Michael Scott Horton - Justification. Volume 1

Respectfully yet relentlessly pressing Hortons many conversation partners in New Testament, this thorough, systematic, and far-ranging work advances a reading both distinctive and yet more traditional than many of todays dominant paradigms. Horton also exposes some of our blind spots, properly challenging mischaracterizations of the Reformers. In contrast to some New Testament scholars driven too much by modern philosophic premises, Horton is often more faithful to ancient interpretations relevant to the biblical cultures. As a New Testament scholar, I profited repeatedly from his historical context for various theological approaches in modern New Testament scholarship.

Craig Keener, F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary

This is a superb theological study that creatively retrieves the doctrine of justification from the patristic era to the Reformation. Horton seeks to revitalize the contemporary ecumenical discussion regarding justification by showing not only the enduring merits of the Reformations exegetical, theological, and pastoral legacy, but also its hermeneutical and theological superiority to alternative views, namely, Roman Catholic, Radical Orthodoxy, the new perspective on Paul, and new Finnish interpretations. Some of his interpretations are questionable, for example, the triumph of Nominalism occurred with the Counter-Reformation (Council of Trent) rather than with the Reformation. Still, I came away from reading this engaging book marked by a careful and generous listening to others, both reenergized with a passion for understanding the long-running doctrinal conversation about God, grace, and justification and challenged to engage critically the authors vision.

Eduardo J. Echeverria, professor of philosophy and systematic theology, Sacred Heart Major, Archdiocesan Seminary of Detroit

This is a serious and important work coming from a leading Reformed theologian. It concerns a pivotal doctrine that was at the heart of the Reformation and that continues to provoke differences between Protestants and Catholics. Both Protestant and Catholic readersnot only scholars but also theologically interested laitywill profit by wrestling with this learned historical study.

Gerald R. McDermott, Anglican Chair of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School

It is not often one finds a book ranging across the three CDsthe Damascus Document, Augustines City of God, and Barths Church Dogmatics! This is a volume bristling with theological insight and intellectual energy. Add to that Hortons learning and clarity, and you have that rare thinga gripping and intelligent treatment of justification.

Simon Gathercole, reader in New Testament, University of Cambridge, fellow and director of studies in theology, Fitzwilliam College

Doctrine, as the Reformers never tired of saying, flows from and leads back to Scripture. Michael Horton has demonstrated this thesis with Justification, a project that is at once a rich and rigorous exegetical investigation of the doctrine of justification and at the same time a model of theologically engaged scriptural interpretation. As all theology must, this book drinks from the well of Scripture as it walks the path of reading and doctrine towards the horizon of praise and proclamation. The result, both exegetically informed and theologically significant, is good news for your bones and mine (Luther): God justifies the ungodly in Christ, an unconditioned gift given in the word of promise that creates faith.

J. A. Linebaugh, lecturer in New Testament, Cambridge University, fellow, Jesus College

This work is very impressive and a major contribution to the clarification of the significant issues. Horton anchors his presentation of the Protestant Reformers teaching on the justification of the sinner in an extensive, carefully wrought exploration of the biblical roots, and he anchors conceptualizations of the relationship between sinners and their Creator within a covenantal framework that takes seriously both the sacramental nature of how God operates and the re-creative power of the gospel delivered by Christ. He challenges false interpretation of the Reformers understanding of justification with thorough, perceptive assessments of patristic and medieval doctrines of justification, providing an alternative that capitalizes on the sixteenth-century insights to address the twenty-first-century person in the midst of the turmoil of our times.

Robert Kolb, professor emeritus of systematic theology, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis

SERIES EDITORS

Michael Allen, John Dyer Trimble Professor of Systematic Theology and Academic Dean, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida, USA

Scott R. Swain, President and James Woodrow Hassell Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida, USA.

ADVISORY BOARD

John B. Webster, Professor of Divinity, St Marys College, University of St. Andrews, Scotland, UK

Kevin J. Vanhoozer, Research Professor of Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, USA

Katherine Sonderegger, Professor of Theology, Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, Virginia, USA

Henri Blocher, Professor of Systematic Theology, Facult Libre de Thologie vanglique, Vaux-sur-Seine, France

ZONDERVAN EDITORIAL ADVISOR

Katya Covrett, Executive Editor, Zondervan Academic

ZONDERVAN

Justification, Volume 1

Copyright 2018 by Michael Horton

Requests for information should be addressed to:

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

ePub Edition October 2018: ISBN 978-0-310-49162-0

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