This text is part of the Edinburgh Studies in Constructive Theology series, which aims to provide a dialogue between the history of Western theological traditions and the contemporary interpretative context. Intended for those with no particular historical or theological training, it guides students through the core theological issues, searching out common ground by surveying the classic works of the theological tradition.
In The Theology of Colin E. Gunton, a number of contemporary theologians from across the world critically engage with the work of this influential British theologian. Gunton's handling of the gospel of Jesus Christ is celebrated, key doctrines critically examined, and his contribution to the ongoing theological task carefully evaluated. Contributors address key issues at the centre of Gunton's understanding of the Christian gospel, thereby enabling readers to appreciate how Gunton's fundamental analysis of the relation between God, creation and Jesus Christ impacts the church's ongoing task of faithful theological enquiry. In this volume of essays, contributors explore Gunton's constructive thinking on a range of doctrinal topics, as well as critically analyze Gunton's theological method and use of the Christian tradition. As such, this collection of essays provides the Christian theological community with its first wide-ranging and carefully argued examination into the influential work of Colin E. Gunton.
The triunity of the Christian God is not just one isolated doctrine among others. Allan Coppedge draws out the implications for our understanding of God's nature, attributes, roles, relationship to creation and providence.
A Free Corrector evaluates Colin Gunton"s treatment of Augustine"s legacy on the Trinity and the doctrine of creation. Gunton claimed that Augustine"s work ultimately contributed to a host of problems for the Western tradition. Joshua McNall addresses this in conjunction with Gunton"s argument regarding Augustine's "afterlife." In the end, A Free Corrector argues that while Gunton was far too "free" in his correction of Augustine, it is also true that isolated aspects of his Augustinian narrative remain viable.
Whilst upholding some of the criticisms of Colin Gunton's work, this incisive book argues that there is a Hauptbriefe in Gunton reception that assumes his early classic works, The One, the Three and the Many and The Promise of Trinitarian Theology (1st ed), are definitive of his project and fail to engage adequately with the progressions in Gunton's later thought. Instead, this book offers a fresh reading of Gunton by giving greater prominence to his later writings, which are centred in the mediation of the Son and the Spirit in creation. Andrew Picard argues that Gunton's trinitarian theology of culture emerges from his later trinitarian theology of mediation, creation, Christology, pneumatology, and ecclesiology. Exploring these doctrinal foci enables an understanding of Gunton's account of faithful human culture as embodied worship; a living sacrifice of praise which contributes to the divine redemption and perfection of creation. It is the church's particular calling to embody such praise through its visible life in community. The study concludes by intersecting Gunton's theology with the social sciences to critique ableism and consider the politics of the church's belonging in community.
This book contains a systematic description of the theologies of Colin E. Gunton (1941‐2003) and Oswald Bayer (b. 1939). Their use of the doctrine of creation in systematic theology has remarkable consequences for late-modern theological ethics. This book explores those consequences from the example of the theological doctrine of marriage. The author also contributes to the ecumenical debate by building on the Neo-Calvinist theological heritage.
Colin Gunton is regarded by many as one of the most important English theologians of the twentieth century. A prolific writer and creative thinker, Gunton taught at King’s College, London, for over thirty years, until his untimely death in 2003. In this first single-authored introduction to Gunton’s theology, Uche Anizor traces the key theological themes, major contributors, and criticisms of his work. Each chapter provides a synthesis and overview of Gunton’s thought on a particular doctrine or set of doctrines, calling attention to the Trinitarian shape of his theology. In Trinity and Humanity, Anizor provides a handy entrée into the corpus of this major thinker.
While much dialogue has focused on aspects of Colin Gunton’s Trinitarian theology, there has been a need for a full-scale study of Gunton's doctrine of creation that locates the significance of his understanding of creation within the wider spectrum of his theology. Problem and Promise demonstrates how Gunton's doctrine of creation cannot be read in abstraction from his Trinitarian theology and argues that creation remains a central feature in Gunton’s writing that holds lasting importance for understanding ethical and moral aspects of Gunton’s theology. William B. Whitney establishes how this Trinitarian account of creation goes beyond offering a theological description of the created realm and also provides the basis for understanding human involvement in creation through the enterprises of culture.
The T&T Clark Handbook of Colin Gunton is a theological companion to the study of Gunton's theology, and a resource for thinking about Gunton's importance in modern theology. Each of the essays brings Gunton's depth to a broad range of contemporary theological concerns. The volume unveils cutting-edge Gunton scholarship for a new generation and at the same time enables readers to see the timely significance of Gunton today. Each of the essays not only introduces readers to key themes in the Gunton corpus, but also provides readers with fresh interpretations that are fully conversant with the contemporary theological problems facing the church. Designed as both a guide for students and a reference point for scholars, the companion seeks both to outline the frameworks of key Gunton debates while at all times pushing forward fresh interpretative strategies concerning his thought.
Theologians working on the doctrine of creation are compelled to wrestle with Karl Barth's explication of this doctrine. And yet, studies on Barth have not paid a significant amount of attention to this aspect of his theology. To help fill this gap, Gabriel introduces and clarifies Barth's doctrine of creation by outlining its contours and evaluating three prominent critiques of Barth--critiques that focus on questions regarding the place of nature, the Trinity, Jesus, and history in his doctrine. Gabriel finds value in these critiques, while also identifying ways in which Barth's theology sometimes adequately addresses them. Through this, Gabriel mines insights from Barth that can contribute to a theology of nature or ecological theology and a Trinitarian theology of creation.