyond the human he must also have access to the wis- realm. dom of God.74 The implication is that Job was neither present, nor does he 1. Job 38:1-3 have access to God’s wisdom.75 1 Then the Lord answered Job out of Further, God does not ask man to the whirlwind and said, name the creatures, as he did in Gen- 2 ‘Who is this that darkens counsel esis, or to dominate them in any way. By words without knowledge? Job is simply asked to behold the 3 ‘Now gird up your loins like a ‘strength, dignity and freedom’ of the man, wild beasts.76 With the exception of And I will ask you, and you instruct the horse (38:19-25) all the creatures Me! listed are beyond man’s control. Job is granted a rare privilege when 2. Job 39:13-18 Yahweh speaks directly to him. How- 13 ever, God does not respond to Job’s ‘The ostriches’ wings flap joyously

68 Bruce K. Waltke, An Old Testament Theol- ogy: An Exegetical, Canonical, and Thematic Ap- 71 Wilson, ‘Job’, 152. proach (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007), 942. 72 Rae, ‘Response to Mark I. Wallace,’ 75. 69 Alissa Jones Nelson, ‘Job’, in The Old Tes- 73 McKibben, The Comforting Whirlwind, 36. tament and Apocrypha: Fortress Commentary 74 ‘Where were you when I laid the founda- on the Bible, eds. Gale A. Yee, Hugh R. Page tion of the earth? Tell Me, if you have under- Jr., and Matthew J. M. Coomber (Minneapolis: standing.’ (Job 38:4). Fortress, 2014), 519-546. 75 Whybray, Job, 158-59. 70 Nelson, ‘Job’, 538. 76 Brown, The Seven Pillars of Creation, 128. 146 Andrea L. Robinson

With the pinion and plumage of appreciated in its own right.79 love, The passage teaches also that God 14 For she abandons her eggs to the continuously maintains an ordered cre- earth ation. The meteorological phenomena And warms them in the dust, and the wild animals operate within 15 And she forgets that a foot may the limits set by God. The natural ele- crush them, ments are fearsome or uncontrollable Or that a wild beast may trample only from a human perspective, not them. from God’s.80 The myriad of wild life 16 ‘She treats her young cruelly, as forms are not an object of divine or hu- if they were not hers; man micromanagement, yet all are ‘af- 81 Though her labor be in vain, she is firmed and sustained by God’. God’s unconcerned; rulership is one of care and freedom, 17 Because God has made her forget as creatures who operate within their wisdom, prescribed boundaries flourish without 82 And has not given her a share of intervention. understanding. 18 ‘When she lifts herself on high, 3. Job 40:15-16; 41:1, 12, 33 She laughs at the horse and his 15 ‘Behold now, Behemoth, which I rider. made as well as you; Creation, as portrayed in Job, teaches He eats grass like an ox. man that the created order is both ra- 16 ‘Behold now, his strength in his tional and irrational. Even the aspects loins of creation that do not make sense And his power in the muscles of his from a human perspective are ordered belly. and controlled by God.77 Some crea- 1 ‘Can you draw out Leviathan with tures, such as the clumsy ostrich are a fishhook? certainly more puzzling than others. Or press down his tongue with a God seems to find his creation beauti- cord? ful and take enjoyment in it. Wilson suggests, ‘God’s delight in 79 Hilary Marlow, ‘Justice for All the Earth: his ordered creation is reflected in the Society, Ecology, and the Biblical Prophets’, leisurely nature of the guided tour, in in Creation in Crisis: Christian Perspectives on his care for those bearing young (39:1), Sustainability, ed. Robert S. White (London: and in his evident pleasure in animals SPCK, 2009), 192-208; Francis I. Andersen, such as the warhorse (39:19-25).’78 Ad- Job (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1976), 273-78; Moo and Robert S. White, Let Creation ditionally, no moral or didactic lessons Rejoice, 36. are offered in the passage. One might 80 Waltke, An Old Testament Theology, 940; surmise that God intends creation to be Bauckham, The Bible and Ecology, 44. 81 Brown, The Seven Pillars of Creation, 129. 82 Stewart W. Herman, ‘Between Text and 77 Waltke, An Old Testament Theology, 941- Sermon: Job 31-41’, Interpretation 70 (2016): 42. 75-77; Brown, The Seven Pillars of Creation, 78 Wilson, ‘Job’, 155. 129. The Ecosapiential Theology of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job 147

12 ‘I will not keep silence to be as powerful and wise as God him- concerning his limbs, self. Much to Job’s dismay (40:4-5), Or his mighty strength, or his God vividly demonstrates that Job is orderly frame. not. 33 ‘Nothing on earth is like him, One made without fear. 4. Job 40:3-5; 42:2, 6 Chapters 40 and 41 present a poignant 3 Then Job answered the Lord and statement about humankind’s place in said, the cosmos that should not be read out 4 ‘Behold, I am insignificant; what of context. Together, the behemoth and can I reply to You? the leviathan, representing the strong- I lay my hand on my mouth. est beasts of land and sea, reinforce 5 ‘Once I have spoken, and I will the notion that God’s creation is expan- not answer; sive, mysterious, and beyond human Even twice, and I will add nothing control. more.’ The terminology once again evokes 2 ‘I know that You can do all things, the creation account of Genesis 1. The - And that no purpose of Yours can ‘behemoth’ (bəhemôt) of Job 40:15-24 be thwarted. is the same term as that which is used 6 Therefore I retract, of the earthly beasts created in Genesis And I repent in dust and ashes.’ 1:24 (bəhe-ma-t). The behemoth is also characterized as the ‘first’ (or chief) of The behemoth was created with Job, God’s great acts (40:19), which raises which implies a common identity, and him to a status similar to the wisdom of by extension a common identity with all Proverbs 8 and the light of Genesis 1.83 creatures. Job had earlier complained The portrayal of these great beasts that he was a ‘brother to jackals and a companion of ostriches’ (30:29), and contrasts their mythical associations of exiled from his family. He can now chaos. God easily controls the beasts, exult in being part of the community the forces of chaos, the earth, and eve- of creation. Brown quips that Job has rything within it.84 All the seemingly something of a ‘Copernician revolution’ pointless excursions into nature now when he finally realizes that the world make more sense. Job can no more ‘ex- does not revolve around himself.86 In ercise jurisdiction in the moral realm the light of God’s expansive creation than he is able to control the natural’.85 Job finally grasps his own creatureli- To control the universe Job would have ness, and finds comfort in the One who is Creator and Sustainer.87 83 Brown, The Seven Pillars of Creation, 128- Humility is the antidote to anthropo- 29. centrism and the abuse of God’s crea- 84 The behemoth and leviathan may be normal creatures described in mythical or fanci- ful language; Bartholomew and O’Dowd, Old 86 Brown, The Seven Pillars of Creation, 130- Testament Wisdom, 146-47; Nelson, ‘Job’, 538; 33; cf. McKibben, The Comforting Whirlwind, Wilson, ‘Job’, 155; Andersen, Job, 288; Brown, 42. The Seven Pillars of Creation, 128. 87 Brown, The Seven Pillars of Creation, 131; 85 Andersen, Job, 287. Rae, ‘Response to Mark I. Wallace’, 74. 148 Andrea L. Robinson tion. By viewing the cosmos from God’s ential theology is encapsulated in the perspective, humans can see their lim- final chapters of Job. All of creation ited role within creation.88 Although testifies to the power, wisdom, and science can now explain many of the mystery of the Creator. A profound mysteries presented by Job, modern encounter with God and his creation scientific discoveries always lead to is the fundamental experience of man new avenues for further investigation.89 when he occupies his God-ordained Instead of an exploration that involves place in the natural world. cruelty and exploitation, the book of Job recommends a humble approach to the mysteries within the community of IV Conclusion creation. When human set themselves To conclude, a brief survey of insights above nature, transcend God’s bounda- garnered from the foregoing examina- ries, and attempt to overcome finitude tion of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job in ways that dishonour creation, they will be offered. set themselves against the Creator. Proverbs teaches that God orders A further insight that can be his creation and sets boundaries to gleaned from Job 38-42 is that nature ensure its proper operation. Both the can provide a sense of nearness to God human and the natural world are en- in times of trial. Andersen points out: dowed with a purpose and a role within a long-standing tradition in western the functioning whole. Rejection or transgression of the created order re- Christian thought that belittles the sults in a destructive trajectory for all knowledge of God gained by think- of the natural world. Proverbs exhorts ing about the world. ‘Natural theol- believers to live in harmony with fellow ogy’ was kept within bounds by the humans, living creatures, and the land scholastics, and denied altogether itself. by Neo-orthodoxy. The book of Job The ancient sages advocate an inti- does not take this discouraging at- mate and caring relationship with the titude. Just as Jesus invited us to various elements of creation. When ‘consider the lilies of the field’, so people reflect the image of God by care the Lord is like a friend who asks for fellow creatures and the land, the you to join Him in a walk around His natural resources of the world flourish. garden. God enjoys His world, and When people are distanced from the He wants us to enjoy it with Him. natural world, apathy and abuse are But it is only when God Himself con- the result. The resultant overconsump- ducts the tour that the excursion is tion of natural resources impoverishes profitable.90 future generations. The overarching theme of ecosapi- The wise teacher of Ecclesiastes demonstrates that progress is not inherently beneficial. A respect for the 88 Bratton, ‘The Precautionary Principle’, 260; cf. Waltke, An Old Testament Theology, value and dignity of other creatures is 941; Nelson, ‘Job’, 539. more important than the values of con- 89 Bauckham, The Bible and Ecology, 46. sumption and comfort. Greed leads to a 90 Andersen, Job, 270-71. constant striving for more, which leads The Ecosapiential Theology of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job 149 to dissatisfaction, which leads to injus- and artistry.92 tice. Seeking after God is a corrective While ecosapiential themes from that leads to contentment and a harmo- all three books overlap, one common nious relationship with all of creation. thread underlies the entire wisdom Finally, the book of Job displays an corpus. At the heart of biblical wisdom omniscient and omnipotent God who literature stands God’s design for the cares for every element of his creation. world. Faithful stewardship announces The intimate relationship between hu- and embodies the full reign of God in mans and God is counterbalanced by a every aspect of life. The work of re- non-anthropocentric view of God’s redemption is what God does in and for lationship with his creation. Humans believers, but also through them.93 The are not the centre of the universe, and efforts of believers must not be limited God has purposes for his creation that to ‘conversion evangelism’.94 A mis- sometimes have nothing to do with hu- sion that desires to reach all nations mans. Further, the mystery and beauty and all peoples should embody the full of nature teaches man about God and scope of God’s salvific plan. Snyder and draws humanity closer to him. In the Scandrett exhort, ‘If we are passionate light of God’s glory in creation man about people, we will be passionate should approach nature with an atti- about their world.’95 tude of humility, expecting to encoun- Stewardship of the natural world ter the presence of God. has too often been exerted in the form All three books also teach that peo- of exploitation and domination, when it ple experience a deeper understanding should instead be care and service on of self through nature. Human beings behalf of God. Ethical stewardship is do not have a monopoly on wisdom.91 not an opposition to human progress Ecosapiential wisdom teaches that and scientific advance, but rather a creation can, in fact, impart wisdom to type of progress that respects the humans. The proverbial ant offers les- value and limitations of the natural sons on resourcefulness and foresight world. Therefore, ecosapiential theol- while the locust teaches the value of ogy includes caring stewardship of the cooperation (Prov 6:6; 30:24-33). environment, vigilant attention to the Additionally, learning from God’s creatures may break through hearts condition of nature, and redemptive ac- hardened to the natural world. Hu- tivity in all aspects of creation. mans should be humbled by the realization that most of the qualities they 92 Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song pride themselves on are also shared by of Songs, 147-48. the natural world: persistence, coop- 93 Wright, Surprised by Hope, 200. eration, stability, power, grace, beauty 94 Snyder and Scandrett, Salvation Means Creation Healed, 141-42. 95 Snyder and Scandrett, Salvation Means 91 Pauw, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, 130. Creation Healed, 152. ERT (2017) 41:2, 150-165 Colin E. Gunton and Public Theologians: Toward a Trinitarian Public Theology

Naomi Noguchi Reese

I Public Theology account the triune God. Ultimately, it In the history of public theology— enables us to see the world through the a category of theology that seeks to lens of the eschatological Spirit’s work bring theological truths to bear on and to look beyond traditional modes public arenas—the Holy Spirit’s role in of Christian cultural engagement that creation has been underexplored. If the have been counterproductive. Holy Spirit is the agent of transforma- A pneumatology which is firmly tion in creation, why have so many the- grounded in a trinitarian theology is ologians neglected the Spirit’s activity necessary to further develop public the- in the context of public theology? One ology. It is only within this framework of the causes of such neglect derives that we can understand the divine in- from a long-held belief in dualism. As a tention of redemption toward the crea- result, generally speaking, theologians tion and have a holistic understanding have neglected the eschatological as- of the mission of the triune God for the pect of the Spirit’s work over creation, created world. In so doing, we will be and instead have devoted most of their able to discern how we should engage attention to the immanent/spiritual as- with culture as a participant in the di- pect of the Spirit’s work. vine redemption. Hence, a theology is needed that In what follows, I will present a recaptures the eschatological aspect brief summary of Gunton’s pneumatol- of the Spirit’s work over creation. Co- ogy and then discuss three prominent lin E. Gunton’s pneumatology which is U.S. public theologians and thinkers to trinitarianly formulated and eschato- discern whether pneumatology plays logically conceived brings a fresh ap- any significant role in their public the- proach to public theology. It moves us ology. In turn, I examine how Gunton’s toward a full-bodied, holistic and trini- robust pneumatology provides the nec- tarian public theology that takes into essary resources to address the defi-

