Paradox in Christian Theology

Paradox in Christian Theology PDF Author: James Anderson
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1556352719
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 345

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Book Description
Does traditional Christianity involve paradoxical doctrines, that is, doctrines that present the appearance (at least) of logical inconsistency? If so, what is the nature of these paradoxes and why do they arise? What is the relationship between paradox and mystery in theological theorizing? And what are the implications for the rationality, or otherwise, of orthodox Christian beliefs? In 'Paradox in Christian Theology', James Anderson argues that the doctrines of the Trinity and the incarnation, as derived from Scripture and formulated in the ecumenical creeds, are indeed paradoxical. But this conclusion, he contends, need not imply that Christians who believe these doctrines are irrational in doing so. In support of this claim, Anderson develops and defends a model of understanding paradoxical Christian doctrines according to which the presence of such doctrines is unsurprising and adherence to paradoxical doctrines cannot be considered as a serious intellectual obstacle to belief in Christianity. The case presented in this book has significant implications for the practice of systematic theology, biblical exegesis, and Christian apologetics.

Paradox in Christian Theology

Paradox in Christian Theology PDF Author: James Anderson
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1556352719
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 345

Get Book Here

Book Description
Does traditional Christianity involve paradoxical doctrines, that is, doctrines that present the appearance (at least) of logical inconsistency? If so, what is the nature of these paradoxes and why do they arise? What is the relationship between paradox and mystery in theological theorizing? And what are the implications for the rationality, or otherwise, of orthodox Christian beliefs? In 'Paradox in Christian Theology', James Anderson argues that the doctrines of the Trinity and the incarnation, as derived from Scripture and formulated in the ecumenical creeds, are indeed paradoxical. But this conclusion, he contends, need not imply that Christians who believe these doctrines are irrational in doing so. In support of this claim, Anderson develops and defends a model of understanding paradoxical Christian doctrines according to which the presence of such doctrines is unsurprising and adherence to paradoxical doctrines cannot be considered as a serious intellectual obstacle to belief in Christianity. The case presented in this book has significant implications for the practice of systematic theology, biblical exegesis, and Christian apologetics.

The Christian Doctrine Paradox

The Christian Doctrine Paradox PDF Author: Philip Joel Walls
Publisher: WestBow Press
ISBN: 1664204024
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 346

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Book Description
The atheist, the agnostic and the devout religious alike; each and every one of us must at some point come to address these universal questions – Why are we here? How did we get here? What is the meaning of life? Why are there so many divisions in our Christian churches? Why are so many people deceived by a multitude of worldly religions? How do we witness a true Christian faith to the religions and philosophies of the world? So many questions at so great a cost for the wrong answers... This book, The Christian Doctrine Paradox, is the perfect illustration of where things went wrong, how we can make it right again, and what can ultimately be defined as Predestination – the reason for life on this planet – and much, much more.

The Trinity and the Vindication of Christian Paradox

The Trinity and the Vindication of Christian Paradox PDF Author: BA Bosserman
Publisher: James Clarke & Company
ISBN: 0227903935
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 283

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Book Description
'The Trinity and the Vindication of Christian Paradox' grapples with the question of how one may hold together the ideals of systematic theology, apologetic proof, and theological paradox by building on the insights of Cornelius Van Til. Van Til developed an apologetic where one presupposes that the Triune God exists, and then proves this Christian presupposition by demonstrating that philosophies that deny it are self-defeating in the specific sense that they rely on principles that only the Trinity, asthe ultimate harmony of unity and diversity, can furnish. A question raised by Van Til's trademark procedure is how he can evade the charge that the apparent contradictions of the christian faith render it equally self-defeating as non-Christian alternatives. This text argues that for Van Til, Christian paradoxes can be differentiated from genuine contradictions by the way that their apparently opposing elements discernibly require one another, even as they present our minds with an irresolvable conflict. And yet, Van Til failed to sufficiently vindicate the central Christian paradox-the doctrine of the Trinity-along the lines required by his system. Hence, the present text offers a unique proof that God can only exist as the pinnacle of unity-in-diversity, and as the ground of a coherent Christian system, if He exists as three, and only three, divine persons.

The Paradox of Sonship

The Paradox of Sonship PDF Author: R. B. Jamieson
Publisher: Inter-Varsity Press
ISBN: 1789743036
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 246

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Book Description
The Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture (SCDS) series promotes fresh understandings of Christian belief through creative, faithful readings of the canonical text. ---------------------------------- What does the epistle to the Hebrews mean when it calls Jesus 'Son'? Is 'Son' a title that denotes his eternal identity in the one, triune God? Or is it a title given to Jesus in light of his unique role as the Messiah? In this volume, theologian and pastor Bobby Jamieson considers the complexity of the Christology presented in the epistle to the Hebrews. Exploring the paradox of the term, Jamieson argues that we should understand Jesus' sonship in light of both his eternal existence as a distinct person of the triune God as well as the messianic office to which he is appointed. Jesus is, in short, the eternal Son who became the incarnate Son in order to fulfil the mission given to him by the Father.

