Online Lectures on Augustine

Here is a good collection of online lectures on Augustine compiled by Marc Cortez, Theology Prof at Western Seminary posted on the blog Scientia Et Sapientia

• David Calhoun, Augustine’s Confessions
• David Calhoun, Augustine & the Pelagian Controversy
• David Calhoun, Augustine’s Theology of History
• Steven J. Lawson, The Church Fathers: From Clement of Rome to Augustine of Hippo
• Thomas Lizo, The Mystical Theology of St. Augustine
• Thomas Lizo, St. Augustine’s Theology of History
• Nick Needham, Augustine and the City of God
• John Piper, The Swan Is Not Silent: Sovereign Joy in the Life and Thought of St. Augustine
• Philosophy Talk, John Perry, Ken Taylor and James O’Donnell – Saint Augustine
• Mike Reeves, Introducing Augustine, Pt. 1
• Mike Reeves, Introducing Augustine, Pt. 2
• Cornelius Van Til, St. Augustine

read more

.

Mapping Frontiers in the Theology of God

What my online reading group is reading. Yes, we are an adventurous lot!

On the back cover

'Since the middle of the twentieth century,' writes Elizabeth Johnson, 'there has been a renaissance of new insights into God in the Christian tradition. On different continents, under pressure from historical events and social conditions, people of faith have glimpsed the living God in fresh ways. It is not that a wholly different God is discovered from the One believed in by previous generations. Christian faith does not believe in a new God but, finding itself in new situations, seeks the presence of God there. Aspects long-forgotten are brought into new relationships with current events, and the depths of divine compassion are appreciated in ways not previously imagined.'

This book sets out the fruit of these discoveries. The first chapter describes Johnson's point of departure and the rules of engagement, with each succeeding chapter distilling a discrete idea of God. Featured are transcendental, political, liberation, feminist, black, Hispanic, interreligious, and ecological theologies, ending with the particular Christian idea of the one God as Trinity.

Science and Christianity in Perspective

The questions about whether science and religions are compatible is never ending. This interesting article by
Edward B. (“Ted”) Davis is Professor of the History of Science at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania offers Christianity and Science in Historical Perspective.

Many Christian scientists today continue to place science in a larger theological context, while still keeping both ways of understanding reality in focus. In my view, no one has done this more effectively than John Polkinghorne, a former mathematical physicist at Cambridge who is now an Anglican theologian. Polkinghorne sees science and Christianity as ‘cousinly’ enterprises that are both trying to establish ‘motivated belief’. His recent book, Theology in the Context of Science, stresses the crucial point that larger questions of meaning and purpose go well beyond science – in other words, science cannot make sense of itself: why is science possible at all? The universe ‘is not only rationally transparent’, he argues, but also ‘rationally beautiful, rewarding scientists with the experience of wonder at the marvelous order which is revealed through the labours of their research’. The laws of nature ‘have a character that seems to point the enquirer beyond what science itself is capable of telling, making a materialist acceptance of them as unexplained brute facts an intellectually unsatisfying stance to take’ (pp. 90-91). The fact that science is possible at all ‘is not a mere happy accident, but it is a sign that the mind of the Creator lies behind the wonderful order that scientists are privileged to explore’ (p. 37). In short, ‘the activity of science is recognised to be an aspect of the imago dei’ (p. 13). This is a robust theism, and Polkinghorne gives it an explicitly Christian content. Recognizing that the Resurrection is ‘the pivot on which the claim of a unique and transcendent significance for Jesus must turn’ (p. 135), he searches for motivated belief in such an event, sifting carefully through the evidence to conclude (with N.T. Wright) that a genuine miracle is the best explanation for the stories of the empty tomb and the post-crucifixion appearances of Jesus.

read more

.

The Mystery of Christmas

In my earlier post Jesus Christ Very God Very Man, I struggled with Barth’s argument about completed event and completed event which are part of the mystery of God’s revelation. Barth notes, “God’s revelation in its objective reality is the incarnation of His Word, in that He, the one true eternal God, is at the same time true Man like us” (CD I.2, 172).