Naomi Noguchi Reese (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is an instructor of biblical studies at Bel- mont University, Nashville, TN, USA and is a native of Japan. She recently contributed four entries to the Dic- tionary of Christianity and Science (Zondervan, 2017). She has read several papers on Colin E. Gunton at the annual meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society and was moderator for the session on Colin E. Gunton at its 2016 annual meeting Colin E. Gunton and Public Theologians 151 ciency in public theology owing to the eschatological’.4 absence of an adequate theology of the Hence, for Gunton, the eschato- eschatological Spirit. Finally, I discuss logical Spirit is a person, not substance, criteria for discerning the Spirit’s work whose mission is to perfect the created in relation to public theology. world in accordance with Christ. And it is not a modalistic God, but rather the trinitarian God whose being consists of II Gunton’s Pneumatology three persons who ‘receive and give Basil of Caesarea is perhaps the most each other what they are.’5 Indeed, the significant theological influence in work of the Spirit is inseparable from relation to Gunton’s pneumatology. that of the Father and the Son. The Son Gunton states, ‘It is Basil who makes, and the Spirit are, Gunton contends, I think, the most important point.’1 the ‘two hands’ of the Father. They Basil’s stance on the work of the Spirit are distinct, yet inseparable. If Jesus is is clearly eschatological: ‘The original ‘the basis of God’s movement out into cause of all things that are made, the the creation to bring that which is not Father … the creative cause, the Son God into covenant relation with him’, … the perfecting cause, the Spirit.’2 the Spirit is the one who brings perfec- Moreover, Basil’s attribution of the tion to the world based on what Christ has achieved on the cross.6 work (ad extra) of the three persons is Gunton further elaborates, ‘The trinitarianly formulated. Son is the content of God’s redemp- Gunton’s appreciation of Basil, tive movement into the world, [while] therefore, is the basis for his eschato- the Spirit is its form, and that form is logical Spirit who perfects the creation its freedom.’7 The divine love is mani- at the end. However, behind the es- fested in the Son and through the Spirit chatological Spirit, there is a trinitar- to show God’s relentless love for the ian God whose being consists of three world. Yet, the manner of the manifes- persons in communion which forms tation is different. the centre of both Basil’s and Gunton’s Gunton continues, ‘The Spirit is theology. Gunton contends, ‘To say God’s eschatological transcendence, that the Spirit is the perfecting cause of creation is to make the Spirit the eschatological person of the Trinity: 4 Gunton, Father, Son & Holy Spirit, 76. the one who directs the creatures to 5 Colin E Gunton, ‘The Spirit as the Lord: where the creator wishes them to go, Christianity, Modernity and Freedom’, in Dif- ferent Gospels, ed. Andrew Walker (London: 3 to their destiny as creatures.’ More Hodder and Stoughton for the C. S. Lewis Cen- succinctly, ‘the Spirit is God being tre, 1988), 83. 6 Colin E Gunton, Theology through the Theo- logians: Selected Essays 1972-1995 (Edin- 1 Colin E Gunton, Father, Son & Holy Spirit: burgh: T&T Clark, 1996), 127. Toward a Fully Trinitarian Theology (London, 7 Gunton, ‘The Spirit in the Trinity’, in The New York: T&T Clark, 2003), 81. Forgotten Trinity: 3. A Selection of Papers Pre- 2 Basil of Caesarea, On the Holy Spirit XV 36 sented to the BCC Study Commission on Trini- and 38. tarian Doctrine Today, ed. Alastair I.C. Heron, 3 Gunton, Father, Son & Holy Spirit, 81. 130; italics in original. 152 Naomi Noguchi Reese his futurity, as it is sometimes ex- the world, but he does not become pressed. He is God present to the world identical with any part of the world.’12 as its liberating order, bringing it to It is therefore the Spirit who trans- the destiny determined by the Father, forms/perfects the entire creation. made actual, realized, in the Son.’8 This transformation does not indicate The Spirit is the eschatological Spirit a return to the protological state of whose goal is to bring the world to its the creation, but rather ‘redirection’ or intended end. movement towards the completion of As noted, Gunton defines the work the creation. Gunton refers to this as a of the Spirit as ‘perfecting’. From this ‘return’ … but of a process by which definition, we can identify two primary that which was in the beginning is implications. The first is the dynamic not so much restored to a former nature of creation: the transformation/ integrity as returned perfected to perfection of the world. If the Spirit is the Father through the Son and by the eschatological Spirit who perfects, the Spirit—an eschatological rather the creation is the object of such per- than protological return.13 fection. Indeed, the Spirit is the agent of the age to come. The second implication, which re- Nonetheless, in the history of the- lates to the first, is that if the Spirit is ology, the Spirit’s work has been con- the eschatological Spirit who brings strued primarily as immanent rather the transformation of the world, our than transcendent.9 For example, it is reconciliation with God through the common to stress the immanent as- Spirit is the means of effecting such pects of the Spirit such as strengthen- transformation. Gunton contends that ing believers and guiding them to fol- reconciliation is ‘the Father’s determi- low Christ.10 Indeed, the Spirit is often nation to bring all things into relation to seen as a ‘substantial force’ that we himself through Christ’.14 possess within us rather than a per- To be sure, relation is an important son who acts as an agent of the age to concept because it entails rightness come. with God. If our relation with God is Consequently, cosmic and social di- skewed, we cannot remain right with mensions of the Spirit’s eschatological God. Gunton thus defines sin as a work are overlooked.11 Gunton con- ‘false relation to God’.15 It is ‘the dis- tends, ‘The Spirit is better identified in ruption or distortion of the relation of terms of transcendence than of imma- personal beings with the personal crea- nence. The Spirit may be active within

12 Gunton, Theology through the Theologians, 8 Gunton, ‘The Spirit in the Trinity,’ 130. 108. 9 Gunton provides an extensive discussion on 13 Gunton, Theology through the Theologians, how the Spirit’s work has been understood as 127. immanent contrary to its true nature in history 14 Gunton, Theology through the Theologians, in Theology through the Theologians, 105-108. 120. 10 Lk 12:12; Jn 14:26; 16:8-11; etc. 15 Colin E Gunton, The Christian Faith: An In- 11 Gen 1:2, 2:7; Ex 35:30-31; Ezek 37:9, 12; troduction to Christian Doctrine (Malden, MA.: Lk 1-2; Rom 8:21; etc. Blackwell Publishing, 2002), 139. Colin E. Gunton and Public Theologians 153 tor God’.16 evaluate Colin Gunton’s contribution to The Spirit opens the hearts of hu- public theology. My intention is to use man beings and invites us to restore these three theologians and thinkers our relation with God. Restoring our as foils in evaluating whether pneu- relation with God, which is reconcilia- matology plays any significant role in tion, enables us to become what we are their public theology. created to be. Accordingly, our relation with each other, along with the created 1. H. Richard Niebuhr world, is restored as well. This is the means of the transformation of God’s In Christ and Culture, Niebuhr con- whole creation. structs his famous five typologies in Furthermore, this reconciliation order to answer the question: What is takes place in the church—the com- the relationship that reflects our faith- munity of the last days. Gunton ob- fulness and loyalty to Christ in dealing serves, ‘According to the New Testa- with the world if Christ directs Chris- ment, human community becomes tians to the world? concrete in the church, whose calling The Christ against culture para- is to be the medium and realization digm perceives culture as sinful and of communion’.17 The purpose of the non-redemptive. This is an extreme church is therefore to be the catalyst of type since adherents completely reject reconciliation for the world, while the culture and seek to build a new soci- church herself is to be shaped into a ety that is not corrupted by culture. perfect communion, having been recon- The opposite pole of this extreme is ciled with God, others and the created the Christ of culture type. Contrary world. to Christ against culture, this type ac- cepts culture. Although adherents are loyal to Christ, they ‘seem equally at III Public Theologians and home in the community of culture’.18 Colin E. Gunton Niebuhr argues that despite their differences, these two types are in fact In this section I will examine public similar to each other. For example, theologians and thinkers in the United they are unitarian instead of trinitarian States context. I have selected three in their theology: ‘Jesus Christ being prominent public theologians and essentially God for the former [Christ thinkers whose work has had signifi- against] and the Almighty Father the cant influence in public theology in the single God of the latter [Christ of].’19 United States. Following this, I will Further, these two types are one worldly instead of two worldly. For 16 Gunton, The Christian Faith, 59. For Gun- Christ against culture, this world is ton, the divine justice is by nature transforma- thought to be corrupted beyond re- tional and relational, rather than penal and individualistic (Gunton, Christian Faith, 76). 17 Colin E Gunton, The One, the Three and the 18 H. Richard Neibuhr, Christ and Culture Many: God, Creation and the Culture of Moder- (New York: Harper and Row, 2001), 83. nity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 19 Neibuhr, ‘Introduction’, in Christ and Cul- 1993), 217. ture, 49. 154 Naomi Noguchi Reese demption. Therefore, its focus is on the ‘both faith and knowledge proceed world to come. Similarly, with Christ of from the same divine source’.22 None- culture, it is melioristic and does not theless, adherents do not perceive ‘abandon the idea of another world but Christ as the Christ of culture. A dis- makes it an extension of the best parts continuity exists between the impera- of this aeon’.20 tives of nature and those of the gospel. In between these two extremities, The distinction must be maintained al- Niebuhr identifies the remaining three though culture is ultimately under the types: Christ above culture, Christ and sovereignty of God. culture in paradox, and Christ as the Christ and culture in paradox is transformer of culture. For these, the characterized by tension between main issue is not whether to reject God’s righteousness and human right- or accept culture. Rather, it is how to eousness. Like Christ against culture, embrace this world and the next at the this type sees culture as corrupted. same time—how to live a responsible But unlike Christ against culture, it ac- life in the world while remaining faith- cepts the reality that humanity is sur- ful to Christ. rounded by culture and believes that it A further contrast is that these is impossible to avoid it. types are not unitarian. Niebuhr states Christ the transformer of culture that they are ‘if not trinitarian, at argues for the transformation of hu- least bi-nitarian’.21 Unlike the extreme manity as well as the created world. types, they distinguish three persons Like Christ and culture in paradox, ad- of the Trinity and their respective vocates believe that sin has corrupted missions. Further, they understand the entire created world and that we reality to be two-worldly, rather than are in need of God’s forgiveness and one-worldly, and they acknowledge the mercy. Yet, this corrupted world is still usefulness of culture. The divine values and imperatives can be appreciated under God’s sovereign rule. Therefore, both in Christ (Bible, church) and na- Christians must participate in God’s ture (reason, culture). Nonetheless, sin creating and redeeming work. infects culture. Despite God’s creating, Niebuhr offers several points of governing and redeeming work, noth- theological support for this typology. ing escapes the effects of sin. The first is creation. Christians must Christ above culture incorporates participate in the Son’s creating and elements of Christ of culture, while redeeming work. Niebuhr states, ‘The maintaining the lordship of Christ over Word that became flesh and dwelt the created world. The world was cre- among us, the Son who does the work ated through Christ and is upheld by of the Father in the world of creation, him. Hence, Christ and the world can- has entered into a human culture that not be opposed to each other. Indeed, has never been without his ordering action.’23

20 Niebuhr, ‘Introduction’, in Christ and Cul- ture, 47. 22 Douglas F. Ottati, ‘Christ and Culture’, 21 Niebuhr, ‘Introduction’, in Christ and Cul- American Presbyterian 66 (1988): 323. ture, 49. 23 Niebuhr, Christ and Culture, 193. Colin E. Gunton and Public Theologians 155

The second is the ‘nature of man’s Carson reshapes the typologies and of- fall from his created goodness’.24 The fers several suggestions. fall has corrupted God’s creation, but it For one, Carson criticizes Niebuhr’s did not corrupt the creation to the ex- handling of scripture. Carson deter- tent of requiring a replacement. ‘Man’s mines that Niebuhr’s problem origi- good nature has become corrupted; it nates in how he perceives the biblical is not bad, as something that ought canon. He states, ‘Niebuhr’s view, a not to exist, but warped, twisted and view that is still quite common in some misdirected’.25 Likewise, culture is academic circles, is that the Bible in ‘corrupted order rather than order for general, and the New Testament in corruption’.26 Hence, culture needs to particular, provides us with a number be transformed in order to restore its of discrete paradigms.’29 Naturally, this goodness even if this means a rebirth view discourages us from reading the through transformation. Bible in a holistic manner. The third theological support is Niebuhr’s reading violates the ‘can- a view of history. In light of the two on’s “rule” [which] lies in the totality points described above, Niebuhr argues of the canon’s instruction’.30 Hence, that it becomes clear that history is not Niebuhr’s handling of scripture comes merely a series of human events. It is across as piecemeal. Carson argues rather a ‘dynamic interaction between that we need to listen to all the voices 27 God and man’. Niebuhr observes that of the canon and integrate them sys- on this view the triune God works to- tematically. To do so involves the fol- gether to create, forgive and redeem lowing ‘non-negotiables’. the world in order to bring transforma- In addition to close exegesis of a tion. wide range of biblical texts, we need It is noted that humankind is to to think through how they fit into the participate in this divine work. In such great turning points of redemptive his- a dynamic interaction between God tory, into the massive movement from and man, ‘the eschatological future creation to the new heaven and the has become for him an eschatological new earth, with critical stops along the present’.28 Hence, Christ is the trans- way for the fall, the call of Abraham, former of culture. the rise and fall and rise again of Is- rael, the resurrection, the gift of the 2. D. A. Carson Spirit and the birth of the church. In Christ & Culture Revisited, D. A. Car- Furthermore, we cannot ignore son presents a treatment of Niebuhr’s great theological structures, including five typologies seen through the eyes the Trinitarian nature of the Godhead, of a biblical theologian. In this volume, all that the cross achieves, and the unavoidable implications of New Testa- ment eschatology with its underlying 24 Niebuhr, Christ and Culture, 193. 25 Niebuhr, Christ and Culture, 194. 26 Niebuhr, Christ and Culture, 194. 29 D. A. Carson, Christ and Culture Revisited 27 Niebuhr, Christ and Culture, 194. (Grand Rapids: W.B. Eerdmans, 2008), 40-41. 28 Niebuhr, Christ and Culture, 195. 30 Carson, Christ and Culture Revisited, 41. 156 Naomi Noguchi Reese combination of inaugurated and future izing any of them.’34 Further, Niebuhr’s eschatology.31 discrete paradigms do not accurately Carson contends that it is not reflect the rich and complex nature of enough to examine a wide range of bib- Scripture. lical texts and see what each one says. Eschatologically speaking, we are We also need to listen to the voices living in a time of tension. Jesus inau- in relation to the grand biblical and gurated the kingdom of God. Yet, this theological scheme of creation, fall, re- kingdom will not be consummated until demption and consummation. In short, his second coming. Hence, it is not ei- it is imperative to understand the rela- ther ‘Christ against culture’ or ‘Christ tion between Christ and culture within transforming culture’, but should be the flow of the divine drama.32 Carson both. Carson therefore argues that is also concerned that whatever mod- Christians must live as a ‘people in els we conceive should be grounded in tension’.35 Scripture. He writes, ‘On the one hand, we If for any reason we continue to belong to the broader culture in which think of different models of the rela- we find ourselves; on the other, we be- tion between Christ and culture, we long to the culture of the consummated must insist that they are not alternative kingdom of God, which has dawned 36 models that we may choose to accept among us.’ This tension exists in the or reject. Rather, we shall ask in what Christian life, and we are not free to sense they are grounded in the Scrip- ignore or reject it. Rather, Christians tures and ponder their interrelations must embrace the tension and seek the within the Scriptures, and how and welfare of the city while we wait for the when they should be emphasized under final consummation of the creation. different circumstances exemplified in the Scriptures.33 3. James Davison Hunter Thinking about the relation between In To Change the World: The Irony, Trag- Christ and culture is thus not a mat- edy, and Possibility of Christianity in ter of preference of one paradigm over the Late Modern World, James Davison another, but of discerning a holistically Hunter seeks to find a new way for biblical pattern. Moreover, ‘As empiri- Christians to engage with the twenty- cally useful as certain grids may be, first century world. Hunter supports thoughtful Christians need to adopt an his claims using sociological and his- extra degree of hesitation about canon- torical evidence and contends that the traditional ways of Christian engagement are based on flawed social theory 31 Carson, Christ and Culture Revisited, 226. and therefore ineffective in achieving 32 The non-negotiables of biblical theology that Carson suggests should act as the frame- their goals. Hunter makes two signifi- work for all approaches to Christ and culture. cant arguments based on sociological Indeed, some differences in approach may result from how one understands the big picture of the divine drama. 34 Carson, Christ and Culture Revisited, 224. 33 Carson, Christ and Culture Revisited, 62; 35 Carson, Christ and Culture Revisited, 64. italics original. 36 Carson, Christ and Culture Revisited, 64. Colin E. Gunton and Public Theologians 157 evidence. other hand, creates scepticism about First, he contends that the tradi- basic features of reality. Furthermore, tional means of engagement encour- ‘They [difference and dissolution] age Christians to evangelize in order present conditions advantageous for to bring change to society. This basic the development of nihilism—genial principle derives from a belief that the and otherwise.’38 more Christians there are in society, Hunter therefore argues for a new the stronger the Christian influence approach. He proposes a ‘theology will be because of faithful presence’ that Christians cultures are shaped from the cumu- should embrace in order to be the light lative values and beliefs that reside and salt of the world. He states, in the hearts and minds of ordinary A theology of faithful presence be- people. The means and ends of gins with an acknowledgement of world-changing … are to change God’s faithful presence to us and the hearts and minds of enough peo- that his call upon us is that we be ple that the social order will finally faithfully present to him in return. come to reflect the values and be- This is the foundation, the logic, the liefs that they hold.37 paradigm.39 Yet, Hunter contends that this is a Faithful presence calls us to be misconception since none of the evi- present to others whether they are in- dence of history and sociology supports side or outside the community; this re- such a theory. On the contrary, changes quires sacrificial love. Further, faithful in society often take place when people presence requires us to be faithful to in positions of power work together for our vocational tasks, in which we are a common purpose through networks to strive for excellenc. Through these of the elite. tasks, Christians honour God. Second, our traditional methods But this new approach should not be of cultural engagement are no longer taken as a means to manifest or utilize adequate for the cultural changes that one’s power to influence. God invites our modern society has experienced. humanity who is made in his image Two such changes resulting from to participate in world-making since modern pluralism are ‘difference’ and ‘world-making is an expression of our ‘dissolution’. Hunter argues that the divine nature’.40 Yet, Hunter qualifies prevalence of ‘difference’ does not fos- that ter religious belief that is strong and it is also important to underscore coherent because of the lack of sur- that while the activity of culture- rounding cultural structures to reinforce such beliefs. ‘Dissolution’, on the 38 Hunter, To Change the World, 211. Hunter defines nihilism as ‘autonomous desire and 37 James Davison Hunter, To Change the unfettered will legitimated by the ideology World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of and practice of choice’. Hunter, To Change the Christianity in the Late Modern World (Oxford, World, 211. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010), 39 Hunter, To Change the World, 243. 274. 40 Hunter, To Change the World, 232. 158 Naomi Noguchi Reese

