Adonis Vidu - The Same God Who Works All Things: Inseparable Operations in Trinitarian Theology

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

4035 Park East Court SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

www.eerdmans.com

2021 Adonis Vidu

All rights reserved

Published 2021

Printed in the United States of America

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ISBN 978-0-8028-7443-6

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Vidu, Adonis, author.

Title: The same God who works all things : inseparable operations in Trinitarian theology / Adonis Vidu.

Description: Grand Rapids, Michigan : William. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2021. | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: An exposition and defense of the dogmatic rule of the inseparable operations of the TrinityProvided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020033819 | ISBN 9780802874436

Subjects: LCSH: Trinity.

Classification: LCC BT111.3 .V535 2021 | DDC 231/.044dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020033819

For Hannah

The seeds of this book were first planted during my work on an earlier project on the theology of the atonement (Atonement, Law, and Justice: The Cross in Historical and Cultural Settings, Baker Academic, 2014). At that time it became clear to me that the interpretation of any act of God, such as the atonement, must first recognize the uniqueness of divine agency. Two concepts bring out this uniqueness more than any others: divine simplicity and inseparable operations. My 2014 book addresses, very modestly, the first one. To my surprise I discovered that no book-length treatment existed of the doctrine of inseparable operations. While important article- and chapter-length contributions already existed, a full-scale articulation and defense of the doctrine did not exist. Where the present attempt is at all successful, it builds on previous work in the area of patristic and medieval theology (Lewis Ayres, Michel Barnes, Gilles Emery, Khaled Anatolios, and others).

The burden of making a contribution to such an important area of Trinitarian theology would have been unbearable were it not for the unfailing support of a number of fellow wayfarers. I was fortunate enough to be writing this book at a time of great enthusiasm for the doctrine of the Trinity within the Evangelical academy. I benefited from the keen critical minds of a circle of friends who love to talk about the Trinity: Josh Farris, Mark Hamilton, James Arcadi, Carl Moser, Derek Rishmawy, Fred Sanders, Oliver Crisp, J. T. Turner, Luke Stamps, Matthew Emerson, Gregg Allison, Eduardo Echeverria, Charles Twombly, Josh Malone, Tom McCall, Kyle Claunch, Tyler Wittman, Keith E. Johnson, Scott Harrower, Austin Freeman, Rafael Bello, Chris Woznicki, Adam Johnson, Josh McNall, Lucy Peppiatt, Joanna Leidenhag. A number of colleagues at Gordon-Conwell have patiently read through sections of the manuscript, in particular Sean McDonough, Jack Davis, Rick Lints, Gordy Isaac, Kirsten Sanders, and Patrick Smith. A number of wise and seasoned Trinitarian theologians have kindly provided invaluable feedback at various points along the way, of whom I should mention Bruce D. Marshall, Paul Molnar, Neil Ormerod, Matthew Levering, Kevin Vanhoozer, William J. Abraham, and Najib Awad. Several research assistants provided incredible support along the way, including Mark Hertenstein, Ross Alan MacDonald, Cameron Brock, Greg Parker, and Andrew Johnson. Heartfelt gratitude goes out to Michael Thompson, who supported this project from its proposal stage and who has been a constant encourager along the way. Thanks to James Ernest and Laurel Draper at Eerdmans for the excellence and fine tuning so much needed by this manuscript.

I owe a double debt of gratitude to the Trustees and Administration of Gordon-Conwell, as well as to my faculty colleagues who filled in for me during two semester-long sabbaticals. Without Gordon-Conwells generous sabbatical program, books such as this one would be impossible to conceive.

I have left the deepest debt for the end. As all writers know, a tremendous emotional investment enters into any writing project, especially the longer ones, such that almost everything is affected and shaped by it, including the most important thing, family. My wife, Adriana, and my daughter, Hannah, have accepted to share me with this long-standing project. Our conversations were often finding their way back to the topic of inseparable operations. This book has shaped and molded me for the past six years or so, hopefully mostly for the better, although evidently not on every occasion. This project would not have been the labor of love it is were it not for their steadfast support, encouragement, and thoughtful contribution. During these six years, my daughter Hannah has grown to be the beautiful and smart young lady that she is. This book has often carried me away from her mentally. By dedicating it to her, I want to close the circle, returning to what matters most.

Classical Trinitarianism confesses that opera trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa. This principle functions as a dogmatic rule in descriptions of divine action in the world. With some notable exceptions, most theologians today would affirm this principle. However, in actual use a number of obviously conflicting interpretations may be observed. Some understand the principle minimalistically, to imply that there is no conflict between the economic works of the triune persons. Others understand indivisa to imply that the three work in concert, that they stand behind each others actions, that they act collectively, or otherwise that they cooperate. Still others insist that the indivisibility of divine triune action means that the persons do not undertake separate actionsnot simply that they do not act without each others support (this much is trivial), but that one cannot even individuate distinct actions of the persons.

It goes without saying that achieving some clarity with regards to this principle is a vital theological task. Still, beyond a small number of articles and individual book chapters, no large-scale exposition and discussion of this rule has so far been attempted. The task is not of marginal significance for the rest of Christian doctrine since the proper elucidation of divine action is fundamental to understanding the claims of the faith. For that same reason, it is an undertaking that must be assumed with fear and trembling. At stake are doctrines at the heart of our faith. A wrong move at this most foundational level will corrode large swaths of Christian teaching.

That God acts in the world is universally affirmed in Christian theology. Beyond this point there is much disagreement: Does God act merely providentially, or are there special divine actions in the world? Much energy is currently expended on the question of special divine actionthat is, on whether God intervenes in the space-time continuum and, if so, what form this intervention takes. We will not wade into this important discussion although we are not entirely indifferent to it; however, the paucity of consideration for the Trinitarian dimension of divine action needs immediate correction. This study can be a first step in this direction in that it clarifies the theological question of what it means for the Trinitarian God to act. It must not be supposed that we are already familiar with the notion of divine action, much less Trinitarian action. God is not an item in the world, and therefore we must tread carefully here. Beyond the epistemic difficulties that Gods transcendence poses regarding his action, Gods Trinitarian nature also qualifies divine action.