Alister McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction Chapter 9 The Doctrine of God Wiley-Blackwell 2010

Is God Male? A Personal God Difficulties of calling God a “person” Biblical language Gregory of Nazianzus Theological language as analogy Sallie McFague, Models of God Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love A Personal God Difficulties of calling God a “person” Defining “person” An impersonal God Aristotle Baruch Spinoza (1632-77) Dialogical personalism: Martin Buber I-it and I-You relations God cannot be reduced to a concept God’s self-revelation God as active subject rather than passive object Wiley-Blackwell 2010

Can God Suffer? The classic view: the impassibility of God Philo of Alexandria (c.30 BC-c.AD 45), That God is Unchangeable Anselm and Aquinas A suffering God: Jürgen Moltmann The rise of protest atheism The rediscovery of Martin Luther’s theology of the cross The growing impact of the “history of dogma” movement The rise of process thought Fresh studies of the Old Testament Notions of “love” Moltmann’s The Crucified God (1972) Kazoh Kitamori, A Theology of the Pain of God (1946) Patripassianism (3rd century) Theopaschitism (6th century) Wiley-Blackwell 2010

The death of God? Charles Wesley, “And Can It Be?” 1966, “God is dead” Amazing love! how can it be That thou, my God, shouldst die for me? … ‘Tis mystery all! th’immortal dies! Who can explore his strange design? 1966, “God is dead” Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) 1960s “Death of God” movement God “dies” in Christ Eberhard Jüngel Jürgen Moltmann, “death in God” Wiley-Blackwell 2010

God’s Action in the World The Omnipotence of God Defining omnipotence Anselm of Canterbury Thomas Aquinas The two powers of God (William Ockham) The absolute power of God The ordained power of God The notion of divine self-limitation Kenoticism (Philippians 2:6-7) God’s Action in the World Deism: God acts through the laws of nature Thomism: God acts through secondary causes (Aquinas) Process theology: God acts through persuasion Wiley-Blackwell 2010

God as Creator Development of the doctrine of creation Historical, prophetic, and wisdom writings Creation as ordering Nature is not divine Creation and the rejection of dualism Gnosticism Augustine Augustine of Hippo’s doctrine of creation On the Literal Meaning of Genesis Two “moments” in creation Image of the seed The doctrine of creation ex nihilo Conflict with Gnosticism Tertullian Wiley-Blackwell 2010

Implications of the doctrine of creation Distinction between God and creation Implies God’s authority over the world Human stewardship Implies the original goodness of creation Human beings are created in the image of God Models of God as creator Emanation Construction Artistic expression Creation and Christian approaches to ecology Lynn White Jr Douglas John Hall, Imaging God: Dominion as Stewardship Calvin B. DeWitt The earthkeeping principle The sabbath principle The fruitfulness principle The fulfillment and limits principle Jürgen Moltmann, God in Creation Wiley-Blackwell 2010

Theodicies: The Problem of Evil God is good A good God would not permit suffering or evil Yet suffering and evil are observed in the world Therefore a good God does not exist Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-c.200) Maturity and growth requires encounter with evil John Hick (b.1922), Evil and the God of Love Augustine of Hippo (354-430) Rejection of Gnosticism Evil as a consequence of the misuse of human freedom Karl Barth (1886-1968) Confidence in the ultimate triumph of the grace of God Evil as das Nichtige, nothingness Wiley-Blackwell 2010

Alvin Plantinga (b.1932) Liberation theology Process theology Free will is morally important Genuine free will requires evil as a real option God must bring into being the best possible world that God is able to do God must create a world with free will God will not compel human beings to do good nor restrain them from doing evil Liberation theology Participation in God’s struggle against and confrontation of suffering James Cone Process theology God persuades rather than coerces “Protest theodicy” Old Testament themes Elie Wiesel (b.1928) Wiley-Blackwell 2010

The Holy Spirit Models of the Holy Spirit Spirit as wind Spirit as breath Spirit as charism The debate over the divinity of the Holy Spirit The early church: Montanus Patristic era: pneumatomachoi v. Athanasius and Basil of Caesarea Council of Constantinople, 381 Divinity established later 4th century Scripture applied all the titles of God to the Spirit The Spirit has divine functions Baptism in the name of the “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” Sequential development Recognition of Jesus’ full divinity Recognition of Spirit’s full divinity Formulation of doctrine of the Trinity Wiley-Blackwell 2010

Augustine of Hippo: the Spirit as bond of love The Spirit as the bond of the Father and the Son The Spirit as the bond of unity between God and believers The Spirit as forging bonds of unity between believers The functions of the Spirit The illumination of revelation Inspiration of Scripture The origin of faith The appropriation of salvation Sanctification and divinization The energization of the Christian life Unity within the church Prayer, spiritualiy, and worship Shaping and sustaining the church Mission Wiley-Blackwell 2010