Jesus and the God of Classical Theism
Biblical Christology in Light of the Doctrine of God
by Steven J. Duby
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Pub Date 7 Jun 2022 | Archive Date 21 Jun 2022
Baker Academic & Brazos Press | Baker Academic
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Description
In both biblical studies and systematic theology, modern treatments of the person of Christ have cast doubt on whether earlier Christian descriptions of God--in which God is immutable, impassible, eternal, and simple--can fit together with the revelation of God in Christ. This book explains how the Jesus revealed in Scripture comports with such descriptions of God. The author argues that the Bible's Christology coheres with and even requires the affirmation of divine attributes like immutability, impassibility, eternity, and simplicity.
Advance Praise
“This wonderfully helpful book shows how to take up the Bible’s passionate presentation of Jesus without letting go of the traditional high doctrine of God. Patiently addressing recent worries while carefully engaging the full witness of Scripture, Duby reunites theological goods that have too often been sundered from each other.”—Fred Sanders, professor of theology, Torrey Honors College, Biola University
“Over the past two centuries, theologians and biblical scholars alike have questioned the usefulness of concepts like aseity, simplicity, immutability, nature, and substance for Christian reflection on the God of Israel and the person of Jesus. Steven Duby counters that these concepts can play a truly ‘ministerial’ role in the life of the church by helping to defend the intelligibility and coherence of biblical teaching. Through exacting semantic and logical analysis, Jesus and the God of Classical Theism shows how the judicious use of metaphysical categories, far from obscuring or distorting Scripture’s message, might enhance our understanding of it.”—Ian A. McFarland, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Theology, Candler School of Theology, Emory University; Quondam Regius Professor of Divinity, University of Cambridge
“Duby offers a true gift to modern discussions of Christology, grounding categories and discussions from systematic theology in biblical scholarship. This thorough yet continually engaging book is a must-read for those wanting an overview and update on any of the topics covered.”—Madison N. Pierce, assistant professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
“In the name of a biblically authentic understanding of Christ and the Trinity, modern theology has often cheerfully discarded the classical Christian commitment to God’s transcendence—to the ways God is not like us—without counting the cost. Written from an ecumenically alert Reformed point of view, this book will interest and stimulate theologians who share its author’s conviction that a truly biblical Christology cannot do without a vigorous affirmation of God’s eternity, immutability, and impassibility. Even more, one hopes, it will interest those who do not.”—Bruce D. Marshall, Lehman Professor of Christian Doctrine, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University
“This helpful book details the biblical basis and conceptual coherence of traditional Christologies. Along the way, Steve Duby provides a thorough primer on numerous aspects of classical theism and the modern debates it has generated.”—Daniel J. Treier, Knoedler Professor of Theology, Wheaton College
“Steve Duby shows that the doctrine of God as interpreted by early, medieval, and post-Reformation orthodox theologians illumines our reading of the scriptural presentation of the incarnate Son. In so doing he helps demonstrate the christological payoff to concepts like immutability, impassibility, eternality, and even the simplicity of God. If the incarnation is the ultimate test case for biblical metaphysics, Duby shows that many have wrongly found the God of so-called classical theism to be evangelically implausible.”—Michael Allen, John Dyer Trimble Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781540961389 |
| PRICE | US$55.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 464 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Kris L, Reviewer
This is an academic text with 7 related essays on the mystery/nature of Jesus that push back on some of the modern theologians’ treatment of christology in favor of reconstituting some of the more classic patristic (aka orthodox) concepts. Modern theologians have noted that many of the classic [metaphysical] terms have evolved away from their original meaning into something that is more confusing than enlightening to the faithful today … and to some extent I completely empathize with that idea having recently struggled through a class on the Trinity. This book was a welcome addition to my study in that in revisiting the classical arguments, each essay took time to orient in the reader to the relevant biblical scriptures before reviewing the modern objections and walking through the orthodox/reform positions to explain how the classic view remains the better fit. The general focus of the essays in total examines the relationship between the persons of the Trinity, the unity of the person of Christ (with two natures) and the authenticity/genuineness of the Passion of Christ. Over all, the work is fairly big and extremely dense; so it is something of a slog to get through. With that in mind, each part/essay greatly benefits from a re-read or two to get more comfortable with the material presented. In addition, the topical organization makes this an excellent reference of a particular concept that you may continue to struggle with (which I still do).
<spoiler>Introduction
Part 1 - Biblical Christology and “Classical Theism”
I. Introduction
II. Christological Challenges to “Classical Theism”
III. Opposition to “Metaphysics”
IV. Revisiting God’s Perfections
V. Revisiting the Role of Metaphysical Concepts
VI. Conclusions
Part 2 - “The Word Was with God”: The Son’s Eternal Relation to the Father
I. Introduction
II. Biblical Description
III. The Unity and Simplicity of God
IV. Essence, Persons, and Relations
V. Two Challenges
VI. Conclusions
Part 3 - “Foreknown before the Foundation of the World”: The Son’s Election and Mission
I. Introduction
II. Biblical Description
III. Eternal Actuality and the Divine Decree
IV. Election, Immutability, and the Pactum Salutis
V. Procession, Mission, and Historical Assumption
VI. Conclusions
Part 4 - “And the Word Became Flesh”: The Son’s Relationship to His Human Nature
I. Introduction
II. Biblical Description
III. Dogmatic Elaboration
IV. Concerns about the Communicatio Idiomatum and the Extra Calvinisticum
V. Response to Concerns
VI. Conclusions
Part 5 - “The Spirit of the LORD Is upon Me”: The Son’s Dependence on the Holy Spirit
I. Introduction
II. Biblical Description
III. Concerns regarding the Unity of God’s Operations
IV. Unity and Diversity in God’s Operations
V. The Gifts of the Spirit and the Human Experience of the Son
VI. Conclusions
Part 6 - “I Have Come to Do Your Will, O God”: The Son’s Obedience
I. Introduction
II. Biblical Description
III. Faith, Weakness, and Growth in the Obedience of Christ
IV. Questions about Christ’s Sinlessness and Spiritual Exertion
V. The Logic of Christ’s Spiritual Exertion
VI. Conclusions
Part 7 - “A Man of Sorrows”: The Son’s Suffering
I. Introduction
II. Biblical Description
III. Impassibility and the Nature of Passions
IV. Impassibility and Metaphorical Attribution of Passions
V. Impassibility and Reduplicative Predication in Christology
VI. Conclusion
Conclusion
</spoiler>
I was given this free advance review copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
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