T.F Torrance has published a new book titled Incarnation. The book, which Torrance had begun prior to illness and later death from old age, is edited by his nephew Robert T. Walker.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, gives this endorsement:

No other book I know in english does what this superb volume does in presenting with absolute clarity the full classical doctrine of the universal Church on the person and work of Christ. This book is a wonderful legacy from one of the very greatest of English-language systematic theologians.

I purchased the book earlier in the year.

Amidst the many other things that I currently need to read for university, I have kept coming back to Incarnation in my personal reading. I am reading it slowly, a small piece at a time. This book is rich fare and a casual reading will deprive the reader of the depth of thought and argument that Torance provides.

A number of reviews of this book have been posted.

The Stumbling Block

Reformation21

Dead Theologians

I will further provide my own thoughts on the book, beginning with a post I am currently preparing, in the next month.

David Neff, has posted “What’s the fuss about Recapitulation Theology?” at his Ancient Evangelical Future blog.

It’s worthwhile noting that many are interpreting the renewal of this idea as a threat to Penal Substitution. Yet as one person noted in the comments section of this post,

Recapitulation shouldn’t be seen so much as a theory of how the atonement is transacted, but rather the telos point or raison d’etre for Chrit’s Atonement. It’s not penal substitution or recapitulation it’s both working hand in hand.

I would suggest that recapitulation modifies penal substitution such that both provide a vigorous understanding of the atonement. Something I believe that neither does by themselves.

The Shack is a great book. I got to meet the author just before Christmas.

One of the strengths of the book is that it unpacks the relationship of the Father, Son and Spirit in fictional form.

Many Christians confess a belief in the Trinity but think “God” and therefore relate to “God” rather than “God the Father, Son and Spirit”. Our understanding of the who God is and what God does is often informed by the popular Greek myth of the old man in the sky. In daily practice we relate to God the Father as a unitary being somewhat like Zeus, the god of the sky.

The Shack, as a fictional book, doesn’t get caught up in all the technical jargon that a theology book may require but that’s not to say it’s light in substance.

The book encourages us through the story of Mackenzie to see God differently.

My friend and theologian, Dr. C. Baxter Kruger traveled to Australia with the author Wm. Paul Young. Dr. Kruger speaks and writes on the Trinity as a pastor and theologian. A one meeting I heard him speak at with Paul, he pulled out a pair of goofy glasses, with some goofy eyes painted on. You know the one’s I mean!

Baxter’s point that he makes is that the glasses that we see God with are often like the goofy glasses, they filter the image and give a distorted image of who God is. And of course, we live in reaction to these distorted images. Yet, when we are see God as he truly is as God the Father, Son and Spirit and live as people included through Jesus (the Son) in that relationship, we see start to see things a lot differently. Thus life becomes a quest of living out in the world the fullness of our life in Christ within the Trinity.

The Shack depicts this in the events that occur when Mac returns to the cabin. Over time the vision of God as judging, distant, judicial and other-worldy is challenged and slowly replaced by a God who is within himself relational and who has through his Son provided for all of humanity to live within this relation he has within himself.

The good news is that we have been chosen to participate in the life of God – Father, Son and Spirit.

Live the life!

The nature and character of God the Father is often approached by Christians and non-Christians alike in manner akin to Santa Claus, if we’re good he’ll come to us. Some of the forms of revivalism within the pentecostal/charismatic movement tend to have a similar emphasis – think in terms of our separation from holy God, tarrying or the baptism in the Spirit as a sanctifying means by which conjure we are able to God out of his hiding place.

However, I’d like to challenge this and similar mindsets.

Thomas Torrance, in his book The Mediation of Christ argues that you can’t separate the message and the messenger when it comes to God’s revelation of himself.

He writes, “In Jesus Christ God has given us a Revelation which is identical with himself.” That’s why he could say that anyone who has seen him has seen the Father – for the Father dwells in him and he dwells in the Father.

As I’ve thought about God’s activity in our world I’ve come to agree with this outlook.. that through the the history and dealings of Israel and then in the life and person of Jesus God has shown up and pitched his tent.. and He’s not hiding.

It’s easy to think of Jesus like a sign that puts us on the path to God the Father. But this neglects that he is of and within the Godhead of Father, Son and Spirit.

Again, another way to say this is that he is not only the sign but the subject that the sign points too. In my mind it’s like (cause it’s only an analogy) Jesus doing the advertising for God and the campaign involves him turning up everywhere saying “We’re here!!”

The gist of what I’m saying is that God didn’t send Jesus to point people back to God, which is how the gospel can often be presented. But as God, Jesus reveals to the whole world himself, the Father and the Spirit too.

God has not been hiding but has been actively revealing himself on earth culminating in his self-revelation in Jesus.

Take a good look around, you’ll find him fleshed out in all sorts of places.

At various times Trinitarian theology has been confused with Tritheism – a belief in three Gods. This is accusation is often made in our present time by Islamic apologists (there are many example on YouTube) and Oneness Pentecostals.

Tom Torrance wrote,

The doctrine of the Trinity is not a doctrine of three Gods, but a doctrine of the one Lord God with a profounder understanding of the inner unity of his eternal being.