Barth next set forth to examine the mystery of Christmas though the dogma of Christmas in I. 2.§15.3. The Miracle of Christmas. He argues that both the Virgin conception and birth, and ‘being conceived by the Holy Spirit’ represent the miracle of Christmas. That both are a miracle cannot be denied because the normal mode of conception is through the sexual act though nowadays reproductive technologies, like in vitro fertilization (IVF) allow conception without the sexual act. ‘Being conceived by the Holy Spirit’ is a fascinating concept. Obviously ‘conceived’ does not refer to the fertilization of the ovum but the question to be asked is why should the Holy Spirit be mentioned at all? Interestingly, Barth uses this to booster his theological construct of the mystery of God (which is the theme of this section §15 ) by giving two reasons why the Holy Spirit is mentioned. Firstly, he notes that it refers “refers back the mystery of human existence of Jesus Christ to the mystery of God Himself” (199) which refers to the mystery that God himself as the Holy Spirit works amongst his creature as mediator and reconciler. Secondly, it refers to the connection the work of the Holy Spirit.

The miracle of Christmas reveals the mystery of Christmas. The miracle is the virgin birth. The mystery is that Jesus Christ Very God Very Man is conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

This is part of the Barth Synchroblog reading  Karl Barth's Dogmatics


Daniel Kirk on Mystery Christmas

.

Thinking about the Work of Christ- Atonement

Recently I was at a cell (small) group meeting where the study was on the forgiveness of sin and the concept of atonement was discussed. Being good Presbyterians, the understanding was that of penal substitution. However the people there were stupified and horrified when I introduced them to other concepts of atonement such as Christus Victus, ransom, moral influence, moral government and the satisfaction view. These good Christians grew up with the idea that penal substitution is the only explanation for atonement or the work of Christ on the Cross.

They were understandably disturbed and I am disturbed because they were disturbed. I wondered whether I should have kept my mouth shut and left them alone without rocking the boat.

After spending some time in reflection, I have come to the conclusion that it is good for them to realise that their tradition do not have the final word on God, and that human beings do not know everything. It is good to acknowledge that God is still a mystery in many things.

What do you think? Should I have kept my mouth shut?

.

What I read during Holy Saturday

helpful book for me to understand the Jesus Quest.

.

Karl Barth's Comic Theology

From Ben Myers' Faith and Theology blog Karl Barth's Comic Theology

check out the wonderful essay by Jessica DeCou of Chicago Divinity School: "'Too Dogmatic For Words'? Karl Barth's Comic Theology", Religion and Culture Web Forum February 2011. She argues that Barth's legendary combativeness and his legendary humour are two sides of the same coin: a "comic" theology. I think Eberhard Jüngel once described Barth as "the happiest theologian of our age" – and this essay shows that laughter and comedy are important for understanding Barth's thought.

And while you're at it, here's another interesting piece on Barth: John Parratta, "Barth and Buddhism in the Theology of Katsume Takizawa", SJT 64:2 (2011).

read more

.

Reformed Perspectives Magazine for March 20 to March 26, 2011

RPM Volume 13, Number 12 (March 20 to March 26, 2011), is now available. The following articles are featured in this issue:
A Mutliperspectival Endeavour Against Free-Will
An Article
By: Tobias Alecio Mattei
Webpage  PDF  Word
DEATH AND HEAVEN
An Article
By: Gardiner Spring
Webpage  PDF  Word
Not Corrupting the Word
An Article
By: J.C. Ryle
Webpage  PDF  Word
The Gospel and Repentance
An Article
By: William Webster

Review of Miroslav Volf's Allah: A Christian Response

Volf, Miroslav.  (2011). Allah: A Christian Response, New York, NY: HarperOne. Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at the Yale Divinity School and founding director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture.