making has validity before God, cannot be changed: this work is not, strictly speaking, Will engaging the world in the way redemptive or salvific in character. discussed here change the world? Where Christians participate in the This I believe is the wrong ques- work of world-building they are not, tion. The question is wrong in part in any precise sense of the phrase, because it is based on the dubious ‘building the kingdom of God’.41 assumption that the world, and thus Hunter argues that the concept of history, can be controlled and man- ‘building the kingdom of God’ is indeed aged.44 a dangerous idea. It invokes the idea Instead, the purpose of participat- of ‘taking over’ or ‘conquering’ which ing in world-making is ultimately to leads to a type of Constantinian en- honour God, the Creator, for his good- gagement. He contends, ‘The ideal is ness and to fulfil our duty to love our to shift to a post-Constantinian engage- neighbours as God commands us. ment, which means a way of engaging the world that neither seeks domination nor defines identity and witness IV The Promise of Gunton’s over against domination.’42 Christians Pneumatology are not here to dominate or take over Despite the richness of the public the- the culture. But, our engagement with ologies offered by the theologians and the culture should proclaim the coming thinkers examined above, none of them of the kingdom and be the foretaste of pays much, if any, attention to pneuma- what is to come. Hunter states, tology. As a result, their understanding If there are benevolent consequenc- of the work of the Spirit in public the- es of our engagement with the world ology lacks depth. For the most part, … it is precisely because it is not the Spirit seems to be viewed merely rooted in a desire to change the as an extension of Christ. When Christ world for the better but rather be- is mentioned, the Spirit appears to be cause it is an expression of desire implicitly included. to honor the creator of all goodness, Consequently, the Spirit’s relation beauty, and truth, a manifestation to the Father and the Son is not taken of our loving obedience to God, and into account in relation to the transfor- a fulfillment of God’s command to mation of the creation. Indeed, it is not love our neighbor.43 only pneumatology that is noticeably The primary goal of Christian cul- missing from the theories discussed tural engagement, contrary to what above, but also God’s trinitarian na- Christians have traditionally believed, ture. is not to bring change to the world. This presents a lacuna in contempo- Rather, Hunter argues that the world rary approaches to public theology and reveals the need for a robust pneumatology in this theological endeavour. 41 Hunter, To Change the World, 233. When pneumatology is overlooked, 42 Hunter, To Change the World, 280. 43 Hunter, To Change the World, 234; italics and emphasis original. 44 Hunter, To Change the World, 285. Colin E. Gunton and Public Theologians 159 there is a tendency to perceive God in order to achieve the ultimate plan of a unitarian or binitarian manner, creat- God for the world. ing a serious deficiency in one’s theol- One perceives the tendency to bi- ogy. Colin Gunton rightly argues, ‘Be- furcate these commandments, for ex- cause God is triune, we must respond ample, in the case of D. A. Carson. His to him in a particular way, or rather set understanding of the creation story of ways, corresponding to the richness seems thin because he does not view of his being.’45 To fail to perceive God it through the lens of God’s triune na- trinitarianly means that we begin on ture and work. Indeed, Carson rather the wrong foot. quickly dismisses the cultural mandate Gunton continues, ‘In turn, that as ‘peculiar responsibilities toward the means that everything looks—and, in- rest of the created order’ that we have deed, is—different in the light of the as God’s image bearers, without any 48 Trinity.’46 Thus, we must approach God elaboration. Yet, he emphasizes the trinitarianly. Gunton’s pneumatology importance of a trinitarian theology of provides a firmer foundation for pub- the Godhead in public theology, even lic theological inquiry and helps set- including it as one of the non-negotia- tle several important questions whose bles of biblical theology. answers must guide our hermeneutics: This is where Gunton’s robust pneu- Who is God, what is he doing with the matology can be helpful. Gunton ar- world, and how is he guiding the world gues that a weak pneumatology has to its ultimate end? plagued western theology since the time of Augustine. There is a tendency in western theology to perceive the 1. Trinitarian thinking Spirit as the ‘bond of love’ that unites Trinitarian thinking is indispensable the Father and the Son. Hence, the to ‘undo the old bifurcation between ‘bond of love’ is hardly perceived as a the cultural mandate and the great person, contrary to the nature of the commission’.47 These issues have been triune God. approached apart from considering the Yet, as Gunton argues, the Scripture Trinity so that the two commandments attests that the Spirit is the eschato- are not perceived within the divine in- logical Spirit. If one overlooks the work tention of creation and redemption. As and person of the Spirit, one’s theology a result, the complementary nature of is deprived of the third aspect of the the two commandments is overlooked. creation story: the Spirit’s perfecting We are not forced to choose one or the work. Indeed, when one surveys Car- other, but the two go hand-in-hand in son’s non-negotiables of biblical theology, it seems clear that the Spirit’s relation to the Father and the Son is not 45 Colin Gunton, The Promise of Trinitarian taken into account.49 Hence, a holistic Theology, 2nd ed. (London: T&T Clark, 2003), 4. 46 Gunton, The Promise of Trinitarian Theol- 48 Carson, Christ & Culture Revisited, 46. ogy, 4-5. Also, see Smith, ‘Thinking Biblically,’ 22. 47 James K. A. Smith, ‘Thinking Biblically 49 This point appears more prominently in about Culture’, Perspectives 24 (2009): 23. Carson’s criticism of Vincent Bacote’s cosmic 160 Naomi Noguchi Reese trinitarian thinking is missing. But 2. The nature of transformation seen through a trinitarian lens, the dis- by the Spirit tinct work of each person of the Trinity Gunton’s pneumatology leads us to becomes clear. conclude that the nature of culture is The Father, who is the fountainhead redemptive.50 It is not only humanity of the three persons, reaches out to the that will be redeemed, but also the cre- world through his two hands, the Son ated world because the creation will be and the Spirit, as Gunton frequently ‘brought into the glorious freedom of observes. On the one hand, the Son, the children of God’ (Rom 8:21). Since who is the mediator of creation and culture is a significant aspect of the redemption, works incarnationally created world, the Spirit uses it in his by identifying himself with the world work of perfection and transformation; through becoming human and institut- thus, culture is redemptive. ing a new beginning for fallen human- As noted above, Hunter contends ity. On the other, the Spirit works both that culture-making is not salvific or transcendently and immanently in per- redemptive in character. Culture can- fecting and transforming the creation not be changed by mere human effort. (humanity and the created world) to Instead, we should honour God by be- bring all things into relation to the Fa- ing faithful witnesses rather than at- ther through the Son. Yet, their respec- tempting to change the world. Perhaps tive work should be understood as uni- the main difference between Gunton fied although each person’s is distinct. and Hunter is not primarily whether They are united in one goal, namely, to culture is redemptive, although they transform the whole creation. diverge on this point, but how to under- Hence, the old bifurcation of the cul- stand transformation. Hunter argues, tural mandate and the great commis- Within the dialectic between af- sion can be eliminated by viewing both firmation and antithesis, faithful in light of the unified work of the three presence means a constructive re- persons of the Trinity. In my view, it is sistance that seeks new patterns of not enough to read the Bible canoni- social organization that challenge, cally, we must also read it trinitarianly. undermine, and otherwise diminish When we read the Bible trinitarianly, it oppression, injustice, enmity and corruption.51 helps us to see who the triune God is and how he is working in order to bring This statement hints that, after all, ultimate redemption to the world. Gun- Hunter expects some type of transfor- ton’s trinitarian theology, especially mation to occur as a result of faithful his robust pneumatology, enables us to presence. As one might discern from shift our eyes to the triune Creator. the preceding discussion, Hunter promotes the more peaceful and non- pneumatology. He questions how ‘these com- 50 In stating that culture is redemptive, I do plementary roles of the Spirit are properly re- not mean in the sense of effecting salvation, lated to each other (the Spirit’s role in creation but in the sense of being indispensable for hu- and the Spirit’s role in redemption).’ Carson, man flourishing. Christ and Culture Revisited, 215. 51 Hunter, To Change the World, 247. Colin E. Gunton and Public Theologians 161 violent approach toward cultural en- change the world, or even to perceive gagement that is aligned with the Ana- how to change the world aright. Unfor- baptist tradition. But, if one can ac- tunately, many Christians fail to grasp cept that transformation arises from this point and misconceive their role in faithful witness and pacifism rather the transformation of the world. than triumphalism, it is possible that It is the Spirit who transforms the Hunter would find common ground world, and as Gunton argues, he trans- with Gunton. forms it by reconciling humanity with Further, if the Spirit is the agent of God, with each other and with the transformation, should not the nature world. If so, humanity cannot change of the transformation reflect the -pur the world apart from the eschatological pose of the divine mission? Gunton Spirit. The Spirit must first bring us to contends that the Son and the Spirit God. Only in the context of reconcilia- are agents of the Father’s love. If so, tion does transformation of the world whatever the Spirit perfects and trans- become possible. forms derives from the Father’s love. In One recent contemporary example divine love, the triune God reaches out of this, I believe, is the church shoot- to the creation through his two hands, ing which took place at the Emmanuel the Son and the Spirit. This, I believe, African Methodist Episcopal Church frames the background for the nature in Charleston, South Carolina, on the of transformation by the Spirit. evening of 17 June 2015. The young Indeed, Gunton argues that the gunman, Dylan Roof, killed nine people purpose of the Spirit’s work is recon- during a prayer service. Later, he was ciliation, not domination. If so, there indicted on thirty-three federal hate is no place in cultural engagement for crimes charges. violence or oppression. The triune God As much as such a heinous crime does not transform the created world shocked the nation, what followed the so that he can dominate or overpower killing astonished the country even those who oppose him. The world is more: The victims’ families, appearing already under his reign. But, he trans- in front of Roof in court, forgave him forms the created world to bring about for killing nine black attenders of the reconciliation, harmony and unity meeting. David Brooks of the New York between God and humanity, between Times called this extraordinary act an human beings, and between humanity example of living faith and the one up- and creation. lifting part of this horrific crime. In the following days and weeks calls were made to remove the Confed- 3. A Contemporary example erate flag from the South Carolina state Furthermore, although humanity is capitol—the same flag Roof had posed asked to participate in the divine trans- with in a widely circulated photo. On formation, we do not work apart from 22 June, the governor of South Caro- the Spirit who is the agent of transfor- lina, Nikki Haley, also called for the mation. On the contrary, we are to be removal of the Confederate flag, which directed by the Spirit. Thus, human- eventually came down on 10 July 2015. ity has no ultimate power or ability to Many other efforts to remove Confed- 162 Naomi Noguchi Reese erate flags have followed in various to the continuing increase in the ca- states, including Alabama, Mississippi pacity of the Christian to accomplish and Tennessee. moral and spiritual discernment.52 I believe that this was a moment Thus, Christian discernment is a when the Spirit worked among people ‘skill that is developed over time’.53 to move toward reconciliation. The vic- One of the challenges of discerning the tims’ families’ extraordinary courage Spirit’s work is acquiring the requisite to forgive Roof and the humbleness sensitivity and wisdom. Yong contends they demonstrated at the court—even that although discernment is one of the apologizing for their slowness to for- spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:10), it takes give him—are signs of their obedience time to develop. An essential aspect of to the Spirit’s lead in reconciliation. At nurturing our skills of discernment is the same time, the nation’s hearts and to immerse ourselves in Scripture and minds were opened by their testimony, Christian living. pointing to the grace and love of God. Hence, discernment is not a su- Surely the Spirit was at work in pernatural ability that is instantly these events, bringing about transfor- acquired, but rather a skill that is de- mation and reconciliation. Events such veloped over time. If so, it is plausible as this remind us that we must forsake to formulate criteria for discerning the triumphalism and seek peace and love Spirit’s work. The criteria that I list in instead. Further, we must rely on the this section are by no means exhaus- Spirit to lead us to the right path. It tive. But, it is my hope that they move is not human power or ingenuity that us forward in our attempt to discern changes the world, but our faithfulness the Spirit’s work in culture in relation to the Lord that brings godly change. to public theology.

