Barth on Divine Simplicity and the Attributes of God: A Theological Agenda for Christian/Muslim Dialogue

This article examines the theological concepts of divine simplicity and the attributes of God. The purpose of this inquiry is to explore the significance of these themes for Christian/Muslim dialogue. In this sense the article is an overture to a public theology undertaken through aspects of the doctrine of God foundational for Christians and Muslims. An introduction identifies the somewhat marginal significance of theological dialogue in Christian-Muslim encounter. In doing so it considers what contribution Karl Barth might have to make to Christian-Muslim reflections on the doctrine of God. The main focus of the article examines Barth’s treatment of divine simplicity and the attributes of God. In this respect the article highlights the importance of Barth’s ethical transposition of the doctrine of divine simplicity and its implications for inter-religious engagements in the world. The article argues for a public theology which takes more seriously the relationship between theory and practice in inter-religious dialogue.

Editor : Gene L. Green, Stephen T. Pardue, K.K. Yeo. The Trinity among the Nations: The Doctrine of God in the Majority World

Buku ini merupakan kumpulan 8 tulisan dari teolog dari berbagai negara, dan beberapa di antaranya berasal atau mewakili kawasan yang bukan Eropa/Amerika. Justru karena itu buku ini menarik untuk disimak, karena banyak di antara tulisan tentang Trinitas atau Allah Tritunggal yang hanya mencerminkan pergumulan seputar imanensi dan transendensi Tuhan, yang merupakan salah satu ciri khas teolog Barat. Di antara tulisan-tulisan yang menarik dalam buku ini, 2 di antaranya yang sangat patut dicatat adalah bab 6 yang merupakan evaluasi terhadap empat upaya reformulasi teologi Trinitas, oleh teolog-teolog Asia.

Fünf Thesenpapiere von Falk Wagner

Falk Wagner (1939–1998) was the leading Hegelian in late 20th century German Protestant theology. Wagner who had studied philosophy with Theodor W. Adorno and Wolfgang Cramer in Frankfurt am Main and Systematic Theology with Wolfhart Pannenberg at the University of Mainz taught Systematic Theology at the Universities of Munich and, since 1988, Vienna. He published several influential books. In his lectures and seminars he frequently handed out short theory papers to his students which should serve as the basis for debate. The five texts presented here for the first time deal with the problems of individual in society and of the modern history of theology, with the doctrine of God (creator and trinity), with the significance of the Bible for the systematic theology and finally with the concept of „Subjektivität“ in G. W. F. Hegel’s philosophy. These texts are an essential source for the development of Wagner’s thought when teaching at the university of Munich until 1988.

The “Symbolic Worldview” of V. Solovyov and the Issue of the Development of the Historical Process: An Interpretation by F.A. Stepun (1884–1965)

This article presents F.A. Stepun’s interpretation of the views of the outstanding Russian philosopher Vladimir Solovyov (1853–1900) concerning the issue of the direction of historical development, as an integral part of Solovyov’s philosophy of unitotality. It must be observed that this part of Stepun’s creative output has not yet been sufficiently studied. In fact, Stepun’s interpretation of Solovyov’s views in the context of religious symbolism facilitates a deeper understanding of Solovyov’s conception as well as the comprehension of the theoretical sources of the historical and religious constructions of Stepun himself. This study emphasizes the importance of Solovyov’s work and personality for Russia’s Silver Age culture, including his religious and philosophical trajectory, to which Stepun himself belonged. The interest of scholars in Solovyov’s work is also documented, with a particular focus on the contribution the Russian émigré community gave to its study: these authors, in fact, managed to preserve during emigration the best traditions of Russian culture, in general, and of Russian religious and philosophical thought, in particular. The core of a number of theoretical statements of Solovyov’s historiosophy will be also provided, along with Stepun’s interpretation of them. Moreover, the special nature of the “methodological pluralism”, which is peculiar to Stepun’s approach to research, will be analyzed as well as the importance for him of religious symbolism’s method in the study of Solovyov’s views on the historical process. Finally, the great meaning of Solovyov’s doctrine of God-manhood for Stepun’s work will be explored. The main theoretical statements of this doctrine turned out to be compatible with his ideas on the ontology of history, on its structure, and on its anthropological nature. It will be also emphasized the perception of the historicity and “singularity” of Christ, which is peculiar for Solovyov, and subsequently for Stepun, being it the key for Christianity, in general, and for Christian historicism, in particular. The conclusion deals with the significant influence of Solovyov’s ideas on Stepun’s historical and philosophical studies, as well as with the importance of the problems that concern the study of the intellectual history of Russia.

