Resurrection and Reality: In Dialogue with T.F. Torrance Samuel Andrew Fletcher Fernando A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Theology At the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand Under the supervision of Revd Dr Christopher Holmes June 2014 ii iii Abstract This thesis argues that the resurrection of Jesus determines reality for humanity and all creation. His resurrection does so because he is the incarnate Son of God. As the creator become creature, his human life, death, resurrection and ascension affirms and redeems creation. The person of Jesus is the subject of the resurrection and ascension, and thus his nature determines their meaning. Accordingly, the central concept of this thesis is the hypostatic union. In the incarnation, the eternal Son of God united human nature to himself by the Holy Spirit. As Chalcedon states, his divine and human natures are united in the one person without confusion, conversion, division, or separation. As such, all the moments of Jesus’ incarnate life are to be understood as fully human and fully divine. This thesis shows forth the implications of this for his resurrection and ascension, his mediation of reconciliation, and our eschatological hope. In particular, Jesus’ ascension means that the new reality determined by his resurrection is both veiled until his return and being made actual here and now by the Holy Spirit. The Trinitarian relations of Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the key to understanding both this and how the two natures of Jesus are related. Thinking through these relations in the details of Jesus’ life elucidates the non- competitive relationship between divine and human agency in his incarnate life and in our participation in him. iv Acknowledgements My first thanks go to T. F. Torrance himself. Studying his theology has been an even richer experience than I had imagined when I decided to engage with his work. He has passed on the deposit of faith with such a deep understanding of both the theology of the ancient catholic Church and of modern science and theology. In so doing, he has given me, and I am sure many others, a way forward by giving a way back. Secondly, the isolation of studying by distance was greatly reduced by frequent meetings with my fellow University of Otago student of T. F. Torrance, Kate Dugdale. While the errors remain my own, thank you Kate and Mark Tobias for a close reading of my final draft. Our common Pentecostal heritage was most beneficial in working through both Torrance’s theology and many other interesting theological issues. I am also appreciative of the encouragement and conversations with many others throughout this past year. My greatest thanks go to my supervisor, the Revd Dr Christopher Holmes. His belief in me over the past four years gave me the courage to pursue this task. The level of guidance he gave was just the right amount to keep me on track as I developed the necessary skills for independent study. His input at key points throughout was invaluable, from choosing and narrowing a topic, to advice on the final touches which would smooth the edges and set in the best light the gems mined from Torrance’s theology. Not unlike the biblical story of my namesake, whenever I thought of pursuing another tangential issue, I heard a voice ringing in my head, ‘Samuel, less is more, you go wider by going deeper.’ Thank you, Chris. My final thanks go to my dear wife Victoria. I could not do this without your love, encouragement, and belief in me. Your honesty and integrity as you pursue Jesus inspires me to keep wrestling with God – even if at times we walk away limping. v Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgements............................................................................................... iv Table of Contents................................................................................................... v Introduction........................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1 The Resurrection and the Person of Jesus............................................ 5 A) The Resurrection’s Epistemic Function....................................................................5 i) The Resurrection Reveals who Jesus is .....................................................................5 ii) The Ascension Enthrones Jesus as King ..................................................................9 iii) The Resurrection Unveils the Identity that the Incarnate Son Veiled... 10 B) The Divinity of Jesus.......................................................................................................15 i) What Jesus is Toward Us He is in HimselF ............................................................ 15 ii) Who Jesus is in HimselF; the Doctrine oF the Trinity....................................... 18 C) The Hypostatic Union ....................................................................................................22 i) Anhypostasia and Enhypostasia .............................................................................. 23 ii) The Two Natures oF Jesus are United without Change.................................. 26 iii) The Two Natures oF Jesus are Distinct but not Separate............................ 29 iv) Torrance’s Communicatio Naturarum ............................................................... 31 D) How the Natures Relate: With and Beyond Torrance.....................................33 Chapter 2 The Resurrection and Redemption..................................................... 43 A) The Resurrection is a Temporally Real Event.....................................................44 B) The Resurrection is an Eternally Real Event.......................................................48 i) The New Creation is the Old Creation Renewed................................................ 48 ii) The Resurrection Determines the Relation oF God and the World........... 51 C) The Resurrection Redeems Humanity from Sin and Death ..........................53 i) Humanity is Redeemed From Death........................................................................ 55 ii) Humanity is Redeemed From Sin............................................................................. 56 Chapter 3 The Ascension and Reconciliation...................................................... 60 A) The Ascension takes Jesus’ Humanity into the Life of God............................61 i) Torrance’s Concept oF Place....................................................................................... 63 ii) In the Ascension Renewed Human Place is Taken into God’s Place ........ 65 B) Our Communion with God...........................................................................................71 i) The Resurrection Eternalises the Hypostatic Union........................................ 71 ii) We are Reconciled through being United to the Ascended Jesus by the Spirit ......................................................................................................................................... 73 Chapter 4 The Mediator..................................................................................... 79 A) The Mediation of Reconciliation...............................................................................79 i) God and Jesus.................................................................................................................... 80 ii) Jesus is Passive in the Resurrection; He is Our Substitute............................ 83 iii) Jesus is Active in the Resurrection; He is Our Representative................... 84 iv) Humanity Shares in Jesus’ True Humanity........................................................ 87 vi B) The Mediation of Revelation.......................................................................................90 i) The Word made Flesh is God the Father’s SelF-Communication ................ 91 ii) The Holy Spirit is God the Father’s SelF-Impartation..................................... 94 Chapter 5 Eschatology ....................................................................................... 99 A) Christology and Eschatology: Reality and Actuality.........................................99 i) Reality and Non-Reality.............................................................................................100 ii) The Ascension, Pentecost, and the Second Advent........................................101 B) The Church: Union with the Whole Christ.........................................................107 i) Against Determinism and Possibility ...................................................................107 ii) The Church Participates in the Whole Life oF Christ....................................110 iii) The Sacraments Hold Together the Eschatological Tensions ................119 Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 123 Bibliography....................................................................................................... 130 1 Introduction This thesis examines the resurrection of Jesus in the theology of T.F. Torrance. While he is not known specifically for his doctrine of the resurrection, it nonetheless occupies an important place in his theology. While he does not spill much ink on its historical evidence, he absolutely affirms its historicity. A common litmus test for the evangelical