1. Positive criteria V Criteria for Discerning the The first criterion is Scripturalness. Spirit’s Work Discerning the Spirit’s eschatological It is generally agreed that it is difficult work requires testing by the Scripture. to discern the work of the Spirit due For example, when we encounter a so- to his elusive nature. Yet, this does not cial phenomenon that may look like the mean that the Spirit’s eschatological Spirit’s work, it must be examined in work is completely hidden from us. the light of God’s revelation. Nonethe- Amos Yong rightly argues, less, Yong cautiously adds that ‘such Christian discernment … is intri- norms have to be sensitively applied to 54 cately tied to moral discernment as the concrete world of things’. well as to the development of the It is one thing to apply biblical human faculties of perception, un- norms to current affairs, it is another derstanding, and judgment in their 52 Amos Yong, Beyond the Impasse: Toward a broad senses. Growth in love and Pneumatological Theology of Religions (Grand knowledge is inseparable from the Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003), 145. acquisition of deep moral and per- 53 Yong, Beyond the Impasse, 146. ceptual insight, and all contribute 54 Yong, Beyond the Impasse, 159. Colin E. Gunton and Public Theologians 163 to discern whether such norms are ap- eyes that love is the most complete plied appropriately. Yong continues, of the forms of expression and com- ‘“Life in the Spirit” … requires read- munication in accordance with ing both Scripture and the world accu- the Spirit. For in a differentiated rately in order to ensure the appropri- way, love corresponds to the prom- ate applicability of scriptural norms to ised Spirit of righteousness and of the world.’55 Christendom might have peace.56 turned out differently had more caution A fourth criterion is other-person- been taken in applying biblical norms centeredness expressed in love. When to the world appropriately. the eschatological Spirit is at work, The second criterion is Trinitari- people act for the benefit of others. aness. As Gunton has shown, it is im- The Spirit makes it possible for us perative to perceive the eschatological to freely put others ahead of our own work of the Spirit in light of the Trinity. interests for the sake of the commu- The Spirit does not work alone. On the nity.57 Indeed, even an everyday thing contrary, he works in accordance with like a father reconciling with his son the Son and the Father. Yet, the Spirit or a mother with her daughter may be is given his own distinct mission in re- a sign of the work of the eschatologi- lation to the Son and the Father. cal Spirit. Human love is fostered in Therefore, in discernment, this our most basic relationships, such as balance (distinction in unity) must be family. If so, a reconciliation that takes maintained. It is not enough to discern place at home may go a long way in the actions of the Spirit alone. Rather, furthering the eschatological work of we must discern whether a putative ac- the Spirit. tion of the Spirit is compatible with the Welker argues that love is ‘in a way work of the Father and the Son within unmatched by any other power granted the scheme of divine redemption. to human beings’ because it is a The third criterion is communion- master in inventing exceptions that enabling. This criterion is derived from provide deliverance and promote the nature and character of the third life. Because love not only immers- person of the Trinity. If the Spirit brings es itself in the beloved person, but redemption to the world by creating an also exercises a beneficial influ- eschatological community, the actions ence, both directly and indirectly, of the Spirit must be characterized by on that person’s environment, love communion. In other words, when we is continually building up new forms see reconciliation, love, and peace, it of life, both individual and commu- is plausible to argue that we are wit- nal.58 nessing the Spirit at work (though the totality of the circumstances has to be Indeed, says Welker, ‘With its free taken into account, of course). Michael Welker argues, 56 Michael Welker, God the Spirit (Minneapo- lis: Fortress Press, 1994), 250. One can readily see with one’s own 57 Welker describes this as ‘free self-withdrawal for the benefits of others’. See Welker, 55 Yong, Beyond the Impasse, 159; italics in God the Spirit, 252. original. 58 Welker, God the Spirit, 250. 164 Naomi Noguchi Reese self-withdrawal, love is contagious.’59 and can cause great destruction in the One can appreciate Welker’s com- name of good. ments in relation to public theology. In this light, we may also formu- The Spirit manifests the divine love by late negative criteria which suggest transforming the world through recon- activities that are not of the Spirit but ciliation, Gunton contends. Hence, any contrary to the Spirit’s nature. For ex- actions of the Spirit should not contra- ample, anything that does not produce dict his nature. Yet, we often quickly the fruit of the Spirit is not the work dismiss the efficacy of love. We are of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). Attitudes or more attracted to something powerful actions that display hatred, jealously, and heroic. rage, selfish ambition, and the like are But, the love that Christ exempli- the works of the flesh (and perhaps the fied on the cross is meek and humble. demonic) rather than the work of the And if this is the love that the Spirit is Spirit (Gal 5:19-21). testifying to in order to bring people to Our flesh thirsts for power, domi- God, we should take a careful look at nation, and tyranny and seeks self- how we can promote God’s love for the importance rather than humility and transformation of the created world. edification. Indeed, when we neglect Indeed, all of the fruit of the Spirit to ‘balance truth-telling with listening, (Gal 5:22) may be good criteria for dis- justice with peace’, the Spirit will not cerning the work of the eschatological be among us ‘because the Spirit is the Spirit. Spirit of truth (Jn 16:12-13) and also the Spirit of love (Rom 5:5).’62 2. Negative criteria Further, the ‘spirit’ that denies the One potential pitfall of discerning Father and the Son is not the Spirit of the Spirit’s work is confusing it with God (1 Jn 4:1-3). Yong argues, ‘We dis- demonic activity. Yong argues that cern the Spirit by discerning the Christ, discernment includes ‘distinguishing but then also discern the Christ by the 63 between the divine, the human, and Spirit.’ Although elements of humil- demonic’.60 Hence, there is always ity, justice, peace, and other moral the possibility that what we are wit- goods may characterize certain social nessing may be the result of demonic movements or activities, if these also forces. Yong suggests that ‘evidence explicitly deny core scriptural truths, of demonic influence or infiltration they are not the work of the Spirit, but consists in a thing’s radical departure may be the work of the Enemy in dis- from its purposes and functions, thus guise. As Jesus said, we must be alert affecting its relationships in a destructive manner’.61 Satan is cunning, and a 62 Kirsteen Kim, ‘Case Study: How Will We master of deception. He disguises him- Know when the Holy Spirit Comes? The Ques- self as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14) tion of Discernment’, Evangelical Review of Theology 33 (2009): 96. 63 Yong, ‘The Holy Spirit and the World 59 Welker, God the Spirit, 250. Religions: On the Christian Discernment of 60 Yong, Beyond the Impasse, 157. Spirit(s) “after” Buddhism’, Buddhist-Christian 61 Yong, Beyond the Impasses, 158. Studies 24 (2004): 203. Colin E. Gunton and Public Theologians 165 for false prophets who come to us in sonal identity while maintaining unity sheep’s clothing (Mt 7:15). among the three persons. As a result, The process of discerning the Holy Gunton’s pneumatology helps us to Spirit’s work will necessarily involve identify the modes of the Spirit’s work balancing all of the preceding criteria, in the world. rather than taking one or two in isola- This represents a fresh approach to tion. For example, although the Nazi public theology. To my knowledge, no party created a community—the ‘peo- public theologian has approached pub- ple’s community’ (Volksgemeinschaft) lic theology from the standpoint of the based on national unity—this commu- nature and particularity of the Spirit’s nity was motivated by racial denigra- work in the creation. We have not been tion and thus not a result of the work viewing the world through the eyes of of the Spirit. In any particular case the Spirit, nor wisely discerning how under examination, both positive and the Spirit may be working among us to negative criteria (e.g., community cre- transform the world. As a result, our ating vs. debasing) must be taken into attempts to discern the Spirit’s work account in determining whether the have been largely arbitrary. Spirit is working. Similarly, this fresh approach ena- In sum, we must rely on the triune bles us to look beyond traditional God and Scripture for spiritual discern- modes of Christian cultural engagement. Prayers that seek wisdom for ment that have been counterproduc- spiritual discernment are necessary, tive. Drawing on trinitarian resources, while love and obedience prepare our Gunton identifies the Spirit as the di- hearts to be sensitive to the Spirit’s divine love who transforms the world rection. by reconciliation. If so, anything that is contrary to reconciliation or does VI Conclusion not promote harmony and love may In this article, we have examined Colin be a sign that the Spirit’s work is not Gunton’s contribution to public theol- present. ogy and how it enables us to move for- Gunton’s pneumatology shows that ward in developing a trinitarian public the transformation of the world hap- theology. Gunton’s robust pneumatol- pens when we reconcile with God, oth- ogy provides the resources necessary ers and the creation. This means that to move toward a more comprehensive, the sphere of transformation by the holistic and trinitarian public theology. Spirit is human relationships. This, in By recapturing the work of the escha- my opinion, significantly widens the tological Spirit over the creation, Gun- approaches that Christians can take ton enables us to explore the relation for cultural engagement, and may en- between the trinitarian God and the able us to discern the Spirit’s work in created world. places we never expected it. Gunton’s pneumatology clearly de- Gunton’s contribution to public lineates the Spirit as the agent of trans- theology should not be overlooked be- formation in relation to the Father and cause his pneumatology provides the the Son. In so doing, he succeeds in resources needed to further pursue a giving the eschatological Spirit a per- trinitarian public theology. ERT (2017) 41:2, 166-173 Addressing the Scars on the Face of Christendom: World Mission and Global Persecution in an Age of Changing Intra-Church Relations

Thomas K. Johnson

We have at least two ugly bleeding there have been conflicts; blood flowed, scars across the face of Christendom although some of the European wars I that we need to address urgently if we heard described in school decades ago wish to see a renaissance of evangeli- as Protestant-Catholic wars of religion cal Christianity in our time. Both have were more religious in result than reli- to do with perceptions that may be at gious in cause. Protestants and Catho- odds with the best research of our his- lics fought on both sides of many of the torians. However, these perceptions, terrible battles of the sixteenth and whether or not fully based on careful seventeenth centuries, which suggests history, make us appear to some people that religion was only one of many mo- as if we are monstrous Frankensteins, tivations for the wars. not representatives of the Suffering Nevertheless, the perception of an Servant, Good Shepherd, and Prince of endless intra-Christian conflict was a Peace. significant part of the roots of western secularism that still leaves many resistant to the biblical message. Dur- I Scars ing the decades when I was teaching 1. Intra-Christian civil war in secular universities in Europe and North America, students seemed to The first of these perceived scars is take ‘the troubles’ in Northern Ire- that Protestants and Catholics have land as typical of what would happen been involved in a 600-year intra- if Protestants and Catholics were not Christian civil war, even if this civil war is sub-violent right now.1 Of course the Czech Republic for twenty years, I may be excused for counting the beginning of Protes- 1 Because I have been living as a guest in tantism with John Hus.

Thomas K. Johnson (PhD University of Iowa) is Professor of Ethics for Global Scholars and Vice President for Research at the Martin Bucer European School of Theology. An ordained Presbyterian minister, he has served as a church planter and is the editor and author of many essays and books in English and German, including Christian Ethics in Secular Cultures (WEA, 2014), and Human Rights: A Christian Primer (2nd edition, WEA, 2016). This paper is a revised version of a speech presented at the Global Mission Conference 2016 held in London, October 12-15, 2016 and is used with permission. Addressing the Scars on the Face of Christendom 167 effectively restrained by completely needs to know Jesus and because all secular governments. Whether or not our cultures need the input of biblical we deserve it, this scar is on our col- wisdom to address terrible problems lective face. of fundamental injustice. For this renewal to happen, I believe, we need not 2. Anti-Muslim crusades only to look in the mirror ourselves; we also need to see the scars that others The second perceived scar is that since perceive to be on our faces. the Middle Ages, Christendom has That perception, I believe, is that been engaged in centuries of military Catholics and Protestants are just crusades against Islam in its entirety, waiting for the right opportunity to be- even if most Muslims would prefer to gin persecuting each other again, while see the likes of ISIS, Al-Qaeda and we Protestants and Catholics together Boko Haram defeated in the current are just waiting for the right opportu- wars which are partly with the west- nity to wipe Islam off the map, whether ern, formerly Christian powers. In with military, political, educational or 2007, I assisted in reporting about the economic weapons. Both of these scars three Christian martyrs in Malatya, involve fears that we will be the ones Turkey because one of the young men persecuting, not allowing true freedom killed had registered to take a theology of religion for others. class I was scheduled to teach in that country. Shortly thereafter I exchanged II Promoting Freedom emails with a Muslim journalist living of Religion with Roman in Istanbul. This Muslim journalist is Catholics not an extremist. He even maintains Of course, one of the reasons why we good relationships with relatives who evangelicals need to develop large- are active Christians. Nevertheless, I scale cooperation with our Roman was surprised to learn that he thought Catholic counterparts in the realm of most Christians secretly want to reac- religious freedom is that 2015 was tivate the Crusades to destroy Islam perhaps the worst year ever in Chris- militarily; he thought the reasons why tian history with regard to persecution. all Christians are not united in a mili- Some of the Christians most vulnerable tary war against Islam were a lack of to persecution are neither Protestant courage, a lack of military force or the nor Catholic, but the Orthodox and Ori- restraint of western governments that ental Orthodox churches in the Middle are controlled by secularism. East (although the people persecuting This perception makes him, and Christians may not care what variety probably many millions of Muslims, re- of Christians they are persecuting). sistant to the biblical message. I think We need a joint Protestant-Catholic re- that his perception of the intentions of sponse that demonstrates visible love Christians is mostly wrong, yet this is for Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox how we are perceived. Christians. I long for an evangelical renaissance But to emphasize what might be in our time, because every individual obvious, we need public and clearly 168 Thomas K. Johnson seen cooperation between Evangeli- 1. Christian witness in a multi- cals and Roman Catholics in the area religious world of promoting religious freedom for all ‘Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious religions in order to remove these two World’, which we sometimes describe scars from our faces. We need to dem- as simply the ‘Code of Ethics in Mis- onstrate both to Muslims and to our sion’, was published jointly by the Vati- secularized neighbours that we are not can (specifically the Pontifical Council about to turn into Frankensteins who for Interreligious Dialogue), the World are almost ready to start new waves Council of Churches, and the World of persecution, whether against other Evangelical Alliance, in June 2011. In Christians or against Muslims. principle, over 90 percent of the people If we do this, then some of these in the world who are called Christians people may be more open to hearing were represented, perhaps the highest the biblical message from us. Our joint percentage of Christians represented Evangelical–Roman Catholic response in an event since the Council of Nicaea to persecution should be seen as more in 325, though not everyone is fully in- than a response to the current geno- formed about what we did. cides; it should also be an attempt to heal the scars that others perceive on our faces so that they are not so afraid a) Biblical themes: anti- to listen when we proclaim Jesus. conversion, anti-proselytism This is why it was right for a group Contrary to what some expected, the of evangelicals to invest time, money document is filled with neither the dis- and energy into two recent documents, tinctives of Roman Catholic doctrine and this is why it is important for evan- nor the themes that typically emanate gelical spokespeople to learn about from the World Council of Churches. In- those two documents. Both documents stead, it contains selected themes from are organic parts of the changes hap- the Bible applied to the situation of pening in intra-church relations. Both Christians who are under certain types documents are responses to the perse- of opposition because of their mission cution of Christians. Both documents activities. Several countries have laws, are set in the context of missions and the so-called anti-conversion laws, or also address the scars on the face of enforced social expectations that pro- Christendom. hibit people from changing religions. The two documents are ‘Christian Other countries have laws that prohibit Witness in a Multi-Religious World’ people from advertising for or publicly (2011) and the ‘Message of the Tirana proclaiming their beliefs, the so-called Consultation’ (2015). I am glad to have anti-proselytism laws. participated in the efforts related to Behind such anti-conversion and both documents, though I was not an anti-proselytism laws we frequently author of either text. find the claim that Christians have used or are using inappropriate means to promote the Christian faith. The claim might be that we are using brib- ery, coercion, force or manipulation to Addressing the Scars on the Face of Christendom 169 bring people into the churches, or that I have presented these two princi- we are making education or humanitar- ples as complementary, and most evan- ian aid contingent on people accepting gelicals will think, ‘Of course’. But Christ. outside the Christian world, these two The response, which took five years principles are often separated. On one of preparation, was a big step in intra- hand, much of late modern secularism church cooperation. It directly ad- assumes that strongly held religious dresses the scar of public fears that we truth claims are incompatible with Christians might use violence to anni- tolerance and promoting freedom for hilate Muslims, force their conversion people who hold different beliefs; if we to Christianity, or try to restrict their want tolerance and peace in society, freedom of religion. many think, we have to stop proclaim- The code begins with a carefully ing strongly held truth claims. balanced preamble: On the other hand, many of our Mission belongs to the very being of neighbours who are not part of late modern secularism find it entirely the church. Proclaiming the word of natural to impose their strongly held God and witnessing to the world is religious truth claims upon their neigh- essential for every Christian. At the bours by force. ISIS may be the most same time, it is necessary to do so extreme version of religious extrem- according to gospel principles, with ism, but it is not the only one. And even full respect and love for all human non-violent forms of religious national- beings. ism in some countries will say that one Notice the two complementary prin- cannot be a good citizen of that country ciples. On the one hand, we have the without following the majority religion, true Word of God that we must pro- whether one says India is for Hindus claim to all people; this is a bold as- or Saudi Arabia is for Muslims. This sertion of the truth of the gospel and leads to powerful social coercion to ac- the urgency of proclaiming that gospel cept the claims of the majority religion. to all people. On the other hand, we Strangely, multiple religions, in- have to proclaim God’s word with ‘full cluding extremist forms of Hinduism, respect and love for all human beings’. Buddhism and Islam, agree with secu- This second principle addresses the larism in finding a conflict between pro- perceived ethical scars on our collec- claiming strongly held religious truth tive Christian face. Ethics is not only claims and practising love, respect and about doing what is right when we tolerance for others. But in our Chris- stand before God; ethics is also about tian code of ethics for missions, we earning the trust of our neighbours. have joined together proclamation of And for us to earn trust from our truth claims with full respect and love neighbours, they have to both hear our for all, because one of the truths we principles and also know that we will proclaim is that all people are created keep to them. Christendom has united in the image of God. to renounce the use of force, violence Both individual Christians and and manipulation to promote Christ or Christian movements can become one- hinder another religion. sided, distorting the full counsel of God 170 Thomas K. Johnson one way or the other, so that they over- continuing grace (cf. Romans 3:23). emphasize either the proclamation of Whether or not I personally have truth claims or respect for those who used deception or coercion to lead peo- think differently. By the power of God’s ple to Christ, whether or not my church Word and Spirit we have to embody has used force or manipulation to and hold together two principles that promote Christianity, some Christians are pulled apart by all sorts of unbe- have used inappropriate means to pro- lief. We must boldly proclaim the truth mote the faith. But now Christendom of the Word of God while we truly love collectively, as part of the new intra- and respect people who may initially church relations of this century, has reject and ridicule everything we say publicly repented of this past. and believe. We have to let the world know that this repentance is real. The Crusades b) Missions are a matter of old history, not to be These complementary themes are ex- repeated; even our Muslim neighbours panded in the several paragraphs of should see that this scar is healing. A the code for missions. On the one hand, careful study of the document, ‘Chris- paragraph two says, tian Witness in a Multi-Religious Jesus Christ is the supreme witness World’, with issues such as these in (cf. John 18:37). Christian witness mind will be a valuable exercise. is always a sharing in his witness, which takes the form of proclama- 2. Tirana 2015 tion of the kingdom, service to We now turn to the ‘Message of the neighbour and the total gift of self Tirana Consultation’ from November even if that act of giving leads to the 2015, which, I believe, is an important cross. Just as the Father sent the step in changing intra-church relations Son in the power of the Holy Spirit, in the context of our common need to so believers are sent in mission to respond to persecution. This consulta- witness in word and action to the tion addressed also one of the ethical love of the triune God. scars on the face of Christendom. To in- This is a bold assertion that we can troduce the context and purpose of our and must participate in the very mis- consultation, let me quote the opening sion of God; as the Father sent the Son, lines of the message. and as the Father and the Son sent the For the first time in the modern Holy Spirit, so also the Triune God has history of Christianity high level sent us into the world. On the other leaders and representatives of the hand, paragraph six of the code notes, various Church traditions gathered If Christians engage in inappropri- together to listen to, learn from, and ate methods of exercising mission stand with discriminated and per- by resorting to deception and coer- secuted Churches and Christians in cive means, they betray the gospel the world today. and may cause suffering to others. This global gathering of 145 peo- Such departures call for repentance ple took place from 2–4 November and remind us of our need for God’s 2015, in Tirana, Albania, a country Addressing the Scars on the Face of Christendom 171