Surprised by Paradox

Surprised by Paradox PDF Author: Jen Pollock Michel
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 083087092X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 221

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Book Description
In a world filled with ambiguity, we want faith to act like an orderly set of truth-claims to solve the problems that life throws at us. While there are certainties in Christian faith, at the heart of the Christian story is also paradox, and Jen Pollock Michel helps readers imagine a Christian faith open to mystery. Jesus invites us to abandon the polarities of either and or in order to embrace the difficult, wondrous dissonance of and.

People of Paradox

People of Paradox PDF Author: Terryl L. Givens
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0198037368
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 433

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Book Description
In People of Paradox, Terryl Givens traces the rise and development of Mormon culture from the days of Joseph Smith in upstate New York, through Brigham Young's founding of the Territory of Deseret on the shores of Great Salt Lake, to the spread of the Latter-Day Saints around the globe. Throughout the last century and a half, Givens notes, distinctive traditions have emerged among the Latter-Day Saints, shaped by dynamic tensions--or paradoxes--that give Mormon cultural expression much of its vitality. Here is a religion shaped by a rigid authoritarian hierarchy and radical individualism; by prophetic certainty and a celebration of learning and intellectual investigation; by existence in exile and a yearning for integration and acceptance by the larger world. Givens divides Mormon history into two periods, separated by the renunciation of polygamy in 1890. In each, he explores the life of the mind, the emphasis on education, the importance of architecture and urban planning (so apparent in Salt Lake City and Mormon temples around the world), and Mormon accomplishments in music and dance, theater, film, literature, and the visual arts. He situates such cultural practices in the context of the society of the larger nation and, in more recent years, the world. Today, he observes, only fourteen percent of Mormon believers live in the United States. Mormonism has never been more prominent in public life. But there is a rich inner life beneath the public surface, one deftly captured in this sympathetic, nuanced account by a leading authority on Mormon history and thought.

Kierkegaard and the Paradox of Religious Diversity

Kierkegaard and the Paradox of Religious Diversity PDF Author: George B. Connell
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 0802868045
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 202

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Book Description
S ren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) famously critiqued Christendom -- especially the religious monoculture of his native Denmark. But what would he make of the dizzying diversity of religious life today? In this book George Connell uses Kierkegaard's thought to explore pressing questions that contemporary religious diversity poses. Connell unpacks an underlying tension in Kierkegaard, revealing both universalistic and particularistic tendencies in his thought. Kierkegaard's paradoxical vision of religious diversity, says Connell, allows for both respectful coexistence with people of different faiths and authentic commitment to one's own faith. Though Kierkegaard lived and wrote in a context very different from ours, this nuanced study shows that his searching reflections on religious faith remain highly relevant in our world today.

Paradox and Truth

Paradox and Truth PDF Author: Ralph Allan Smith
Publisher: Canon Press & Book Service
ISBN: 9781591280026
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
More than 1,500 years after the foundational church councils, the doctrine of the Trinity is still as central and as puzzling to theologians as ever. Reformed theology has seen increasing calls for the Trinity to live at the center of Christian confession, prompting the need for a fuller biblical and practical understanding of the subject.In recent Reformed thought, Cornelius Van Til and Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. have proposed important trinitarian theologies. Ralph Smith assesses these views and, filling out a Van Tilian perspective with Kuyper's lesser-known covenantal view, he provides a refreshing biblical, historical, and applicable perspective on this key Christian reality.

The Grace and Truth Paradox

The Grace and Truth Paradox PDF Author: Randy Alcorn
Publisher: Multnomah
ISBN: 030756469X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 98

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Book Description
Christians trying to model their lives after Jesus may find that He gets buried under lists, rules, and formulas. Now bestselling author Randy Alcorn offers a simple two-point checklist for Christlikeness based on John 1:14. The test consists of balancing grace and truth, equally and unapologetically. Grace without truth deceives people, and ceases to be grace. Truth without grace crushes people, and ceases to be truth. Alcorn shows the reader how to show the world Jesus -- offering grace instead of the world's apathy and tolerance, offering truth instead of the world's relativism and deception. Grace or Truth…or Both? Truth without grace breeds self-righteousness and crushing legalism. Grace without truth breeds deception and moral compromise. Is it possible to embrace both in balance? Jesus did. Randy Alcorn offers a simple yet profound two-point checklist of Christlikeness. “In the end,” says Alcorn, “we don’t need grace or truth. We need grace and truth. And for people to see Jesus in us, they must see both.”

Paradoxology

Paradoxology PDF Author: Krish Kandiah
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830897720
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 324

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Book Description
Many of us have big questions about God that the Christian faith seems to leave unanswered. But what if that tension is exactly where faith comes alive? Paradoxology boldly claims that the paradoxes that seem to undermine belief are actually the heart of our vibrant faith, and it is only by continually wrestling with them that God is most clearly revealed.