The Mediation of Christ, 1992p, p. 106-107

This is what Trinitarian theology seeks to provide – a profounder understanding of the relationships between Father, Son and Spirit within their essential unity.

Ben Myers (Faith and Theology)has moved to Sydney to take up a position at United Theological College. He recently posted Worshipping Onscreen: A Megachurch Meditation after a visit to a well-known Sydney megachurch. I’m pretty certain that he’s talking about my former church. Both Ben’s post and the subsequent comments are food for thought.

Last Thursday, I attended a “Faithfulness In Service” training night for paid staff of the northern region of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. The presenter, Tim Dyer of John Mark Ministries, made a statement that caught my attention and that of my colleague, Michael Pailthorpe, who was sitting beside me.

Tim suggested that most Christians do not have a theology of failure. We were intrigued. I definately have thought about failure, and even a theology of humanity, but neither is as comprehensive as my theologies of blessing, hope, success, etc.

So for my own interest and curiosity, I have a task. That is, to start to think about and develop a comprehensive theology of failure.

I’m exited as I venture out. And nervous too. I’m not sure what I’ll find.

Have you ever thought in a comprehensive manner about failure? What have you come up with? Why not share a thought about failure as a comment?

Recently, allegations of abuse  by staff at Mercy Ministries Australia made frontpage headlines in a Sydney daily newspaper. Mercy Ministries, is a residential program for women that is supported by Hillsong Church. Hillsong Church also support a mens residential program called ONE80TC, an initiative of Teen Challenge NSW.

I’ll leave you to make you own mind up about the claims and counter-claims made across the various media.

What such headlines bring is awareness within both the general and evangelical Christian populations of allegations of various forsm of spiritual abuse being made against a range of well-known Christian ministries here in Australia, such as Hillsong Church, which until now have mainly been disseminated by a small number of accusatorial websites.

Hopefully, with the Christian churches, the discussion will continue to become more mainstream, and with it the concern to eliminate spiritually abusive practices becoming actual practice. The time for ALL churches to implement and abide by safe ministry protocols is long overdue. So too are transparent complaints policies!

Dr. Graham Barker, Head of the School of Counselling at Wesley Institute, Sydney in an article titled  ”The Insidious Harm of Spiritual Abuse“, says that he, like many others, had the commonly held belief that spiritual abuse occured only in the well-documented cults, but had come to realise “that this same abusive system had infiltrated some of the more respected evangelical churches”.

Please take the time to read Dr. Barker’s article. Spiritual abuse occurs in many settings yet there remain commonalities that victims are able to identify upon reflection. Become aware of the signs of spiritual abuse so that you can reduce the likelihood that you or those you love will be hurt.

Spiritual Abuse Recovery Resources:
Toxic Faith (part 1) – Stephen Arteburn
Dr. Stephen Arterburn answers questions inspired by his book, TOXIC FAITH: EXPERIENCING HEALING FROM PAINFUL SPIRITUAL ABUSE. Filmed circa 1991.

Topics covered: What is Spiritual Abuse? What is an Outcast?

Toxic Faith (part 2) – Stephen Arteburn
Topics covered: Can one be addicted to an educational system?  How do I know when it’s time to move on?
What are the stages of spiritual abuse? How can a victim recover?

Spiritual Abuse Recovery – www.spiritualabuse.com

Recovery from Spiritual Abuse (Bible Guide) -http://www.nacronline.com/dox/library/biblestudies/sp_abuse.pdf

Everybody needs a good theology and praxis. Theology should never be divorced from responsible, obedient action.

The Theology and Praxis blog is dedicated to a Sydney based theological reading and discussion group, which meets approximately once a month. The aim of the group is to read and discuss contemporary Christian theology and its impact on church ministry and mission. The group is non-denominational and is open to those in ministry whether ordained, lay or studying.

The purpose of the blog is to facilitate discussion with those who are unable to make the meetings due to distance or ministry commitments. On the blog you will find papers (usually at an undergraduate level) and discussion. Minutes will be included of the actual meetings and details to attend meetings will be available.

Currently, there are participants from Congregational, Salvation Army, Anglican, Baptist, Pentecostal and Anabaptist traditions and there are lay, ordained, undergraduates and post-graduates who attend.

The next meeting of the theological reading and discussion group will commence 10am, Saturday 12th April at Leichhardt Congregational Church, Corner of Allen & Elswick Sts, Leichhardt.

The growing influence of Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church has some American Christians asking how much of Osteen’s theology is grounded in the revelation of Scripture?

Michael Horton, featured in the 60 Minutes (US) program about Joel Osteen, has published a series of essays that question the veracity of Osteen’s theology.
http://www.wscal.edu/faculty/wscwritings/horton.osteen/glorystory.php

Around the same time last year (Oct 07), Pastor Mark Driscoll (Mars Hill Church, Seattle) in a sermon titled ‘The Rebel’s Guide to Joy’ commented on the biblical view of pain, suffering, broken relationships and anxiety in the lives of Christians in contrast to the poor theology preached from the pulpit of Joel Osteen.