that was declared by its constitu- other because of globally growing lev- tion to be an atheist state in 1967, els of discrimination, persecution, and and now has flourishing churches martyrdom of Christians. We met in in a framework of religious freedom secret, choosing a place rich in sym- even though some discrimination bolic value, and one where we thought may remain. religious terrorists would not find us. The Consultation, entitled Dis- And just as the procedure of carrying crimination, Persecution, Martyr- out the meeting was very practical, in- dom: Following Christ Together, was tended to avoid the martyrdom of the convened by the Global Christian participants, so also the goal of the Forum together with the Pontifi- meeting was very practical, to find new cal Council for Promoting Christian and better ‘to do’ lists that may reduce Unity (Roman Catholic Church), the the persecution and discrimination of Pentecostal World Fellowship, the Christians in the long-term. World Evangelical Alliance, and the It seems to me that the Holy Spirit World Council of Churches… . gave wisdom to the participants, such We have come together because that if the ‘to do’ lists are implemented, discrimination, persecution and Christians can take steps that will lead martyrdom among Christians and to a reduction in religious persecution people of other faiths in the contemporary world are growing due to a globally. For example, in just two of the complex variety of factors in differ- several items in the ‘to do’ lists, repent realities and contexts. resentatives of almost all Christians called on a) Religious persecution ‘to do’ All media to report in an appropri- lists ate and unbiased way on violations About half of the delegates came from of religious freedom, including the persecuted churches, and half came discrimination and persecution of from the free world. It was an extreme- Christians as well as of other faith ly diverse group of people who are communities. called ‘Christians’. There were Roman And they then called on Catholics and Evangelicals, Greek Or- All educational institutions to develop thodox and North African charismatics, opportunities and tools to teach Armenian Orthodox and Presbyterians, young people in particular about European Lutherans, and Pentecostals human rights, religious tolerance, from several countries. The delegates healing of memories and hostilities represented significant differences of the past, and peaceful means of in style of worship and about some conflict resolution and reconcilia- themes in theology, though I believe almost every person there strongly af- tion. firmed the doctrines of the Trinity and In addition to addressing the media the two natures of Christ, along with and educational institutions, the repre- the Incarnation and the Resurrection, sentatives of almost all Christians is- so that we had much in common. sued several other such calls or public We were driven to talk with each appeals. 172 Thomas K. Johnson

b) Intra-Christian persecution level. Love for persecuted Christians Seemingly along the way, in a manner requires that we try to do so. that did not seem to me to be planned Also, please notice the extent to far in advance, a theme that directly which the other great bleeding scar addressed one of the scars on the face still perceived to be on the face of of Christendom, viz, intra-Christian Christendom, the fear that Christians persecution, surfaced. This theme was will unite to attack Islam, is being addressed in the consultation mes- treated in the context of our more uni- sage prior to the practical lists, as an fied response to persecution. Peace acknowledgment that, before asking has been declared among the different others to turn firmly away from perse- branches of Christianity while all those cution based on religion, we should do branches of Christianity also went on it ourselves. The consultation said, ‘We record as promoting freedom of reli- repent of having at times persecuted gion for all peaceful religions, even if each other and other religious commu- that message has not yet penetrated to nities in history, and ask forgiveness every tribe and village. Now we have to from each other and pray for new ways let the watching world know. of following Christ together.’ My inner response when I heard III Demonstrating Visible Love this statement at the consultation was simply, ‘Wow!’ In the discussion I started by saying that there are two of this statement, it seemed clear that bleeding scars on the face of Christen- the leadership of the Catholic Church dom, the scar represented by the Cru- strongly wanted this public repent- sades and the scar represented by the ance proclaimed. And in the meetings, intra-Christian wars of religion; these repentance was immediately shared scars seem to frighten people away among representatives of almost all from our message. These two scars branches of Christendom in light of the have now been addressed, so that heal- history of intra-Christian persecution. ing is occurring in the changing intra- I thought I saw visible love. This church relations of this century as does not mean that our theological parts of our more unified response to differences are finished; for example, the persecution of Christians. I am still a Protestant who disagrees One of the books that heavily influ- strongly with some parts of Roman enced me as a young man was Francis 2 Catholic doctrine. But it does mean Schaeffer’s The Mark of the Christian. that we should view intra-church rela- As Schaeffer applied John 13:34–35, he tionships in a new light, as friends, not said that Jesus has given our unbeliev- as enemies. ing neighbours the astonishing right to Careful study of the ‘to do’ lists con- evaluate our claim to be disciples of Je- tained in the Tirana message is needed. sus. They may make this evaluation on If we implement them wisely, with the the basis of our visible love. This has enablement of the Holy Spirit, I think it is possible for the body of Christ 2 Francis Schaeffer, The Mark of the Christian to take effective steps to reduce the (L’Abri Fellowship, 1970), now available from persecution of Christians on a global InterVarsity Press. Addressing the Scars on the Face of Christendom 173 influenced how and why I have partici- I would encourage you to read in pated in the process of addressing the their entirety the two primary sources scars on our collective Christian face. cited here. They can be easily found Even if we think we have practised through an Internet search for ‘Chris- love, some of our neighbours think tian Witness in a Multi-Religious they have seen something else. We, as World’ and the Tirana Consultation, evangelical spokespeople, should talk ‘Discrimination, Persecution, Martyr- openly about visible love replacing our dom’. old scars.

When Faith Turns Ugly Brian Harris Following the huge success of The Tortoise Usually Wins, 2012, and The Big Picture, 2015, in When Faith Turns Ugly Brian Harris explores why the Christian faith sometimes wears two masks – usually life-serving and transforming, but occasionally escapist, illusionary and even poisonous. What are the warning signs that faith is at risk of turning toxic? What do we mean by the conviction that the gospel liberates? Brian Harris’s take on what constitutes life-serving faith is refreshing and will be appreciated by all who would like to be sure that their obedience to Jesus the Christ will help to build a world with a better name. Toxic faith is such a blight on Christianity. It unravels our unity, muzzles our message and ruins our reputation. In When Faith Turns Ugly, Brian Harris fearlessly opens the wound of poisonous faith, digs around to find the causes, and offers both insightful healing and powerful hope. You will find the book provocative, challenging, and deeply satisfying. I loved it. Here is just a taste: ‘The opposite of faith is not doubt but certainty.’ Mull over that and read the book for much more. Steve Brady, Principal, Moorlands College, Christchurch Brian Harris, who is the Principal of Vose Seminary and Pastor at Large for the Carey Movement in Perth, Australia, is also the author of The Tortoise Usually Wins (Paternoster, 2012) and The Big Picture (Paternoster, 2015)

ISBN 9781842278574 (e. 9781780783413) / 200pp / 216mm x 140mm / £9.99

Available from: 01908 268500 or [email protected] ERT (2017) 41:2, 174-184 Dying to Be the Church: 1 Corinthians 15 and Paul’s Shocking Revelation about Death and Resurrection

Rob A. Fringer

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul makes im- the importance of the dual themes of portant theological claims concerning life and death found throughout this the resurrection of Christ and believ- chapter. I will conclude with a brief ers. For this reason, it has been held in exploration of 15:1–11 and Paul’s pro- high esteem by the church throughout found example of death and life in the the ages and has stood as a hallmark present. of hope. However, many in today’s church, like those in the Corinthian church, have sought inclusion in fu- I The Historical Situation ture resurrection without significant 1 Corinthians 15, while being the most contemplation of the implications of theological chapter in the book, serves Christ’s death and its impact on believ- a very pragmatic purpose in that it ad- ers’ identity and action in the present. dresses the fundamental issue of em- For those seeking a trouble-free life bodied faith, which was lacking in the in the present or a swift escape to a Corinthians’ own secular-spiritualized future celestial reality, Paul’s words in and individualized actions. Their salva- 1 Corinthians will be shocking. They tion had evidenced itself in outrageous are full of hope, but it is a hope that acts of carnality rather than Spirit-led is only made possible through death transformation and sanctification.1 and through fruitful participation in Christ’s mission in the present. In this article, I will argue that this 1 See Kent Brower, Living as God’s Holy text is not just about future resurrec- People: Holiness and Community in Paul (Mil- tion but provides vital information on ton Keynes: Paternoster, 2010), 80–5; Bruce how believers should embody Christ’s Winter, ‘Carnal Conduct and Sanctification in 1 Corinthians: Simul sanctus et peccator?’ in Ho- life, death and transformation in the liness and Ecclesiology in the New Testament, ed. present. After a brief examination of K. E. Brower and A. Johnson (Grand Rapids: the historical situation, I will explore Eerdmans, 2007), 184–200.

Rob Fringer (MA, Nazarene Theological Seminary, PhD cand., Nazarene Theological College-Manchester) is Principal of the Nazarene Theological College, Brisbane, Australia, and Associate Lecturer in Biblical Studies. He has wide experience in youth and adult discipleship and in community outreach. He has published several articles and co-authored several books, including Theology of Luck: Fate, Chaos, and Faith (Beacon Hill Press) and The Samaritan Project (The House Studio). This article was originally published in the e-journal Crucible 6:2, May 2015 (www.crucible.org.au) and is used with permission. Dying to Be the Church 175

Thus Paul concludes the entirety of apart from the body. However, Wright his argument with his clearest expres- argues that both Jews and non-Jews sion of how the eschatological event only understood the concept of resur- of Christ’s death and resurrection, and rection in terms of a bodily phenome- the believers’ connection to Christ, has non; although the majority of non-Jews shaped and continues to shape both would have rejected the possibility of the present and the future, both their resurrection, they nevertheless would belief and their actions, both their dy- have understood the (Jewish) Pauline ing and living. meaning of it.5 Still, Paul’s language The external impetus for Paul’s im- of anastasis nekro-n and his polemic in mediate polemic was a group of Cor- - verses 35–50 purport an argument inthians who denied anastasis nekron around the ‘bodily’ aspect of resur- (12). Contextually it may be concluded rection, which seems to assume an that the Corinthians had (at least at acceptance of the broad idea of resur- one time) accepted Christ’s resurrec- rection apart from the specific element tion since Paul spoke of the Corinthi- of corporealness (see 6:14; 15:1, 11). ans having ‘received’ and ‘believed’ the It is more probable that the Corinthi- gospel message (1–3a), which would ans had either initially misunderstood have included teaching about Christ’s 6 resurrection (3b–5) and general (be- Paul’s teaching or had recently come liever) resurrection (12–14).2 The main to abandon the bodily aspect of res- 7 question is whether the Corinthians’ urrection that they formerly accept- 8 initial acceptance of Paul’s gospel in- ed. Furthermore, since the thought cluded ‘bodily’ resurrection or if they of an embodied afterlife would have assume a different conclusion based on been objectionable to most (see 50),9 their own cultural understanding of the it stands to reason that Jesus’ bodily term. Wright3 and Segal4 have convinc- 5 Wright, Resurrection, 82–3. ingly shown that most Greeks and Ro- 6 Both Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Ros- mans believed in an afterlife (see 29) ner, The First Letter to the Corinthians (PNTC; and that a dominant view consisted of Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010), 755 and some sort of immortality of the soul Pheme Perkins, First Corinthians (Paideia; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2012), 182 allude to the possibility of a misunderstanding about 2 Pace Margaret Mitchell, ‘Rhetorical Short- Christ’s bodily resurrection. hand in Pauline Argumentation: The Func- 7 It is not as Walter Schmithals, Gnosticism tion of “The Gospel” in the Corinthian Cor- in Corinth: An Investigation of the Letter to the respondence’, in Gospel in Paul: Studies on Corinthians, trans. by J. E. Steely (Nashville: Corinthians, Galatians and Romans for Richard Abingdon, 1971), 156–9 argues that they were N. Longenecker, ed. L. Ann Jervis and P. Rich- Gnostic Christians who never believed in a ardson (Sheffield: Sheffield, 1994), 74. bodily resurrection and that Paul had misun- 3 N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son derstood the problem. of God (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003), 8 Ronald Sider, ‘St Paul’s Understanding of 32–84. the Nature and Significance of the Resurrec- 4 Alan Segal, Life after Death: A History of the tion in 1 Corinthians 15:1–19’, Novum Testa- Afterlife in the Religions of the West (New York: mentum 19 (1977): 124–41. Doubleday, 2004), 204–47. 9 Segal, Life after Death, 425. 176 Rob A. Fringer resurrection would have been at least It was one thing to be conformed to equally as objectionable; and if the Christ’s resurrection but quite another Corinthians were abandoning the idea to be conformed to his death. For Paul, of their own bodily resurrection, they these two phenomena were insepara- were likely also abandoning this same ble; a person could not understand the element with regard to Christ’s resur- significance of the resurrection if they rection. Most scholars have argued the did not understand and accept the sig- latter while denying the former. That nificance of death, both Christ’s and is to say, they see the Corinthians as believers’. denying their own bodily resurrection while fully accepting Christ’s bodily resurrection.10 However, this does not II Death and Resurrection: A adequately explain why Paul includes Dual Theme verses 1–11 and especially the extend- The Corinthians’ attitude towards ed ‘appearance’ list (5–8). death helps explain what otherwise Additionally, Malcolm has convinc- appears to be a perplexing secondary ingly argued that besides a disregard focus to resurrection in 1 Corinthians 12 for the body there was a general dis- 15, namely death. Paul uses the ad- 13 regard for the dead.11 This was not jective nekros thirteen times, the verb - - 14 unique to the Corinthians but reflected apothnesko five times, the noun thana- 15 wider Greco-Roman views about the tos six times, and the euphemism - 16 inferior state of the dead. This disdain koimao four times. By comparison, in towards death and related concepts, regard to resurrection, Paul uses the verb egeiro- nineteen times,17 the noun actions, and attitudes led to significant 18 misunderstandings related to Christ’s anastasis four times, and the euphe- misms zo-opoieo- three times19 and al- death and the requirements of his fol- lasso- two times.20 lowers and had caused significant di- In order to understand the impor- visions amongst the body of Christ in tance of Paul’s ‘death’ language, a brief Corinth. analysis of how the language is being