Human and God-manhood Existence in V.S. Solovyov's Philosophy

The article examines the views of V.S. Solovyov on the existence of man in the world and on the future of humanity. Its main task is to prove that it is necessary to shift the focus of consideration of V.S. Solovyov’s philosophy from the study of Sofia to the study of God-manhood and to the ways of achieving this result. This problem is worked out by means of a comparative analysis on the views on Man-god and God-man by V.S. Solovyov, F.M. Dostoevsky, and L.N. Andreev. It turns out that the doctrine of God-manhood is considered as the cornerstone of V.S. Solovyov’s by a number of scholars, such as Janusz Dobieszewski and Jan Krasicki. V.S. Solovyov investigates the material nature of humankind and states that the latter is subjected to the temptations of the flesh and can subordinate its life to the basic needs. In this regard, V.S. Solovyov presumably sees a way for humankind to overcome its material nature and such a way would be the overcoming of the three temptations of a higher order; whereas he certainly identifies the path to God-manhood in overcoming the three temptations, in the way Jesus Christ indicated. The same subject of “overcoming the temptations” is also analyzed through the scenes of temptations of F.M. Dostoevsky’s and L.N. Andreev’s heroes, each of which contains the plot of Jesus Christ’s temptation in the wilderness. The scene of the superhuman’s temptation taken from V.S. Solovyov’s “A Short Story of Antichrist” is also considered. In conclusion, for V.S. Solovyov it was important to show what the overcoming the temptations in the human soul leads to and the impact of this victory on humanity. In this respect, it can be affirmed that the God-Man and God-manhood are the result of the joint efforts of man and God. The conclusion of the article deals with the relevance of searching for an answer to the question stated by V.S. Solovyov and F.M. Dostoevsky, which concerns what awaits humanity in the future.

A Barthian Critique of Schleiermacher’s Doctrine of God: Questioning the Schleiermacher Renaissance

Schleiermacher is an increasingly important resource for contemporary systematic theology, particularly as Barth’s criticisms of Schleiermacher, which were thought to have undermined his dogmatic relevance, are subject to severe criticism. With reference to the doctrine of God, Barth argues that Schleiermacher’s theology generates a “God behind God” and is problematized by Feuerbach. I offer a detailed reading of Schleiermacher’s mature account of the divine being and attributes and suggest in view of this interpretation that a slightly nuanced version of Barth’s critique rightly applies to Schleiermacher’s doctrine of God. I make this argument in dialogue with the many contemporary voices arguing in Schleiermacher’s defense and raise some critical questions for those seeking to retrieve Schleiermacher’s doctrine of God.

Divine Revelation in West Africa and Central Africa

This chapter examines divine revelation in West Africa and Central Africa, with a historical focus on the relation of biblical beliefs to African traditional religions. It discusses the African independent churches, specifically the Église de Jésus-Christ sur la Terre par le Prophète Simon Kimbangu; Vincent Mulago’s essay in Des prêtres noirs s’interrogent (1956); specific essays from the book Biblical Revelation and African Beliefs (1969); and Engelbert Mveng’s book L’Art d’Afrique noire: liturgie cosmique et langage religieux (1964). The chapter also examines the recent scholarship of the Ghanaian theologian Mercy Oduyoye and the Congolese scholars Oscar Bimwenyi-Kweshi and Kä Mana. Regarding the relationship between divine revelation and African traditional religions, it discusses J. B. Danquah’s book The Akan Doctrine of God (1944), the arguments of the Congolese Egyptologist Mubabinge Bilolo, and the West African scholar Ntumba Museka.

Analogical Predication and Divine Simplicity

The notion of analogy plays an important role in Steven Duby’s project of theologia. Traditional Reformed theology understands analogy as an “analogy of attribution” based on the creature’s participation in God’s own perfections. Duby’s discussion of analogy addresses its grounds, main forms and variations, and limitations. In response, this article suggests supplementing Duby’s broadly Thomistic explanation with key elements from the Scotist theory of univocal predication. The first benefit of this integration is a clearer balance of apophatic and kataphatic tendencies in the doctrine of God. The second result is a more sophisticated account of the doctrine of divine simplicity, combining Thomas’ emphasis on the common ratio for predicating terms of God and creatures with the Scotist notions of disjunctive properties and distinctio formalis. While speaking about God’s essence by different concepts is necessary because of our limited understanding, it is also grounded in the reality of God Himself.

Paul Tillich: Samarbejdet mellem menneskets ontologiske ophav og eksistentielle vilkår

Mainly working with Paul Tillich’s lesser known works and one unpublished text, this article seeks to examine how his ontological approach to the doctrine of God and humanity inevitably must interact with an existential approach to the human predicament, which is characterized by estrangement and separation from the essential being of human beings. On this view, theology must include an ambiguity consisting in the use of an essentialist perspective and an existentialist perspective in combination with a need for both a vertical and a horizontal way of thinking.