Using "political theology", Volf's main thesis is that the God of Christians and Muslims is the same. His approach is from that of a Christian but he is able to balance that with a few quotations from the Koran and Hadith. He argues persuasively that since "normative" Christianity's description of God's attributes is similar to "normative" Islam's description of Allah's attributes, therefore both religious traditions worship the same God.

When it comes to the issue of the Trinity (Muslims believe that Christians worship three gods instead of one), Volf brings in the masterful argument set forth by theologian Nicholas of Cusa (1401 – 1464) and that of Reformer Martin Luther. Volf gave a good summary of the explanation of Nicholas of Cusa of the Trinity to the Muslim so that there is "no dispute between Christians and Muslim about God's unity" (51). One part of his explanation is that "[n]umbers are for creatures. God is not a creature. Therefore God is beyond number - beyond the number one as much as beyond the number three" (52). It must be noted that Nicholas of Cusa came up with this ingenious explanation of the Trinity after the fall and rape of Constantinople in 1453 by the Muslim armies of Sultan Mehmed II and the Christians were trying to sue for peace. The argument by Martin Luther as explained by Volf was a bit confusing except that "the main emphasis of Luther's theology: God's unconditional love" (73). However it must also be noted that Luther's thinking was in the context of Sulaimen the Magnificent capturing Hungary and laying siege to Vienna. If Vienna falls, then the whole of Europe will follow. The Christians were again trying to find common grounds.

Having set the groundwork by appealing to Nicholas of Cusa and Martin Luther, Volf set forth to argue in the second half of the book that the common attributes of the Christian God and Islam's Allah are the same thus concluding that both are the same. All other points of differences are then explained under "eternal and unconditional love". Though I appreciate Volf's attempt to set a common ground for dialogue, and suspect his affirmation that "If Muslims and Christians have a common God, are not Islam and Christianity just two versions of the same thing?" (191), I am not comfortable with his approach.

As Volf himself has pointed out, the Apostle Creed reveals two essential aspects of Christianity - who God is  and what He has done. One cannot explain away so easily the Trinity- God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit in one Godhead (Christians believe in one God, not three Gods). Also the work of Jesus Christ on the cross cannot be explained away by just using the term "unconditional love" without going into atonement and Jesus' words "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). In the index of this 314 page book, there is only three references to Jesus' death on the cross.

The second sentence Volf's introduction chapter almost broke my heart. He writes, "Christian responses to Allah - understood here as the God of the Quran - will either widen the chasm or help bridge it "(1). In Malaysia, the Christians have been trying to appeal against the government who wants to restrict the use of the word Allah to Muslims only. In one sentence, Volf gives away all that the Malaysian Christians have been fighting for all these years. Volf is aware of this issue in Malaysia (80-81). Allah has been used as synonymous with God by the Bahasa Malaysia (Malay) speaking Christians in Malaysia long before Malaysia became a country. Allah is an Arabic word meaning God.

This book is an excellent scholarly monograph in bridge building between two religious traditions. If it is from the Christian perspective, then one must be careful not to give away the basic tenets of one's faith.


Addentum

@sivin asks an important question. How does Volf "gives away" the battle for the name "Allah" for the Christians in Malaysia. This was at the very beginning of the book. Volf in naming his significant terms gave the term "Allah" to the Muslims and "God" to the Christians. We know what he is trying to do and if his thesis is correct it does not matter.

But if he is wrong then as a Christian he have given away the term to the Muslims. The general reading public may not understand 'significant terms". All they will know is from this book, Volf suggests Christians and Muslims worship the same God which the Muslims call "Allah, and the Christians "God". It is likely most Muslims will reject this statement. However, they will be happy to point out that a prominent Yale scholar ane theologian has used the term "Allah" exclusively to refer to the God Muslims worship and differentiated the term from the Christian God.

While I appreciate that he is writing from the North American context, however he must realise that the world is very interconnected and he has to be sensitive in his use of terms. Especially when he is aware of what is happening in Malaysia.



