Freedom and Necessity in Modern Trinitarian Theology (Oxford Theology and Religion Monographs)

Freedom and Necessity in Modern Trinitarian Theology examines the tension between God and the world through a constructive reading of the Trinitarian theologies and Christologies of Sergii Bulgakov (1871-1944), Karl Barth (1886-1968), and Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905-1988). It focuses on what is called "the problematic of divine freedom and necessity" and the response of the writers. "Problematic" refers to God being simultaneously radically free and utterly bound to creation. God did not need to create and redeem the world in Christ. It is a contingent free gift. Yet, on the other side of a dialectic, he also has eternally determined himself to be God as Jesus Christ. He must create and redeem the world to be God as he has so determined. In this way the world is given a certain "free necessity" by him because if there were no world then there would be no Christ. A spectrum of different concepts of freedom and necessity and a theological ideal of a balance between the same are outlined and then used to illumine the writers and to articulate a constructive response to the problematic. Brandon Gallaher shows that the classical Christian understanding of God having a non-necessary relationship to the world and divine freedom being a sheer assertion of God's will must be completely rethought. Gallaher proposes a Trinitarian, Christocentric, and cruciform vision of divine freedom. God is free as eternally self-giving, self-emptying and self-receiving love. The work concludes with a contemporary theology of divine freedom founded on divine election. Cover Freedom and Necessity in Modern Trinitarian Theology Copyright Dedication Foreword Acknowledgements Contents References and Abbreviations Epigraph Introduction: The Absolute Freedom of God as Mystery and ‘Problematic’ 1: Freedom and Necessity as Trinitarian Mystery and ‘Problematic’ 2: Divine Freedom—A Dialectical Approach: From Freedom to Necessity—The Shape of a ‘Problematic’ (A) 3: Divine Freedom—A Dialectical Approach: From Necessity to Freedom—The Shape of a ‘Problematic’ (B) Part I: God as both Absolute and Absolute-Relative in Sergii Bulgakov 4: ‘Sophiological Antinomism’—Sergii Bulgakov’s Debt to and Critique of Vladimir Solov’ev 4.1 SOPHIA AS A LIVING ANTINOMY—THE ORIGINS OF BULGAKOVIAN ANTINOMISM 4.2 THE SOLOV’EVEAN ABSOLUTE AND THE BULGAKOVIAN CRITIQUE 4.3 BULGAKOVIAN ANTINOMISM 5: God as Absolute and Absolute-Relative in Bulgakov: Theological Antinomy in the Doctrine of God 5.1 GOD AS AN ABSOLUTE NOT-IS 5.2 GOD AS AN ABSOLUTE TRINITY OF LOVE 5.3 GOD AS AN ABSOLUTE-RELATIVE TRINITY OF CREATIVE LOVE 6: Divine Freedom and the Need of God for Creation 6.1 THE DIVINE NEED FOR CREATION 6.2 KENOSIS AND ENTHEOSIS IN CREATION AND REDEMPTION 6.3 SOPHIANIC DETERMINISM Part II: Divine Self-Determination in Jesus Christ in Karl Barth 7: Trinity and the Doctrine of Election in Karl Barth 7.1 TRINITY AND ELECTION 7.2 BEING AND ACT—THE AMBIGUITY OF BARTHIAN ACTUALISM 7.3 GOD AS THE ONE WHO LOVES IN FREEDOM 8: Trinity, Freedom, and Necessity in Karl Barth—A Dialectical Approach 8.1 DIALECTICISM AND DIVINE POSSIBILITIES 8.2 DE FACTO NECESSITY AND DIVINE FREEDOM 8.3 ELECTION AND DIALECTIC IN TRINITARIAN THEOLOGY Part III: Jesus Christ and the Trinitarian Appropriation of the Dialectic of Freedom and Necessity in Hans Urs von Balthasar 9: The Metaphysics of Love—Four Steps 9.1 BEING AS LOVE—STEP 1 9.2 THE REAL DISTINCTION—STEPS 2–4 9.3 THE SIMILARITY/DISSIMILARITY AND IDENTITY/DIFFERENCE OF GOD