10 So Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians (IBC; 12 See Insawn Saw, Paul`s Rhetoric in 1 Cor- Louisville: John Knox Press, 1997), 253; Dale inthians 15: An Analysis Utilizing the Theories Martin, The Corinthian Body (New Haven: Yale, of Classical Rhetoric (Lewiston: Edwin Mellen, 1995), 106; Robert Nash, 1 Corinthians (Smyth 1994), 182–3. & Helwys Bible Commentary; Macon: Smyth 13 Vv 12 (twice), 13, 15, 16, 20, 21, 29 & Helwys, 2009), 401; Wright, Resurrection, (twice), 32, 35, 42, 52. 83, 322. 14 Vv 3, 22, 31, 32, 36. 11 Matthew Malcolm, ‘Paul and the Rheto- 15 Vv 21, 26, 54, 55 (twice), 56. ric of Reversal: Kerygmatic Rhetoric in the Arrangement of 1 Corinthians’ (PhD thesis, 16 Vv 6, 18, 20, 51. University of Nottingham, 2011), 263–301. 17 Vv 4, 12, 13, 14, 15 (three times), 16 See also Christopher M. Tuckett, ‘The Cor- (twice), 17, 20, 29, 32, 35, 42, 43 (twice), 44, inthians Who Say “There Is No Resurrection 52. of the Dead” (1 Cor 15:12)’, in The Corinthian 18 Vv 12, 13, 21, 42. Correspondence, ed. R. Bieringer (BETL 125; 19 Vv 22, 36, 45. Leuven: Leuven University Press, 1996), 261. 20 Vv 51, 52. Dying to Be the Church 177 used throughout the epistle becomes point. Those in Adam are marked by necessary. The adjective nekros is only death, in the present and in the future, found in chapter 15 and is always used both physically and spiritually. in correlation with resurrection (e.g. Nevertheless, those in Christ are anastatis nekro-n; nekroi ouk egeirontai) made alive (zo-opoieo-) and freed from and always refers to those who have the finality of death both in the present physically died, irrespective of their and the future. Likewise, the seed standing in Christ. Martin has argued which must die does so in order to be for the translation ‘corpse’, which made alive (zo-opoieo-), changed from was common in classical Greek.21 As death to life in both the present and an adjective, it does appear to need a the future. qualifier and this qualifier is likely ei- This is an important point in Paul’s ther ‘person’ or ‘body’. Therefore, the elaborate argument. He is not say- translation ‘corpse’ or ‘body’ is justi- ing that all believers must or will die fied. Paul usesnekros to stress the bod- a physical death. In fact, he says the ily aspect of the resurrection. exact opposite in 15:51. Instead, Paul Paul’s use of apothne-sko- is much alludes to another type of death that all more nuanced. It can refer to literal believers must undergo. It is a death physical death for both believers and that Paul has undergone and contin- non-believers (9:15; 15:32), and is es- ues to experience daily (15:31); it is a pecially used for Christ’s death (8:11; death like Christ’s. It is a death to his 15:3). Additionally, it can be used own carnal desires, whether noble or metaphorically, as when Paul says, ‘I self-serving. It is a death to the con- die every day!’ (15:31). These words straints of the present evil age, which are not a reference to physical death. allows for the embrace of a new, escha- Nor are they hyperbole, a way of say- tological age. ing that his life is very difficult. Rather, Paul’s use of thanatos is also quite ver- Paul’s apothne-sko- is because of and in satile and closely aligns with zo-opoieo- line with Christ’s apothne-sko-. in regard to physical death in general The last two uses of apothne-sko- are (3:22; 11:26). Yet thanatos takes on more difficult to interpret: ‘For as all a life of its own in chapter 15 and is die in Adam, so all will be made alive in personified similarly to how Paul per- Christ’ (15:22) and ‘What you sow does sonifies sin in Romans 5:12–8:3.22 Paul not come to life unless it dies’ (15:36). describes ‘Death’ in anthropomorphic Both could be construed as references terms as one who has come through to physical death. However, the con- Adam (15:21) and as an enemy wait- text does not warrant this. The former ing to be destroyed (15:26). Likewise, is part of an Adam/Christ typology the poetic discourse of 15:54–56 (cf. and the latter an elaborate metaphor Is 25:8; Hos 13:14) is a mocking of concerning the ‘changed’ resurrection Death, who has lost all power as a re- body, and both are making a similar sult of Christ’s resurrection and the im-

21 Dale Martin, The Corinthian Body (New 22 See James D. G. Dunn, The Theology of Haven: Yale, 1995), 107–8; see p. 271 n. 9 for Paul the Apostle (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, a list of Greek sources. 1998), 111–14. 178 Rob A. Fringer pending resurrection of believers. (koimao-), as long as her next marriage Just as death to self is a plausible is also ‘in the Lord’ (7:39). reality in the present through Christ, Therefore, when Paul says that ‘we so too is the power of resurrection in will not all die (koimao-), but we will all the life of the believer. In effect, believ- be changed’ (15:51), he means that not ers defeat the finality of physical death all believers will face a physical death. in the present as they acknowledge However, this does not negate the need and live out the lordship of Christ. This for believers to experience some type too is part of the new eschatological re- of death (apothne-sko-) in order to be ality wrought through Christ. made alive in Christ (15:36). - Paul uses the word koimao, mean- Paul’s use of apollumi (to perish or ing to ‘fall asleep’, as a euphemism destroy, used six times26) needs also to for death. However, for Paul, it is not be evaluated. Similar to apothne-sko- and - - synonymous with apothnesko. The thanatos, it can pertain to actual physi- former is always used to refer to actual cal death or destruction (10:9, 10). physical death, but only of believers in It can also refer to the destruction of - Christ. This is because koimao ‘carries abstract phenomena such as wisdom with it the expectation of awaking to a (1:19). However, unlike the others, it new dawn and a new day, i.e., the ex- is exclusively reserved for unbelievers, pectation of resurrection and the gift of those who have no hope. Thus, Paul 23 renewed life and vigour’. can say the gospel is ‘foolishness to Therefore, it was to believers those who are perishing’ (1:18), in ref- 24 (adelphois) that Christ appeared, erence to unbelievers. Likewise, when both those living and those who had he speaks of believers being destroyed koimao- (15:6). Paul speaks about those - by other believers (8:11), it is a refer- who have koimao ‘in Christ’ (15:18) ence to the shattering of their faith. and refers to Christ as the first fruit The latter meaning helps clarify of resurrection for those who have - 15:18, ‘Then those who have died koimao (15:20). Likewise, when speak- (koime-thentes) in Christ have perished ing about marriage, Paul says it is the (apo-lonto).’ Paul argues that if Christ woman who is ‘in the Lord’ who is free has not been bodily raised then living to remarry only after her husband, who 25 believers are still in sin (15:17) and was also ‘in the Lord’, falls asleep are no different from unbelievers. Fur- thermore, if Christ has not been bodily 23 Anthony C. Thiselton, The First Epistle raised, then believers who have fallen to the Corinthians: A Commentary on the Greek asleep are actually dead, without hope. Text (NIGTC; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000), 1220, emphasis his. 24 Paul regularly uses adelphos as a refer- III Paul’s Example: A Brief ence to those who are in Christ. See H. von Soden, ‘Adelphos’, TDNT 1:143-46. Exploration of 15:1–11 25 That the deceased husband is a believer is The opening section of chapter 15 clear from the passage. So Gordon D. Fee, The (verses 1–11) is of utmost importance First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987), 355 n. 37. Such is also the case in 11:30. 26 1 Cor 1:18, 19; 8:11; 10:9, 10; 15:18. Dying to Be the Church 179 in understanding how Paul employs lexical repetition. However, there is a death and resurrection to correct Cor- larger chiasm encompassing the en- inthian misunderstandings of both. Un- tire pericope (1–11), which is based on fortunately, many scholars have been thematic and semantic structure.31 See distracted because they mistakenly Figure 1 on the next page. take this section (especially 8–10) as Verses 1 and 11 (A/A1) frame this part of an apostolic apologia. section around the themes of proc- For Bailey,27 Fee,28 Fitzmyer,29 and lamation and acceptance. Paul’s use others, Paul’s autobiographic insertion of gno-rizo- is meant to do more than adds little to the current pericope, or to simply ‘remind’ the Corinthians of a the chapter as a whole. Rather, it high- previously accepted kerygma32 or to in- lights an underlying strife and demon- troduce new information about the gos- strates that Paul is willing to insert pel and resurrection.33 The only other and assert his authority in the midst place Paul uses this form of gno-rizo- to of important theological and ethical open an argument is in Galatians 1:11, arguments, although these insertions where he also speaks about his call/ distract from the main issue (unless conversion and in which he ‘reveals’ apostolic apologia is the main issue30). information about his gospel.34 However, when apostolic apologia is Likewise, Paul begins this section set aside, the importance of this per- by setting his argument in the form of icope can be seen. This pericope pre- a revelatory proclamation. In so doing, pares Paul’s audience for his discus- Paul elevates the conversation and sion concerning death and resurrection highlights the divine power behind the and Paul’s autobiographical statement gospel he and others proclaim and be- provides an example for the Corinthi- hind the Corinthians’ previous accept- ans to emulate in the present. ance of this same gospel. He is able to It has been recognized that the - - remind the Corinthians that to euangeli- opsthe references (5–8) form a chiasm on o eue-ngelisame-n is a ‘demonstration based on grammatical structure and of the Spirit and of power’ (2:5) and not a demonstration of ‘human wisdom’ - - 27 Kenneth E. Bailey, Paul through Mediter- (2:4–5; cf. 1:17). Furthermore, gnorizo ranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians should be understood as introducing (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2011), 33– 53. 28 Fee, First Corinthians, 719. 31 See Bailey, Paul, 422. 29 Joseph A. Fitzmyer, First Corinthians: A 32 Pace Fee, First Corinthians, 719; and Fitz- New Translation with Introduction and Commen- myer, First Corinthians, 540, 544. tary (AB; New Haven: Yale, 2008), 551. 33 Pace Walter Radl, ‘Der Sinn von gno-rizo- in 30 This seems to be the claim of Pheme Per- 1 Kor 15,1’, BZ 28 (1984): 243–45. Nor is it a kins when she writes, ‘The logic of Paul’s con- ‘ceremonious introduction’, pace Hans Conzel- struction is clearer if one presumes that he is mann, 1 Corinthians: A Commentary on the First deliberately trying to extend apostolos beyond Epistle to the Corinthians (Hermeneia; Philadel- the circle of the twelve’ [Resurrection: New phia: Fortress, 1975), 250. Testament Witness and Contemporary Reflection 34 See Timothy Churchill, Divine Initiative (London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1984), 200, see and the Christology of the Damascus Road En- also 221. counter (Eugene: Pickwick, 2010), 129. 180 Rob A. Fringer

Figure 1

A 1 Now I should remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, B in which also you stand, 2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain. C 3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, D then to the twelve. E 6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, F most of whom are still alive, F1 though some have died. E1 7 Then he appeared to James, D1 then to all the apostles. C1 8 Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, B1 and his grace towards me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. A1 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe. the whole of Paul’s argument (15:1– are Pauline and which are pre-Pauline 58) and not just this pericope. creedal material is not the focus of While much of the information intro- this reading and cannot occupy much duced in verses 12–58 (esp. 35–58) is space. It is likely verses 3b–5 form the new to the Corinthians, Paul presents traditional material with hoti acting as it as a continuation of the revealed quotation marks and kai adding em- gospel, which they have already re- phasis and that verses 6–8 are Pauline 36 ceived.35 It is part of the eschatological additions, with verses 9–10 being reality to which they now belong. definite additions. The kerygma and extended appearance list, which includes Paul’s auto- 36 So Jerome Murphy-O’Connor, ‘Tradi- biography (3–10a), form the climax tion and Redaction in 1 Cor 15:3-7’, CBQ 43 of this pericope and begin the dual (1981): 582–89. Birger Gerhardsson, ‘Evi- themes of death and resurrection that dence for Christ’s Resurrection According to Paul: 1 Cor 15:1–11’, in Neotestamentica are explicated in verses 12–58. et Philonica: Studies in Honor of Peder Borgen Argumentation over which phrases (NovTSup 106; Leiden: Brill, 2003), 79–80, argues that all of verses 3–8a (minus v. 6b) is a quotation by Paul of what he had previously 35 Similarly Mitchell, ‘Rhetorical Short- told them and that this is signalled by the tini hand’, 74. logo- in v. 2. Dying to Be the Church 181

