Crisp Oliver - Advancing Trinitarian theology : explorations in constructive dogmatics

PROCEEDINGS OF THE LOS ANGELES THEOLOGY CONFERENCE

This is the second volume in a series published by Zondervan Academic. It is the proceedings of the Los Angeles Theology Conference held under the auspices of the School of Theology in Fuller Theological Seminary, with the support of Biola University, in January 2014. The conference is an attempt to do several things. First, it provides a regional forum in which scholars, students, and clergy can come together to discuss and reflect on central doctrinal claims of the Christian faith. It is also an ecumenical endeavor. Bringing together theologians from a number of different schools and confessions, the LATC seeks to foster serious engagement with Scripture and tradition in a spirit of collegial dialogue (and disagreement), looking to retrieve the best of the Christian past in order to forge theology for the future. Finally, each volume in the series focuses on a central topic in dogmatic theology. It is hoped that this endeavor will continue to fructify contemporary systematic theology and foster a greater understanding of the historic Christian faith among the members of its different communions.

ZONDERVAN

Advancing Trinitarian Theology

Copyright 2014 by Oliver D. Crisp and Fred Sanders

ePub Edition November 2014: ISBN 978-0-310-51729-0

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Los Angeles Theology Conference (2014)

Advancing Trinitarian theology : explorations in constructive dogmatics / Oliver D. Crisp and Fred Sanders, editors.

pages cm

Proceedings of the Los Angeles Theology Conference.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-0-310-51709-2 (softcover)

1. TrinityHistory of doctrines21st centuryCongresses. I. Crisp, Oliver, editor. II. Title.

BT111.3.L68 2014

231.044dc23

2014012259

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Cover design: Michelle Lenger

Cover photography or illustration: Bridgeman Art Library

Interior design: Matthew Van Zomeren

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 /DCI/ 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Claire and Susan
Because youre worth it

CONTENTS

Fred Sanders

Thomas H. McCall

Stephen R. Holmes

Karen Kilby

Lewis Ayres

R. Kendall Soulen

Darren O. Sumner

Kyle C. Strobel

Jason S. Sexton

THE EDITORS WOULD LIKE TO THANK Dr. Howard Loewen, the Dean of the School of Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, and the staff and faculty of the school for their assistance with and support for the Second Los Angeles Theology Conference (LATC) in January of 2014, out of which these published proceedings grew. Daniel Salyers worked untiringly on the practical end of things as the administrative assistant to the conference at Fuller, as did Victoria Smith and Christian Drez, who made it run as smoothly as it did. We are grateful to them. Thanks too to Biola University for its ongoing support of LATC. Once again, we are particularly grateful to our editor and colleague, Katya Covrett, for her organization and encouragement of the editors in their work. Thanks too to the Zondervan Team Jesse Hillman, Kari Moore, Josh Kessler, Ron Huizinga, and Verlyn Verbrugge who have distinguished themselves in the production of this volume. Stan Gundry, editor-in-chief of Zondervan Academic, has been an indefatigable supporter of this endeavor from its inception, for which we are very thankful.

The support of our families has been a real boon in the development of LATC and this volume. We want to thank them for their patience, care, and lovingkindness. This second volume in the series is dedicated to our respective spouses, with great affection.

Lewis Ayres is professor of Catholic and Historical Theology at Durham University in the UK. He studied at the University of St. Andrews, where he obtained his MTheol degree, and the University of Oxford, where he earned his DPhil.

Stephen R. Holmes is Senior Lecturer in St. Marys College, University of St. Andrews, UK. He is an ordained Baptist minister and holds a BA degree from the University of Cambridge, an MTh from Spurgeons College, London, and a PhD from Kings College, London.

Karen Kilby is the Bede Professor of Catholic Theology at Durham University, UK, having recently moved from the University of Nottingham. She gained her BA and PhD at Yale University and also earned postgraduate degrees in Mathematics and in Theology at the University of Cambridge.

Thomas H. McCall is Associate Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois, where he is also the Director of the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding. He holds a BA from Hobe Sound Bible College, the MA from Wesley Biblical Seminary, and the PhD from Calvin Theological Seminary.

Fred Sanders is Associate Professor in the Torrey Honors Institute, Biola University, and the cofounder of the LA Theology Conference with Oliver Crisp. He earned degrees from Murray State University (BA), Asbury Theological Seminary (MDiv), and the Graduate Theological Union (PhD).

Jason S. Sexton is Research Associate at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of Southern California. He holds a BA in Theology from The Masters College, an MDiv and ThM in Systematic Theology from The Masters Seminary, and a PhD from The University of St. Andrews, UK; he has done postdoctoral work at Oak Hill Theological College, London, and has taught theology at Ridley Hall, University of Cambridge, and Golden Gate Baptist Seminary in California.

R. Kendall Soulen is Professor of Systematic Theology at Wesley Theological Seminary. He was educated at Yale University (BA), Emory University (MDiv), and Yale University (PhD).

Kyle C. Strobel is Assistant Professor of Spiritual Theology at Talbot School of Theology, Biola Univerisity, and Research Associate at the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. He holds a BA from Judson University, two MA degrees in New Testament and Philosophy of Religion and Ethics from Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and a PhD from the University of Aberdeen.

Darren O. Sumner is an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, Northwest. He earned his BA from Seattle Pacific University, an MA from Wheaton College Graduate School, an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a PhD from the University of Aberdeen.