Related posts

A Voice across the Great Chasm: An Interview with Miroslav Volf

Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?

Karl Barth in TIME

Karl Barth made the cover of Time magazine on April 20, 1962.

In the 20th century, no man has been a stronger witness to the continuing significance of Christ's death and Christ's return than the world's ranking Protestant theologian, Swiss-born Karl Barth (rhymes with heart). Barth knows that the Gospel accounts of the Resurrection are not coherent, but he refuses to make the mystery more palatable to human reason by suggesting—as did the great 19th century Theologian D. F. Strauss in his Life of Jesus—that the story of the crucifixion is a "myth." Instead, Barth argues that the subject of this unique event is God, not man; and only God can know the full truth of his own history. Man's only road to understanding of this divine history is through faith—faith in the reality and truth of what the Evangelists so incoherently describe.

"Do you want to believe in the living Christ?" says Barth. "We may believe in him only if we believe in his corporeal resurrection. This is the content of the New Testament. We are always free to reject it, but not to modify it, nor to pretend that the New Testament tells something else. We may accept or refuse the message, but we may not change it."

These are fighting words and so very true.

Essentially, Barth is a Christological theologian, whose uniquely modern thought centers around ancient realities: faith, the Bible, the church. He has a philosopher's knowledge of philosophy, but unlike such contemporaries as Tillich or Bultmann, Barth is wary of restating the dogmas of the church in nontraditional language. His thought is complex, but he nonetheless writes of doctrine in prose that is not far removed from that of the pulpit. Above all he writes of the mysterious history of Christ. Knowledge of God is knowledge of God through Christ. Faith is faith in Christ; the church is the Church of Christ; the Bible is the witness of Christ. Theologian Hans Frei of Yale calls him "a Christ-intoxicated man."

read more


.

Barth's The Problem of Dogmatics

Now that I have Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics, I can join Professor Daniel Kirk's The Barth Synchroblogs Karl Barth Reading. The first thing I discovered is that the Church Dogmatics is not easy reading! The fonts are small and smaller (there are two font sizes in the text) and the sentences are not reader friendly (maybe they are for theologians). The plan is to read though the fourteen volumes in 11 years.

This week's reading is on §7.1 The Problem of Dogmatics is an eye opener for me.

Barth states that God's Word is "provisionally comprehensible and comprehensible in all its incomprehensibility" (249). This is as cryptic and profound as Karl Rahler's "the economic Trinity is the immanent Trinity, and the immanent Trinity is the economic Trinity". What Barth means is that the Word of God is "provisionally" comprehensible because in our reading we can get insights from it. However it is "incomprehensible" because there are limits to our understanding of the Word. This is because when we receive the Word, we do not receive it directly but through "recollection" and "reflection". This really throws a spanner into the evangelical worldview where it is assumed that we receive it directly.

I like the way Barth argues his theses. He argues like a scientist rather than a philosopher (or a theologian). He get straight to the gist of the thesis, presents his facts and findings and draws a conclusion. He examines the relation of the Word of God and the Church. One can get lost in his words: Bible, Church, tradition, dogma or dogmas, and dogmatics. However, instead of being caught up in terms and their usage, Barth declares that " [d]ogma is the relation between the God who commands and the man who obeys His command, the relation which takes place in the event of this commanding and obeying" (274).

and that is so cool.





The Ehrman Project

Interesting that there is a website and project against Dr Bart Ehrman, appropriately named the Ehrman Project. Do visit the website.

Welcome to the Ehrman Project.
Dr. Bart Ehrman is raising significant questions about the reliability of the Bible. In an engaging way, he is questioning the credibility of Christianity. His arguments are not new, which he readily admits. Numerous Biblical scholars profoundly disagree with his findings. This site provides responses to Dr. Ehrman's provocative conclusions.



Anyone know whether there is a N.T.Wright Project?

.

