Trinitarian Dogmatics: Exploring the Grammar of the Christian Doctrine of God

289 Pages·2022·3.084 MB·English

by  D. Glenn Butner Jr

TRINITARIAN
DOGMATICS
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T R INITA R I A N
DOGM ATIC S
Exploring the Grammar
of the Christian Doctrine of God
D. Glenn Butner Jr.
K
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© 2022 by D. Glenn Butner Jr.
Published by Baker Academic
a division of Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www .bakeracademic .com
Printed in the United States of America
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means—f or example, electronic, photocopy, recording—w ithout the
prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Butner, D. Glenn, 1989– author.
Title: Trinitarian dogmatics : exploring the grammar of the Christian doctrine of God / D. Glenn
Butner Jr.
Description: Grand Rapids, Michigan : Baker Academic, a division of Baker Publishing Group,
[2022] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021053970 | ISBN 9781540962232 (paperback) | ISBN 9781540965554
(casebound) | ISBN 9781493436507 (pdf) | ISBN 9781493436491 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Trinity.
Classification: LCC BT111.3 .B88 2022 | DDC 231/.044—dc23/eng/20211130
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021053970
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®,
copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and
CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016
Baker Publishing Group publications use paper produced from sustainable forestry practices and
post- consumer waste whenever possible.
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To Elias, who has already begun
asking questions about the Trinity.
Here is my answer. May it one day move you
to knowledge and worship.
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Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
Knowing the Triune God 3
The Structure of This Book 10
For Further Reading 12
1. Consubstantiality 15
The Biblical Roots of Consubstantiality 18
Heavenly Mediators and Christology
The Worship of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit
Nicaea and the Doctrine of Consubstantiality 25
Three Historical Explanations of Consubstantiality 29
Basil of Caesarea
Thomas Aquinas
Christian- Muslim Dialogue
The Dogmatic Meaning of Consubstantiality 43
For Further Reading 44
2. Processions and Personal Properties 47
Recent Challenges to Eternal Generation 49
Eternal Generation in Christian Tradition 52
Origen of Alexandria
Thomas Aquinas
Other Theologians
The Dogmatic Meaning of Eternal Generation and Eternal Procession 61
The Exegetical Foundations for the Divine Processions 63
Current Exegetical Strategies for Defending the Divine Processions
Exegetical Warrant by Way of Analogy
vii
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viii Contents
The Personal Properties 71
For Further Reading 72
3. Simplicity 75
Versions of Simplicity and the Divine Attributes 76
Simplicity and a Conceptual Distinction between the Divine Attributes
Simplicity, Analogy, and the Virtual Distinction between Attributes
Simplicity and Formal Distinctions
Gregory Palamas, Simplicity, and the Uncreated Divine Energies
The Dogmatic Function of Divine Simplicity in the Doctrine
of the Trinity 82
The Biblical Case for Divine Simplicity 85
Jesus as God without a Hierarchy of Divinity
Jesus as God without Eliminating Divine Singularity
Other Scriptural Defenses of Divine Simplicity
The Logical Problem of the Trinity and Simplicity 96
Conclusion 98
For Further Reading 99
4. Persons and Relations 101
The Filioque Controversy: Processions, Relations, and Persons 101
Defining Divine Personhood 105
The Rationality Criterion
The Dissimilarity Criterion
The Christological- Compatibility Criterion
The Relationality Criterion
The Unity Criterion
The Uniqueness Criterion
Definition of Divine Persons 127
The Filioque, Persons, and Relations 128
For Further Reading 130
5. Perichoresis 133
Conceptions of Perichoresis 134
Perichoresis and Mutually Interpenetrative Motion
Perichoresis and Mutual Indwelling
Perichoresis and Unity of Love, Consciousness, and Will
Perichoresis in Modern Theology 139
The Dogmatic Function of Perichoresis 144
Perichoresis and Salvation 145
Duration and Change of Sharing
Extent of Sharing
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Contents ix
The Ontological Basis for Sharing
Symmetry in Perichoresis and Union
A Concluding Ecclesiological and Eschatological Note 150
For Further Reading 151
6. Missions 153
Scripture and the Divine Missions 155
Preexistence
Missions as Theophanies
Divine Missions and the Divinity of the Son and Spirit
The Economic and Immanent Trinity 164
A Dogmatic and Metaphysical Understanding of the Divine Missions 168
The Missions and the Divine Economy 171
For Further Reading 172
7. Inseparable Operations 175
The One Power of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit 177
The Inseparable Operations of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit 183
Inseparable Actions and Personal Distinctions 189
Preserving Personal Distinction in the Inseparable Operations
Speculations on the Divine Consciousness
The Doctrine of Appropriations and Distinctive Personal Acts
For Further Reading 197
8. Communion 199
Koinōnia and Communion 201
Three Models of Communion 203
The Co- ordinate Model
The Linear Model
The Incorporative Model
For Further Reading 219
Glossary 221
Bibliography 231
Index of Names 255
Index of Scripture 261
Index of Subjects 267
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