Predestination has been the subject of perennial controversy among
Christians, although in recent years theologians have shied away from
it as a divisive and unedifying topic. In this book Matthew Levering
argues that Christian theological reflection needs to continue to
return to the topic of predestination, for two reasons: Firstly,
predestinarian doctrine is taught in the New Testament. Reflecting the
importance of the topic in many strands of Second Temple Judaism, the
New Testament authors teach predestination in a manner that explains
why Christian theologians continually recur to this topic. Secondly,
the doctrine of predestination provides a way for Christian
theologians to reflect upon two fundamental affirmations of biblical
revelation. The first is God's love, without any deficiency or crimp,
for each and every rational creature; the second is that God from
eternity brings about the purpose for which he created us, and that he
permits some rational creatures freely and permanently to rebel
against his love. When theologians reflect on these two key biblical
affirmations, they generally try to unite them in a logical synthesis.
Instead, Levering argues, it is necessary to allow for the truth of
each side of the mystery, without trying to blend the two affirmations
into one. Levering pairs his discussion of Scripture with ecumenically
oriented discussion of the doctrine of predestination in through the
ages through the figures of Origen, Augustine, Boethius, John of
Damascus, Eriugena, Aquinas, Ockham, Catherine of Siena, Calvin,
Molina, Francis de Sales, Leibniz, Bulgakov, Barth, Maritain, and
Balthasar. He concludes with a constructive chapter regarding the
future of the doctrine.
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Biblical and Theological Paths
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9780191619120
Publisert
2020
Utgiver
Oxford University Press Academic UK
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter