andygoodliff

Oliver Davies on Transformation Theology

Oliver Davies responds to Ben Myers review of his book Transformation Theology here and in the comments enters into some conversation with the likes of George Hunsinger.

McGrath moving to King's

(HT to Jason)
Alister McGrath is moving to King's in a newly created role of Professor of Theology, Ministry and Education. This will see him join Luke Bretherton, Pete Ward and Andrew Walker in the growing area of theology and ministry courses King's has begun running over the last few years in the school of education, although in partnership with the theology and religious studies department.  In recent years, perhaps with the lack of internationally renowned British theologians working in England, McGrath has become increasingly high profile. He's giving the Gifford Lectures in 2009. McGrath is a prolific writer, keeping pace, if not surpassing, that other prolific of writers, Tom Wright. It's an interesting move because McGrath has said he could see himself no where else but Oxford, where he was principal of Wycliffe Hall and more latterly Professor of Historical Theology, based in Harris Manchester College. For more see here. 

Penal Substitution: A Recent Bibliography

For
1. The Cross of Christ by John Stott (1986)
2. The Wondrous Cross by Stephen Holmes (2007)
3. Pierced for Our Transgressions by Mike Ovey and others (2007)
4. Aspects of the Atonement by I. Howard Marshall (2007)
5. Where Wrath and Mercy Meet edited by David Peterson (2001)
6. The Message of the Cross by Derek Tidball (2001)
7. What Did the Cross Achieve? The Logic of Penal Substitution by J I Packer (1974, 2002)
8. The Glory of the Atonement edited by Charles Hill and Frank James (2004)
9. Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem (1994)
10. 'The Cross and Substitutionary Atonement' by Simon Gathercole in Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology (2003)
11. 'Can Punishment Bring Peace? Penal Substitution Revisited' by Stephen Holmes in Scottish Journal of Theology (2005)

Against
1. Recovering the Scandal of the Cross by Joel Green and Mark Baker (2000)
2. Atonement Today edited by John Goldingay (1995)
3. Actuality of Atonement by Colin Gunton (1988)
4. Past Event and Present Salvation by Paul Fiddes (1989)
5. The Non-Violent Atonement by J. Denny Weaver (2001)
6. The Radical Evangelical by Nigel Wright (1996)
7. Consuming Passion edited by Simon Barrow and Jonathan Bartley (2005)
8. God's Just Vengeance by Timothy Gorringe (1996)
9. Atonement for a Sinless Society by Alan Mann (2005)
10. Jesus and the Victory of God by NT Wright (1996)
11. The Rhythm of Doctrine by John Colwell (2007)
12. Once and for All by Tom Smail (1998)

For / Against
The Atonement Debate edited by Derek Tidball and others (2008)

Nigel Biggar to give his Inaugural Lecture

On Tuesday 22nd April (5pm, Schools) Professor Nigel Biggar will give his inaugural lecture as Regius Professor of Moral Theology in the University of Oxford. It's titled Saving the 'Secular': The Public Vocation of Moral Theology.

Hunsinger - McCormack Debate Over Barth Continues

The debate over how to read Karl Barth continues with this latest article in Modern Theology by George Hunsinger called 'Election and the Trinity: Twenty-Five Theses on the Theology of Karl Barth' (April 2008), where he sets out why the traditionalist view of Barth (that he didn't change his mind that the triune God was prior to the divine decision of election) and the revisionist view (represented by McCormack, who argue that in Barth the Trinity is a result of election.

Centre for Christianity and Culture, Hilary Term 2007

Some interesting lectures for this term's Oxford Centre for Christianity and Culture

Public Lectures: Hilary Term 2008
Project on Religion and Public Policy
In Regent's Park College (Pusey Street) : Tuesdays at 5.00 pm

22 January: Faith Communities and Public Policy
Rt. Hon. John Battle, MP, former advisor on faith communities to Tony Blair

29 January: Religion and Public Policy: A Muslim Perspective
Professor Tariq Ramadan, St Anthony's College

5 February: The Roles of Religion in Resistance Movements
Professor Sir Adam Roberts, FBA, Balliol College

12 February: Terror, Religious Radicalism, Religious Freedom and Public Policy in the UK
Professor Paul Weller, University of Derby

19 February: Religion and International Affairs
Dr Olin Robison, Regent's Park College,
President Emeritus, Middlebury College, Vermont and Salzburg Seminar

26 February: Challenges: Public Policy and Religion
Baroness Usha Prashar, Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission

4 March: Religion and Public Conversation
Paul Woolley, Director of Theos - public theology think tank

Background to McCormack's TF Torrance Lectures

Steve Holmes is very kindly posting on Bruce McCormack's TF Torrance Lectures (new name for SJT lectures) from earlier this month - (1), (2), (3). I thought it might be helpful to put this in the context of the debate McCormack is having with Paul Molnar.

Bruce McCormack, ‘Grace and Being: The Role of God’s Gracious Election in Karl Barth’s Theological Ontology’ in John Webster, ed., The Cambridge Companion to Karl Barth (Cambridge University Press, 2000), pp. 92–110.

'Karl Barth’s Christology as a Resource for a Reformed Version of Kenoticism', IJST 8.3: 243-251 (2006)

Paul Molnar, Divine Freedom and the Doctrine of the Immanent Trinity: In Dialogue with Karl Barth and Contemporary Theology (T & T Clark, 2002)

'The Trinity, Election and God’s Ontological Freedom: A Response to Kevin W. Hector', IJST 8.3: 294-306 (2006)

'Can the Electing God Be God without Us? Some Implications of Bruce McCormack’s Understanding of Barth’s Doctrine of Election for the Doctrine of the Trinity', NZSTh 49.2: 199-222 (2007)

See also Kevin Hector 'God’s Triunity and Self-Determination: A Conversation with Karl Barth, Bruce McCormack and Paul Molnar', IJST 7.3: 246-261 (2005)

Steve Holmes is blogging

Steve Holmes, Baptist minister and theologian, lecturers at St Andrews, is blogging. He will be well worth keeping an eye on. I really enjoy Steve's writings and am looking forward to his thoughts. He already has a post on Bruce McCormack's SJT lectures from earlier this month. Visit his blog here.

TF Torrance (1913-2007)

Thomas Forsyth Torrance died today aged 94. Arguably the greatest British systematic theologian of the 20th century. Torrance's influence will live long in theology. He was responsible for translating Barth's Church Dogmatics into English (a huge achievement), starting the Scottish Journal of Theology and for also making himself important contributions to theology in the likes of Theological Science, God and Rationality and the Meditation of Christ. He lived an amazing life, see Alister McGrath's 1999 biography.

I can't think of another family of theologians at least consistently high-class - Tom Torrance, James Torrance, David Torrance, Iain Torrance, Alan Torrance.

Ben Myers has posted a eulogy by George Hunsinger. See also Jason Goroncy reflections here.

David Fergusson's obituary in the Independent is here. Johnston McKay's obituary in the Herald here and there's also an obituary in The Scotsman. Daily Telegraph is here. The Times is here.

The latest few years have witnessed the passing of a theological generation (some before their time): Colin Gunton (2003), James Torrance (2003), Stan Grenz (2005), John Macquarrie (2007),  Dan Hardy (2007), and now Tom Torrance (2007)

 

Listen to John Webster deliver the Kantzer Lectures

John Webster's recent Kantzer Lectures have been made available - so if you have the time to listen, click here.