Reading Theological Memoirs

I was privilege to read Stanley Hauerwas, (2010), Hannah's Child: A Theologian's Memoir (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans) and Geoffrey Wainwright, (2000), Leslie Newbigin: A Theological Life (Oxford: Oxford University Press) concurrently in the last few days. It is an interesting experience reading about these two men and how the development of their theological thinking came to be. Hauerwas' is more personal as he is the author while Newbigin's was distilled from his works by biographer Wainwright.

Stanley Hauerwas is an academic theologian who is Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke University, Dunhma, North Carolina. Coming from a family of bricklayers, Hauerwas overcomes a life of poverty to be named the "best theologian in America" by Time magazine in 2001. He studied at Yale and taught in both Norte Dame and Duke University respectively. A prolific writer and speaker, Hauerwas is influential in the ongoing dialogue about theology especially ethics which Hauerwas understands to be theology being lived out especially in communities. It is interesting to note that for that for all his writing on the church, Hauerwas did not take an active role in the church or on the mission field. His was a top down theological development even though he himself believes that his theology is developed from the grassroots upwards. His oft quoted statement is the enigmatic "The first task of the church is not to make the world more just but to make the world the world."

Newbigin was a pastor-missionary-theologian. He was one of the first bishops of the United Church of India, and had also served as pastor, evangelist, missionary strategist, ecumenist and bible teacher. He served mainly in India and later for the Council of Churches which gave him a wider scope of ministry. Newbigin's theology is also a theology of the church. Like Hauerwas, Newbigin argues that Christianity is to be lived in obedience to Jesus Christ. The 'how' and 'what' of the faith as lived out in community come before the 'why.'

Both faces challenges in their respective vocation. Hauerwas faces the conflicts and infighting of the academia while Newbigin, the scorns and distrust of his fellow clergy. What is interesting is that both are helped and supported by many faithful friends. I believe this bond of fellowship of like minded believers forms the foundation of their theological impetus.

The two books are good reading, even for a non-theologian. I loved the mentions of names of people and of books which was mentioned that influenced them. This give me a quest to seek out these authors. I however have two complaints about these books. One is that there is no bibliographies of books mentioned though the Wainwright's book is extensively footnoted. The second is that there is no author's bibliography. Since these are theological memoirs, I believed that a chronological bibliography of an author will allow the readers to get a sense of the development of their theological constructs.

.

Review on McDermott's The Great Theologians

Gerald R. McDermott, (2010), The Great Theologians (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press)

Gerald McDermott is professor of religion and philosophy at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia and a teaching pastor at St. John Lutheran Church.  In this brief survey he introduces eleven theologians which he considers to have contributed significantly to the development of theology. These theologians are Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Friedrich Schleiermacher, John Henry Newman, Karl Barth and Hans Urs von Balthasar.

His approach is very useful. He first introduces them by giving a short theological biography about them, then highlights several main features of their theological contributions and then focuses on their main contribution. I find this very useful as a primer for non theologians and for people who wants to know more about theology but are afraid to ask.

.

Solo or Sola Scriptura?

Solo Scriptura

The Difference a Vowel Makes

Keith A. Mathison

The twentieth century could, with some accuracy, be called a century of theological anarchy. Liberals and sectarians have long rejected outright many of the fundamental tenets of Christian orthodoxy. But more recently professing evangelical scholars have advocated revisionary versions of numerous doctrines. A revisionary doctrine of God has been advocated by proponents of "openness theology." A revisionary doctrine of eschatology has been advocated by proponents of full-preterism. Revisionary doctrines of justification sola fide have been advocated by proponents of various "new perspectives" on Paul. Often the revisionists will claim to be restating a more classical view. Critics, however, have usually been quick to point out that the revisions are actually distortions.
Ironically, a similarly revisionist doctrine of sola Scriptura has arisen within Protestantism, but unlike the revisionist doctrine of sola fide, the revisionist doctrine of sola Scriptura has caused very little controversy among the heirs of the Reformation. One of the reasons there has been much less controversy over the revisionist doctrine of sola Scriptura is that this doctrine has been gradually supplanting the Reformation doctrine for centuries. In fact, in many segments of the evangelical world, the revisionist doctrine is by far the predominant view now. Many claim that this revisionist doctrine is the Reformation doctrine. However, like the revisionist doctrines of sola fide, the revisionist doctrine of sola Scriptura is actually a distortion of the Reformation doctrine.