It is also likely that verses 3b–5 new life. This necessitates Paul’s theo- represent the agreed-upon premises of logically profound discussion concern- the Corinthians.37 Paul is arguing from ing death and resurrection, of which a common held belief as a platform for Christ’s example is the prototype. what follows in verses 6–10. This does Many hypotheses have been set not mean that the pre-Pauline material forth concerning the six resurrection is insignificant; quite the contrary. Ref- appearances and the order in which erence to Christ’s death and resurrec- they appear.40 Important here is the tion is of ‘first importance’ (v. 3).38 recognition that the list begins with Ce- Since Paul’s audience is rejecting phas and ends with Paul. Peter and his a bodily resurrection, not resurrection position are known in Corinth (1:12) in general, it is odd that Paul does not and Paul is the founder of this church include reference to Christ’s body di- (4:14–15). Since Paul’s apostleship is rectly or via the empty tomb tradition.39 not in question, their unified testimony It is obvious that Paul had no problem about Christ’s resurrection would have adding to the tradition (see 6–8). How- been significant enough proof of the ever, Paul intentionally leaves this out resurrection (cf. Deut 17:6; 19:15). in order to emphasise the dual themes Additionally, Paul’s mention of the of death and resurrection that are im- five hundred witnesses with the ex- portant to his argument. tended description ‘most of whom are This does not mean that bodily res- still alive, though some have died’ urrection is unimportant. This is in- (v. 6) occupies a climactic position in 1 deed the surface issue that stimulates these verses (F/F ). Murphy-O’Connor this very discussion. Nevertheless, has recognized this climax, contending Paul’s concern is not just for correct- that this best served Paul’s apologetic ing the Corinthians’ erroneous theol- purpose, not in arguing for his apos- ogy. Throughout this epistle, Paul has tleship but for the reality of resurrec- 41 been trying to shape their identity to tion. Therefore, he places the empha- motivate them towards genuine and sis on the witnesses who are still living lasting transformation in the present. rather than on those who have died. In essence, Paul is trying to help This is a common reading for those them embrace their new eschatologi- who see Paul as addressing the issue cal identity as those who have died to of bodily resurrection (Fee, Hays, This- elton, Fitzmyer, Ciampa and Rosner)42. their old life and have been raised to Those ‘still alive’ are seen as authoritative witnesses to the resurrection. 37 Anders Eriksson, Traditions and Rhetorical On the other hand, those who believe Proof: Pauline Argumentation in 1 Corinthians (ConBNT 29; Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell, 1998), 73–96. 40 For detailed analysis see Thiselton, First 38 The reference to burial serves as proof of Corinthians, 1198–1208. death and references to appearances serve as 41 Murphy-O’Connor, ‘Tradition’, 588–89. proof of resurrection. In this way, Paul stress- 42 Fee, First Corinthians, 730–31; Hays, First es the dual themes of death and resurrection. Corinthians, 257; Thiselton, First Corinthians, 39 Wright, Resurrection, 321 argues that this 1205–06; Fitzmyer, First Corinthians, 550; is implicit in the resurrection language. Ciampa and Rosner, First Corinthians, 749–50. 182 Rob A. Fringer

Paul is addressing a denial of the fu- be a reference to the lateness of Paul’s turity of resurrection (Barth, Conzel- new birth.46 Still, Mitchell has shown mann, Tuckett, Lindemann, Garland)43 that the predominant use of the word emphasise ‘some have died’ and the re- speaks more to pre-mature birth than ality that death precedes resurrection. late birth.47 Nevertheless, Mitchell’s However, this may not be an either/ own apostolic apologia reading is not - or but rather a both/and situation. As convincing, seeing ektroma as refer- noted above, the language of death and ring to Paul’s understanding of being of resurrection share equal footing. rejected and cast aside from among the 48 - This reference provides Paul with an- apostles. Likewise, seeing ektroma as other opportunity to stress both death some type of derisive epithet given by and resurrection. Paul’s critics requires the postulation This explanation may better explain of a rift between Paul and the Corinthi- why Paul includes his extended auto- ans, for which there is no substantial 49 biography in reference to Christ’s ap- evidence. pearance to him. When verses 8–10b More profitable are the readings 1 that give credence to the ‘death’ as- (C ) are examined closely, there are - some striking parallels with verses pect of ektroma. Hollander and van 3–5a (C). Paul’s description of himself der Hout see Paul’s reference as self- deprecating, referring to his deplorable as ektro-ma (8) is difficult to interpret44 (death-like) state prior to his conver- and yet is arguably part of his ‘death’ sion when he persecuted the church; language. his unworthiness to be an apostle thus In scripture it is only found here and highlights the grace of God in call- three times in the LXX (Num 12:12; Ecc ing him.50 Garland, relying heavily on 6:3; Job 3:16), where it always refers Hollander and van der Hout, but see- to a still-born child, and thus to literal ing Paul’s self-abasement as sincere, physical death. Outside of scripture, its writes, ‘Before his call and conversion use is well attested in Greek literature he was dead, but he was miraculously in reference to miscarriages, abortions given life through God’s grace.’51 and possibly ‘untimely births’.45 The last option, at first, appears viable. When taken together with 46 Ciampa and Rosner, First Corinthians, 751. Paul’s use of eschatos, ektro-ma could 47 Matthew Mitchell, ‘Reexamining the “Aborted Apostle”: An Exploration of Paul’s Self-Description in 1 Corinthians 15:8’, JNST 43 Karl Barth, The Resurrection of the Dead, 25.4 (2003): 469–85. trans. H. J. Stenning (London: Hodder & 48 Mitchell, ‘Reexamining’, 482–85. Stoughton, 1933), 151; Conzelmann, First 49 Pace Fee, First Corinthians, 733–34; Hays, Corinthians, 257–58; Tuckett, ‘Corinthians First Corinthians, 258. Who Say’, 263; Andreas Lindemann, Der erste 50 H. W. Hollander and G. E. van der Hout, Korintherbrief (HNT 9/1; Tübingen: Mohr Sie- ‘The Apostle Paul Calling Himself an Abor- beck, 2000), 333; David Garland, 1 Corinthians tion: 1 Cor. 15:8 within the Context of 1 Cor. (BECNT; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003), 689–90. 15:8–10’, Novum Testamentum 38 (1996): 44 See Garland, 1 Corinthians, 691–93 for a 224–36. Yet they too see Paul as using this to survey of prominent views. defend his apostolic position. 45 Schneider, ‘Ektro-ma’, TDNT 2:465–66. 51 Garland, 1 Corinthians, 693; see also Fitz- Dying to Be the Church 183

However, Paul’s use of ektro-ma to present.’52 It is not enough for them to reference his own figurative death is accept the gospel or to believe in the not necessarily limited to his past life. death and resurrection of Christ; they After all, he writes, ‘I die every day!’ need to embody it and be transformed (15:31), and from the immediate con- by it, both individually and corporately. text it can confidently be stated that This takes place as they die to Paul sees God’s grace as continually themselves, to their own kind of wis- working in and through him (15:10) dom, their own kind of power, their and not just at the moment of his call/ own kind of spirituality; as they die to conversion. Instead, it seems more the present evil age and as they pres- plausible that Paul uses his own situ- ently live under the resurrection power ation to emphasise the necessity of of Christ as part of a new eschatologi- death prior to resurrection. He empha- cal people of God. By embodying the sises the necessity of apothne-sko- (not death and resurrection of Christ in the koimao-) in the life of the believer so present, they are assuring that their faith is not without result (15:14) and that they will not apollumi at the hand that their labour in the Lord is not in of thanatos, and this is part of their vain (15:58). present and future hope for anastsasis nekro-n. Here, Paul’s own example of a trans- IV Conclusion: The ‘Shocking’ forming grace both received and lived Revelation out (8–10) provides a corrective to the Paul’s opening words in chapter 15 Corinthians whose lives are marked have set the stage for the shocking rev- by God’s grace and yet appear to lack elation that both death and resurrec- the necessary transformation, which tion are part of the believers’ present should serve as proof of God’s grace in calling. It is only as the Corinthians their lives. Paul reveals this contrast embrace the sacrificial death of Christ by stating that his faith is not in vain in the present that they are also able to whereas the Corinthians’ faith is du- embrace the transforming resurrection 1 bious at best (B/B ). In this way, and of Christ in the present. Paul’s own life through his own example, Paul calls is an example of both these realities, the Corinthians to the same Christ- and he invites the Corinthians to walk centred death, a death that leads to with him in death so as to walk with resurrection. him in life, both in the present and in In Malcolm’s words, ‘There can be the future. no leaping ahead of present labour This same truth rings true for the to manifest glory and immortality. church today. There is no resurrec- Rather, the one pre-requisite for res- tion apart from death and there is no urrection immortality is the inhabita- hope other than the hope of sharing in tion of death—Christ’s death—in the both the death and resurrection of our myer, First Corinthians, 552; Wright, Resurrec- 52 Malcolm, ‘Paul and the Rhetoric of Re- tion, 327–29. versal’, 289. 184 Rob A. Fringer

Lord and Saviour both now and forev- warning of the implication of following ermore. The irony of my title is that it after a cost-less gospel; we do not want speaks of Paul’s words as ‘shocking’. to be a divided and ineffective church! Quite the contrary. Paul’s words are a Likewise, they are a reminder of both reminder of Jesus’s words: ‘If any want the joys and costs of following a cruci- to become my followers, let them deny fied Saviour. themselves and take up their cross dai- May our lives emulate Paul’s as he ly and follow me. For those who want emulates Christ (1 Cor 11:1), both in to save their life will lose it, and those our daily dying to self and in our daily who lose their life for my sake will save living in and for Christ. May we ex- it’ (Lk 9:23–24 NRSV). perience both the sacrifice of Christ’s The most shocking aspect of these death and the incredible joy, peace and words of Jesus and Paul is that they power of the resurrection of Christ. In have often been downplayed and ig- other words, may we be ‘dying to be nored by those who call themselves the church’. followers of Christ. Paul’s words are a

STUDIES IN CHRISTIAN HISTORY AND THOUGHT Participation in Christ and Eucharistic Formation John Calvin and the Theodrama of the Lord’s Supper Mary Patton Baker This wonderful book proposes a theological model for understanding Eucharistic celebration that demonstrates its centrality to the Christian believer’s sanctification and spiritual formation. Centring on John Calvin’s understanding of the Lord’s Supper, founded on the believer’s union with Christ, and bringing Calvin’s Eucharistic theology into conversation with contemporary speech act philosophy, Kevin Vanhoozer’s divine/communicative ontology, biblical theology, and historical and liturgical theology, this multi-disciplinary work provides a biblical and theological foundation for understanding the role the Eucharist plays in the worship, sanctification, and formation of the church and her communicants. Nothing ails the church that Mary Patton Baker’s Participation in Christ can’t fix. What the church needs is sustained attention to and participation in the Lord’s Supper, an embodied dramatic realization of the communicant’s union with Christ. Baker makes a compelling case for viewing the Supper itself as a powerful means of spiritual formation – just the dose of theological good sense that is needed at present. Kevin Vanhoozer, Research Professor of Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, USA Mary Patton Baker is a Deacon at All Souls Anglican Church in Wheaton, Il., involved in ministries of teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation. ISBN 9781842279281 (e.9781842279298) / 260pp / 229mm x 152mm / £29.99 Available from: 01908 268500 or [email protected] ERT (2017) 41:2, 185-192 Books Reviewed Reviewed by David Parker Reviewed by Raymond J. Laird Donald G Bloesch Keith L. Johnson The Paradox of Holiness/Faith in Search Theology as Discipleship of Obedience Reviewed by Anthony G. Siegrist Reviewed by Ronald T. Michener Oliver O’Donovan Luke Timothy Johnson Finding and Seeking: Ethics as The Revelatory Body: Theology as Theology, vol. 2 Inductive Art Reviewed by John Lewis Shao Kai Tseng Karl Barth’s Infralapsarian Theology: Origins and Development 1920-1953 [New Explorations in Theology Series] Book Reviews

ERT (2017) 41:2, 185-186 credits) over his career, which was spent almost entirely at the University The Paradox of Holiness/Faith in of Dubuque Theological School, Iowa Search of Obedience (1957-1992), where he was well known Donald G Bloesch for his personal interest in and pastoral care of students Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2016 ISBN 978-1-61970-773-3 What is unusual about these last two Hb, xxiii+ 155, viii+92, indices, illus; books is that they are bound together in one hardback volume, each with its Reviewed by David Parker, Editor, own title and list of contents, pagination Evangelical Review of Theology and indices. The first one,The Paradox The last two books from evangelical of Holiness, taking up 120 pages of text, theologian, Donald G Bloesch have now is an exposition of Christian graces or been published, but in an unusual way. virtues. A chapter is devoted to each Bloesch, who died in 2010 at the age of of 14 different graces including faith, 82, was well appreciated as a mediating meekness, holy boldness, interior peace evangelical theologian who aimed at and especially love and piety. maintaining both the ‘essential evangeli- Typically each chapter consists of an cal theology’ (to quote the title of one overview of the particular grace, setting his best known books) emphasising both out and explaining its chief features ‘Word and Spirit’ (the opening title of and value, distinguishing it from other his last 7-part series, Christian Founda- concepts (especially the classic virtues tions) and drawing upon the insights and other purely ethical or moralistic and experiences of the wider church. concepts), and showing its relationship He authored 36 books (as listed in the to other theological and spiritual mat- 186 Book Reviews ters. Then there is a section showing the and influential life as a Christian and as biblical basis of the virtue, and point- a theologian, educator and especially a ing to great exemplars in the Bible and spiritual guide. Christian history. Each of these chapters This twin book production is highly is full of practical wisdom, reflecting unusual It was probably done here for the author’s own values. There are reasons of economy because each book also many quotes from a wide range of in itself is not too long. They are also writers, including the great Christian the last of his books to appear, the work mystics and spiritual leaders of a diverse of his widow Dr Brenda Bloesch who range of traditions. was ready to take up an academic career These chapters are surrounded by an in her own right when they met and introduction and a conclusion in which married in 1962, but instead dedicated the author emphasises that ‘Holiness herself to be Donald’s research assist- is paradoxical because it is both God’s ant and copy editor. She has faithfully work and our work’ (3) and because worked with him and helped to produce it ‘contains both faith and discipline’. all his vast output. (4) These chapters are so full of robust devotional and spiritual content that Yet despite these practical reasons for they are best read slowly and a chapter such a composite volume, upon complet- or two at a time rather than straight ing a reading of the entire publication, through. it is apparent that the combination of spiritual guidance and personal biogra- The second part of the volume, con- phy is entirely appropriate—each part sisting of 74 pages of text, contains a supports and gives meaning to the other. spiritual and theological autobiogra- Bloesch’s theology and professional and phy by the author, covering his family ministerial work was characterised by background, education, theological and an emphasis on evangelical spirituality, academic training, and his career as a theologian. It reveals his theological de- so it is fitting that this last work is on velopment from his original upbringing this topic. And his autobiography gives in evangelical Lutheran pietism through the personal background which supports various stages, including ‘anti-Catholi- and explains that focus. (Interestingly cism’, ‘Reformed ecumenism’, ‘centrist there are parts of the autobiography, evangelicalism’ and a ‘theology of especially towards the end where the paradox’ (44), to his final position which narrative of his life gives way once again he characterised as a ‘theology of Word to his exposition—in fact, chapter 15, and Spirit in which the living Word, ‘The Disciplined Spirit’, really belongs in Jesus Christ, works out his purposes in the first part of the book as the discus- our lives through the power of the Spirit’ sion of another grace!) (45). The narrative is enhanced with 16 So this volume is a fitting testimony, pages of photographs, and like the first in a physical and a conceptual way, to part, is introduced by several pages of the happy and productive marriage of introduction and is fully referenced with Donald and Brenda, and an insightful end-notes and indices. unfolding of the dynamic that formed The title of this book, Faith in Search of and sustained one of the 20th century’s Obedience, exemplifies another one of the most interesting and helpful evangelical long standing motifs of his productive theologians. Book Reviews 187