AND THE WORLD IN CHRIST 10: The Trinity, Creation, and Freedom—More on the Fourth Step 10.1 INFINITE FREEDOM—FREE DEPENDENT LOVE IN THE TRINITY 10.2 FINITE FREEDOM—FREE DEPENDENT LOVE IN MAN 10.3 THE ABSOLUTE FREEDOM OF THE TRINITY FOR CREATION—A DIALECTICAL TURN? 11: Christ, Creation, and Divine Possibilities—‘Sheltered within’ the Trinity 11.1 CHRIST AS THE CONCRETE ANALOGY OF BEING 11.2 THE WORLD ‘SHELTERED WITHIN’ CHRIST AND THE TRINITY 11.3 DIVINE POSSIBILITIES IN THE TRINITY AND THE ‘SURPRISE’ OF THE SPIRIT Conclusion: The Absolute Freedom of God and the Mystery of Divine Election 12: Concluding Unsystematic Systematic Postscript 12.1 THE DIALECTIC OF FREEDOM AND NECESSITY: MYSTERY, PROBLEMATIC AND RESPONSE 12.2 SUMMARY, COMPARISON AND EVALUATION OF THREE THEOLOGIANS 12.2.1 Sergii Bulgakov 12.2.2 Karl Barth 12.2.3 Hans Urs von Balthasar 12.3 AN UNSYSTEMATIC SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY OF FREEDOM AND NECESSITY Bibliography Sergii Bulgakov Major Trilogy: ‘O Bogochelovechestve [On Godmanhood]’ Minor Trilogy: On the Deesis Karl Barth Hans Urs von Balthasar Other Works Index Examines The Tension Between God And The World Through A Constructive Reading Of The Trinitarian Theologies And Christologies Of Sergii Bulgakov (1871-1944), Karl Barth (1886-1968), And Hans Urs Von Balthasar (1905-1988). It Focuses On What Is Called The Problematic Of Divine Freedom And Necessity And The Response Of The Writers. Problematic Refers To God Being Simultaneously Radically Free And Utterly Bound To Creation. God Did Not Need To Create And Redeem The World In Christ. It Is A Contingent Free Gift. Yet, On The Other Side Of A Dialectic, He Also Has Eternally Determined Himself To Be God As Jesus Christ. He Must Create And Redeem The World To Be God As He Has So Determined. In This Way The World Is Given A Certain Free Necessity By Him Because If There Were No World Then There Would Be No Christ. A Spectrum Of Different Concepts Of Freedom And Necessity And A Theological Ideal Of A Balance Between The Same Are Outlined And Then Used To Illumine The Writers And To Articulate A Constructive Response To The Problematic. Brandon Gallaher Shows That The Classical Christian Understanding Of God Having A Non-necessary Relationship To The World And Divine Freedom Being A Sheer Assertion Of God's Will Must Be Completely Rethought. Gallaher Proposes A Trinitarian, Christocentric, And Cruciform Vision Of Divine Freedom. God Is Free As Eternally Self-giving, Self-emptying And Self-receiving Love. The Work Concludes With A Contemporary Theology Of Divine Freedom Founded On Divine Election. -- Foreword / Rowan Williams -- Freedom And Necessity As Trinitarian Mystery And 'problematic' -- Divine Freedom--a Dialectical Approach: From Freedom To Necessity--the Shape Of A 'problematic' (a) -- Divine Freedom--a Dialectical Approach: From Necessity To Freedom--the Shape Of A 'problematic' (b) -- 'sophiological Antinomism'--sergii Bulgakov's Debt To And Critique Of Vladimir Solov'ev -- God As Absolute And Absolute-relative In Bulgakov: Theological Antinomy In The Doctrine Of God -- Divine Freedom And The Need Of God For Creation -- Trinity And The Doctrine Of Election In Karl Barth -- Trinity, Freedom, And Necessity In Karl Barth--a Dialectical Approach -- The Metaphysics Of Love--four Steps -- The Trinity, Creation, And Freedom--more On The Fourth Step -- Christ, Creation, And Divine Possiblities--'sheltered Within' The Trinity -- Concluding Unsystematic Systematic Postscript. Brandon Gallaher. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 251-286) And Index.