The adoption of the revisionist doctrine of sola Scriptura has resulted in numerous biblical, theological, and practical problems within Protestant churches. These problems have become the center of attention in recent years as numerous Protestants have converted to Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy claiming that their conversion was due in large part to their determination that the doctrine of sola Scriptura was indefensible. Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox apologists have been quick to take advantage of the situation, publishing numerous books and articles devoted to critiquing the doctrine of sola Scriptura. One issue, however, that neither the converts nor the apologists seem to understand is that the doctrine they are critiquing and rejecting is the revisionist doctrine of sola Scriptura, not the classical Reformation doctrine. In order to understand the difference, some historical context is necessary.

read more

Jesus' Gospel or Paul's Gospel

Good article on understanding Jesus' teaching on the Kingdom of God and Paul's 'justification by faith.'

Jesus vs. Paul

Many biblical scholars have noted that Jesus preached almost exclusively about the kingdom of heaven, while Paul highlighted justification by faith—and not vice versa. What gives?

Scot McKnight | posted 12/03/2010 10:01AM

Many biblical scholars and lay Christians have noted that Jesus preached almost exclusively about the kingdom of heaven, while Paul highlighted justification by faith—and not vice versa. Some conclude that they preached two different gospels. Others argue that really they both preached justification; still others say it's all about the kingdom. What gives?

read more

Reformed Perspectives Magazine for November 28 to December 4, 2010

RPM Volume 12, Number 48 (November 28 to December 4, 2010), is now available. The following articles are featured in this issue:
The Anchor of Assurance
A Sermon on Romans 8:31-39
By: D. Patrick Ramsey
Webpage  PDF  Word
Our Righteous Standing
The Doctrine of Justification
By: John Stevenson
Webpage  PDF  Word
The Evil of Sin
An Article
By: John Flavel
Webpage  PDF  Word
Sins Estimated by the Light of Heaven
An Article
By: Edward Payson
Webpage  PDF  Word

RPM (November 14 to November 20, 2010)

RPM Volume 12, Number 46 (November 14 to November 20, 2010), is now available. The following articles are featured in this issue:
Justification and Sanctification
How do they Differ?
By: J.C. Ryle
Webpage  PDF  Word
Christ's Relationship to His People
An Article
By: L. R. Shelton, Jr.
Webpage  PDF  Word
Heart Work
An Article
By: A.W. Pink
Webpage  PDF  Word

RPM (November 7 to November 13, 2010)

RPM Volume 12, Number 45 (November 7 to November 13, 2010), is now available. The following articles are featured in this issue:
1 Corinthians 4:14-21
A Sermon
By: Scott Lindsay
Webpage  PDF  Word
Christ—The Object of True Saving Faith
An Article
By: L. R. Shelton, Jr.
Webpage  PDF  Word
The Mischief of Sin
The Furnace Heated Hotter!
By: Thomas Watson
Webpage  PDF  Word

.

Essential Theology Books of the last 25 Years

From the current issue of The Christian Century

Theological Hall, Strahov Monastery Library, Prague. Image by Flickr user Jametiks, licensed under Creative Commons.

Essential theology books of the past 25 years

Oct 04, 2010

We posed this question to eight theologians: Suppose someone who hasn't been keeping up with theology for the past 25 years now wants to read the most important books written during that time. What five titles would you suggest?
Here are their responses:

Stanley Hauerwas

Amos Yong

Emilie M. Townes

Lawrence S. Cunningham

Sarah Coakley

Kevin J. Vanhoozer

George Hunsinger

Willie James Jennings

I am amazed at some of their choices. Have a look and let me know what you think.

.