Trinitarian Theology beyond Participation: Augustine's De Trinitate and Contemporary Theology

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Description

Maarten Wisse develops a critique of dominant trends in contemporary theology through a re-reading of Augustine's De Trinitate. Theological topics covered include the thinking about the relationship of between God and World as participation of the finite in the infinite, Christology as a manifestation of this ontology of participation, Trinity as a model for our relational mode of being and deification (theosis) as the purpose of salvation. Key figures are brought in conversation with an Augustinian alternative to these trends, such as Wolfhart Pannenberg, Joseph Ratzinger, Denys Turner, John Milbank, Catherine Pickstock and Graham Ward.

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'Wisse's superb study ofthe Augustinian doctrine of the Trinity both returns the modern reader to asound interpretation of Augustine's teachings and presents a significantchallenge to recent theologies and Christian philosophies that have used socialmetaphors to press trinitarianism into so-called relational or participationalontologies and have attempted to use the doctrine as a universal tool-kit forthe reconstruction of Christian doctrine. Wisse offers a cogent critique ofthese modern alternatives and then effectively interprets Augustine, showingthat most of the contemporary critiques of his doctrine have missed their mark,and going on to develop an Augustinian trinitarian theology that emphasizesboth the mystery of God's triunity and the necessary distinction between Godand world at the same time that it builds a full-orbed approach to Christology,Christian anthropology, epistemology, and soteriology on a trinitarianfoundation.' - Richard A. Muller, Calvin Theological Seminary, USA. -- Richard A. Muller

Author Bio

Dr. Maarten Wisse is Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and a Research Fellow at KU Leuven, Belgium.