ERT (2017) 41:2, 187-188 Indeed, if Scripture makes this de- mand, then by implication it seems that The Revelatory Body: Theology as Scripture itself is already at a ‘privileged Inductive Art place’ for God’s revelation. Scripture Luke Timothy Johnson is interpreted via the resources of the body, but at the same time Scripture Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2015 is seen as the authoritative source for ISBN 978-0-8028-0383-2 championing the body’s instrumental Hb., pp. 256, indices position for both receiving revelation Reviewed by Ronald T. Michener, and doing interpretation. With this in Evangelische Theologische Faculteit, Leuven, mind, assigning a ‘privileged place’ to Belgium. either Bible or body becomes difficult to assess. Regardless, Johnson’s perspec- In our world of mass technology and tives challenge the reader to be more virtual communication, this book offers attentive to a robust embodied spiritu- a refreshing and welcome reminder that ality that is often overlooked in more Christian theology is foremostly about Enlightenment based, cognitive centred embodiment; it must not be reduced to expressions of Christian spirituality. God words on a page or screen. In fact, Luke is the God of creation and ‘human bodies Timothy Johnson offers much more than provide access to God’s visitation in all a reminder—he gives deep, provocative, of creation’ (65). yet clear reflections on the rightful place Following initial chapters that engage the body plays in the formation and ap- the place of Scripture and Spirit with re- plication of theology. gard to the body, in succeding chapters Drawing from rigorous scholarship and Johnson insightfully discusses the body his own life experience, Johnson affirms at play, pain, passion, and work. The the high value of Scripture while also experience of play, he argues, provides suggesting the human body itself is most the body with a transcendent experience significant for God’s revelation through linking oneself to a larger collective his Spirit (6-7). He claims that he is not body involved in the play. The rules attempting to replace the importance of of the form of play (for instance as in Scripture or the creeds, but rather doing games) become the liturgical repetitions what Scripture itself has intended from giving the ultimate freedom of play. For the beginning (5). Theology is primarily Johnson, play results in a profound, inductive, Johnson argues, because deeply satisfying expression of what it ‘revelation is not exclusively biblical but truly means to be human. Conversely, occurs in the continuing experience of deep, painful experiences of suffering God in the structures of human freedom also point to authentic embodied exist- …’ (25). Further, Scripture itself arose ence as human beings. Suffering points in the context of God working through us to Christ’s suffering for us and for the the experiences of the human bodies sake of renewal of all creation (127-28). (40, 51, 59). Suffering also confronts us with the Nonetheless, evangelicals may take need for demonstrating compassion to issue with Johnson’s startling claim that others as part of the body of Christ. Scripture itself demands that the body Johnson forthrightly embraces the pas- be given ‘the privileged place’ for ‘the sion of the body as ‘pertinent to theology revelation of God’s Spirit in the world’. as an inductive art’ (155). Living pas- 188 Book Reviews sionately moves us to pursue excellence both scriptural and philosophical reflec- in all activity that manifests God’s work tions. Ultimately, Johnson concludes that through the body, from the intimacy of as a bodily process, ageing can ‘bear sexual relationships to music, art and witness’ to ‘human worth and dignity’ all aspects of human work. Passion requiring a ‘deep and mutual interde- is not reduced to hedonistic pursuit pendence’ (227). of pleasure, but neither is pleasure This book is clearly written in an engag- ignored. Passion must be pursued with ing and provocative style. One possible rigorous discipline and effort, as it is exception, in this reviewer’s opinion, ap- with musicians, athletes and scholars, pears at several points in the book (76, who must endure the pain of exercise to 94, 156, 229) when Johnson refers to attain pleasurable success. By cultivat- the human spirit transcending the body ing our passions in this sense, we are to ‘give expression to God’s Holy Spirit cultivating our will to God’s work in and …’ (229). In view of Johnson’s robust through the body. presentation of embodiment, his use of In his chapter ‘The Body at Work’, transcendence in this context seems to Johnson appears less optimistic than in present a confusing dualism. Regard- previous chapters. He writes, ‘Scripture less, this book would be a welcome addi- provides abundant testimony to work tion to any university or seminary level as a fact of life, but is ambivalent with course on theological anthropology, and respect to its worth’ (163). Since the it will certainly stir up vibrant discus- toil of work is endured as an everyday, sions on the critical place of the body in necessary part of our existence, it tends practised Christian spirituality. to be seen as that which constrains the human spirit. Although one may contest Johnson’s perspectives with regard to ERT (2017) 41:2, 188-190 how Scripture portrays work, he effectively argues that our work as humans Karl Barth’s Infralapsarian created in the image of God, allows Theology: Origins and us the opportunity to be a part of, and Development 1920-1953 instrumental in God’s ongoing creation New Explorations in Theology Series in the world. Shao Kai Tseng Johnson’s final two chapters bravely address ‘The Exceptional Body’ (involving IVP Academic, Downers Grove, sexual differences and disability) and Illinois, 2016 ‘The Aging Body’. He argues that God’s ISBN 978-0-8308-5132-4 Spirit is displayed through a rich variety Pb, pp304, Indices and diversity of bodily manifestations, Reviewed by John Lewis, Bridgewater, South beyond what is esteemed as ‘normal’ Australia due to one’s own discriminations. He Dr. Shao Kai Tseng presents a detailed refers to obvious physical disabilities as and well-considered argument for his well as more difficult and less obvious thesis that Karl Barth’s self asserted conditions such as intersexuality. The ‘purified’ supralapsarianism is, after all, final chapter on ageing reads more like really a form of infralapsarianism. The an autobiographical account of Johnson’s author begins to carefully unfold the honest, frank experience of the diminish- argument with a background expla- ing of his physical condition, integrating nation of the terms. ‘Supralapsarian Book Reviews 189

(supra-lapsum: above or before the fall) the author astutely observes, the debate contends that in God’s eternal decisions regarding Barth’s lapsarian theology has God has in mind unfallen human beings to do with emphasis, rather than any as the object of election and reproba- clear delineation. tion; infralapsarian (infra-lapsum: below ‘Sure enough, Barth’s ever- present or after the fall) argues that when God claim that Jesus Christ is the beginning eternally issued the double decision of all God’s ways and works carries of election and reprobation the human supralapsarian overtones. However, on object was considered as fallen (21).’ Barth’s view, the incarnate Logos eter- However, it is the means by which nally present at the beginning by virtue Barth came to his mature theology that of God’s pretemporal election is revealed becomes the focus of Shao Kai Tseng’s by Christ’s concrete history to be one presentation. While John Webster might who is eternally determined to take on well have pointed to the influence of his- the sin of all humankind, whose incarna- toric Reformed theology (26), it remains, tion was made necessary by sin’ (245). after all, one influence among others. An important distinction must be made In his handling of the period of the between the type of European Reformed Church Dogmatics, ultimately Barth’s dogmatics that Barth incorporated into mature theology, the author makes his theological system and the stark the seemingly bold claim that Barth’s Calvinism that ultimately emerged in lapsarian definitions are ‘not precise North America. enough for him to see that he is in Most notably, one must note Barth’s fact closer to the infra side than he dramatic change in direction while thinks’ (63). ‘Seemingly’, since modern pastoring at Safenwil, which ultimately Barthian studies are in the habit of led to his mature theology of the Word of questioning the Swiss theologian’s self- God. Indeed, Barth’s closer affinity with awareness and the observations of his infralapsarianism, Tseng’s primary con- most respected contemporaries, such as tention, arises out of a pietistic concern Thomas Torrance. However, the author for the salvation from sin through Jesus is not totally dependent on the observa- Christ; a belief encouraged by Eduard tions of Bruce McCormack and George Thurneysen and Christoph Blumhardt, Hunsinger. Indeed, Dr Tseng provides an during Barth’s early struggle to deliver interesting critique of some of McCor- meaning from the pulpit in early twenti- mack’s conclusions (273ff). Nonetheless, eth-century Western Europe. Therefore, he provides a targeted discussion within the author is right to assert that Barth’s the confines of his circle of influence and increasingly Christological orientation therefore seeks to identify with them. promoted increasing infralapsarian However, Dr. Tseng’s real strength in conclusions. this book is in presenting Barth as a To be sure, Barth’s theology of predesti- unique and creative theologian who nation and his Christology finally merge did not self-identify with pre-described and became inseparable (34). More designations, but carved out his own precisely, Christ is the covenant, as both theology by ingeniously integrating electing God and elected (225). The the fruit of his substantial research. ‘election of Christ is to overcome the Indeed, as Tseng craftfully outlines, with gulf of sin and death that separates the impressive attention to detail, Barth’s world from God’ (230). None-the-less, as theological development, whether to be 190 Book Reviews described as turns or shifts in emphasis, should be taught as an exercise in bibli- emerged over many years, and is sign- cal exegesis. This book certainly proves posted by significant publications. the point. In 170 pages of relevant text, This is a fascinating analysis for those there are more than four hundred bibli- already immersed in Barth’s theology cal references. It is obvious that Johnson and who appreciate a detailed and thor- closely follows his stated methodol- ough investigation. ogy: ‘the argument proceeds under the conviction that theological claims should be offered together with the biblical ex- ERT (2017) 41:2, 190-191 egesis that supports and shapes them.’ His claims are very well supported from Theology as Discipleship Scripture with due attention to the context of the texts chosen for support. Keith L. Johnson He also recognises that often there is Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, need to go beyond the letter in order to Intervarsity Press, 2015 ISBN 978-0-8308-4034-2 (print, be true to it. Thus, for explanation, we pbk.); frequently find him placing texts in the Pb, pp191, indices wider contexts of redemption history, an exercise that he performs with percep- Reviewed by Raymond J. Laird, ThD, tion and care. Johnson ranges widely in Australian Catholic University, Centre for the Scriptures in this work. Only three Early Christian Studies. books of the New Testament have not been cited: Philemon, 3 John, and Jude. This reviewer must admit that he As for the Old Testament he refers to has never read a theology quite like eleven: Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, this volume. The title signals a good 1, 2 Samuel, Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Jer- topic for discussion, and Dr Johnson, emiah, Ezekiel, and Amos. PhD, Associate Professor of Theology at Wheaton College, has produced a My first reaction was that Johnson does fascinating work that is not a theology not engage with the major theologians of discipleship, but true to the title, is an of the past and present. On closer exegetical approach to theology, explain- acquaintance I found that not so. He ing how theology should be and may be does not engage with them much in the an exercise in Christian discipleship. text, only briefly, but there are sixty-five names in the footnotes, ranging from the Johnson aims at a target audience of Church fathers, Athanasius, Basil the first year seminarians in introduc- Great, Gregory Nazianzus, Cyril of Alex- tory classes, and lay-people in church andria and Augustine; then there is the Bible-study groups, the point being to medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas; introduce students to theology gen- John Calvin of the Reformation era, and tly, biblically, and practically. For the in our times, Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonho- lay-reader, a similar aim is in mind, but effer, C. S. Lewis, and N. T. Wright, just with the purpose of removing the fear to name a few of the many that occur in often associated with theology as being his notes. As Johnson is addressing the esoteric, beyond grasp, and divorced needs of novices and lay-people, he is from worship and daily life as a follower probably making sure of avoiding those of Christ. ‘scholarly rabbit trails’ that frighten off Johnson’s conviction is that theology readers. Book Reviews 191

This approach indicates that Johnson is ERT (2017) 41:2, 191-192 not forsaking the universal consensus of the faith, as formed in the history of Finding and Seeking: Ethics as the church, to replace it with uncon- Theology, vol. 2 nected individual revelations that may Oliver O’Donovan be self-destructive. Rather, he desires that theology, in the sense of the truth Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2014 as it is in Jesus, be brought back into the ISBN 978-0-8028-7187-9 centre of the church and to its individual Pb., pp 249, index members, as a dynamic pattern of life Reviewed by Anthony G. Siegrist, Ottawa and service. Johnson works through Mennonite Church, Canada the various steps of that return journey, carefully, simply, but deeply in that he During my graduate studies a story was touches the human spirit as well as the circulated of a PhD candidate who fin- mindset of those who rise to the chal- ished his dissertation with remarkable lenge to set out on the journey. In that speed and efficiency. It was a short piece way theology becomes discipleship. of work, highly abstract and lexicologi- cally independent. Its author thought it Every movement of substance requires was quite brilliant. He thought he had leadership. Leaders are required to show settled one of philosophy’s longstanding and lead the way, guiding companions to achievement. Thus, besides the two problems. The faculty, however, were intended target readers of this book not so impressed. The dissertation was as mentioned above, it must be said rejected and its author never heard from that there is also a third target, namely again—at least that is the story. professional theologians, who as part The academy is a fickle place when of their calling ought to be actively it comes to highly conceptual work. engaged as teachers in the life of their It seems as though one must earn churches. Johnson wants to call them the right to be difficult to read. Oliver away from their ivory towers (although O’Donovan’s book Finding and Seeking not completely!) to be active participants is a difficult read. One of the endorsing in educating the laity. Johnson looks blurbs on the cover notes that the book back to the formative centuries of the demands and deserves careful reading. church when the theologians, as bishops The first is self-evident; the second of the churches were the teachers. They is the important question. However, were also the persons who together pro- few living theologians have earned the duced the consensus that has preserved right to be difficult as much as Oliver the truth of the Nicene Creed for the O’Donovan. church for more than 1500 years. This Finding and Seeking is the second vol- may seem a tall order, but Johnson has ume in O’Donovan’s Ethics as Theology produced a worthy template of how this project, a project that, according to his may be done. description, offers an ordered reflection Here is a book that should be read by on the assumptions and procedures of every church leader, in whatever role. It moral thought and teaching in light of is a book for every lecturer in theology, the gospel. This is meta-ethics and, and one that could be introduced with thus, deep currents swirl throughout profit to church members. This reviewer the volume. To the navigation of these highly commends it. waters O’Donovan brings the tools of 192 Book Reviews orthodox Christianity. For instance, near ethics. To be more direct, it is unclear the end of the book he treats the topic what O’Donovan’s argument is intended of deliberation. In assessing three objec- to change. tions to his view, he charges each with That is not to say there are not moments failure to be fully Trinitarian (192). of illumination in Finding and Seeking. If this signals the theological orientation There certainly are. For instance, in the of Finding and Seeking, the development opening paragraph of the fifth chapter, of the subject matter begins with the bud titled ‘Wisdom and Time’, we read: ‘The of self-awareness and continues through call of wisdom, then, is the call of the the flowering of decision. O’Donovan world’s temporal openness to knowl- links these two psychological realities to edge, a call addressed to our power of the theological virtues of faith and hope. living through time’ (100). There is a re- In the context of the first O’Donovan markable precision in such a statement. discusses purpose and meaning. In the Or consider this from the chapter, ‘Faith second he discusses anticipation, delib- and Meaning’: ‘To refuse self-knowledge eration and discernment. Sandwiched is to refuse to find ourselves in the world between his treatment of these thematic God loves, to refuse to love ourselves for clusters area three chapters discussing the sake of God’s love for us’ (55). There ‘The Good of Man’, ‘Wisdom and Time’ is something vaguely medieval here, and ‘Love and Testimony’. In the pro- illuminating, winding and self-confident. jected third volume O’Donovan will treat O’Donovan moves easily, and admirably, the content of purpose and hope. between theology and philosophy. His The preceding paragraph shows the work articulates convincingly with the sweep of Finding and Seeking. It also scriptural world. For instance, the trium- illustrates the meditative quality of the virate of faith, love and hope undergird volume. Though O’Donovan uses various the whole project. That is something organizational tools and presents an ar- of an achievement given the sombre gument, the book’s purpose remains elu- existential tone of the book. sive. Throughout the volume O’Donovan O’Donovan is obviously well-read and engages in some polemics. For instance insightful, yet it is difficult to tell if he critiques theologians who try to draw Finding and Seeking is masterfully specific moral directives from the con- independent or just aloof. The book’s cept of hope. O’Donovan writes, ‘Hope payoff are the moments of illumination, cannot be the answer to any question new descriptions of the everyday, which of the form, “what shall we do next?” It shine through the fog of O’Donovan’s is the condition on which that question otherwise winding meditations. Special- can be raised and answered—answered ists will find the book a worthwhile on its own terms according to criteria read and some will even borrow a few of practical reasonableness’ (165). of O’Donovan’s incisive and economical Yet for the varied thrusts and parries phrases. Those not aware of the issues like this, it remains difficult to place beneath the surface of Finding and O’Donovan’s argument in relation to the Seeking will be put off by its sprawling contemporary discipline of theological obscurity.