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Which Trinity? Whose Monotheism? Philosophical and Systematic Theologians on the Metaphysics of Trinitarian Theology
The last few decades have witnessed a renaissance of Trinitarian theology. Theologians have worked to recover this doctrine for a proper understanding of the God and for the life of the church. At the same time, analytic philosophers of religion have become keenly interested in the Trinity, engaging in vigorous debates related to it. To this point, however, the work of the two groups has taken place in almost complete isolation from one another. Which Trinity? Whose Monotheism? Seeks to bridge that divide. / Thomas H. McCall compares the work of significant philosophers of religion � Richard Swinburne, Brian Leftow, and others � with that of influential theologians such as J�rgen Moltmann, Robert Jenson, and John Zizioulas. He then evaluates several important proposals and offers suggestion for the future of Trinitarian theology. / There are many books on the doctrine of the Trinity, but no other book brings the concerns of analytic philosophers of religion into direct conversation with those of mainstream theologians.
- GenresTheologyPhilosophy
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2010
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About the author
Thomas H. McCall
23 books6 followersDr. McCall is Professor of Theology and Scholar-in-Residence at Asbury University. Prior to this, he served for sixteen years as Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, where he was also the Director of the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding. During this same time, he held an appointment as Professorial Fellow in Exegetical and Analytic Theology at the University of St. Andrews.
Dr. McCall is ordained in the Wesleyan Church and has pastored churches in southwestern Michigan and southcentral Alaska.
Dr. McCall is ordained in the Wesleyan Church and has pastored churches in southwestern Michigan and southcentral Alaska.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 28, 2017
Similar to Prof McCall's primer on analytic theology, this book is more than a survey on recent Trinitarian options. It is a model on how to think clearly. He begins with some basic forays, then examines several live options today, and ends with some tentative suggestions.
Behind the theologians there are there deeper substrata: Latin Trinitarianism (LT), Social Trinitarianism (ST), and Relative Trinitarianism (RT). LT comes out the worse for wear. His section on LT takes Brian Leftow's essays to task, showing how it is a dialectic between ST and modalism.
Leftow openly says there are “personal parts” in God (Leftow, “A Latin Trinity,” 308, quoted in McCall 114). Indeed, “they add up to the life of the one God” (“Modes without Modalism,” 375). This is hard to square with any account of divine simplicity, but there are bigger problems.
If Leftow is representative of LT, then LT is guilty of positing a Quaternity. So far we have
(3) there are personal parts that add up to the one God
(4) “There is either a fourth instance of divinity,
(4a) or there is not” (McCall 115).
If (4) is true, it is either a divine person or it is not a divine person. Orthodoxy rules out its being a divine person. Logically, that wouldn’t hold, either. A person usually isn’t part of another person (except in the womb, I suppose). As McCall notes, “When three persons add up to another [something], it usually isn’t a person.”
McCall then examines Robert Jenson's claim that God is "whoever raised Jesus from the dead." That's not a bad definition, but Jenson can't avoid positing a temporal god. Jenson’s main argument is that God is “identified by and with the particular plotted sequence of events that make the narrative of Israel and her Christ” (Jenson, ST1, p. 60, quoted in Mccall 131).
Said another way: God is constituted by these historical acts. This leads to a number of big problems:
(5) Theory of Worldbound Individuals (TWI): “For any object x and relational property P, if has P, then for any object y, if there is a world in which y lacks P, then y is distinct from P” (Plantinga, quoted in McCall 143).
(5a) The grim conclusion, if Jenson holds to both his Identity Thesis and TWI, then God could not exist apart from the temporal events in this world.
(5*) for TWI all divine properties are essential properties.
(6) The Son has an essential property (being incarnate) that the Father does not have.
(6a) The Son’s economic property of being subordinate to the Father is now an essential property!
Is Jenson’s God temporal? It looks like it. Let’s take two theses which Jenson would hold: the Indiscernability of Indenticals and TWI. God’s identity for Jenson is linked to key temporal actions in Israel’s life (Exodus, etc; “God can have no identity except as he meets the temporal end toward which creatures live,” Jenson, ST1, 65). This leads to the following:
(7) God has different properties at t1 (e.g., call of Abraham) than he does at t2 (Exodus). Thus,
(7*) God is not identical to himself.
(7’) God changes through time.
So much for Jenson.
McCall also has several fine chapters on the Evangelical Functional Subordination debate and John Zizioulas. They are extremely important but too detailed to discuss here. This is an outstanding book that exercises the mind and clears away false models of the Trinity.
Behind the theologians there are there deeper substrata: Latin Trinitarianism (LT), Social Trinitarianism (ST), and Relative Trinitarianism (RT). LT comes out the worse for wear. His section on LT takes Brian Leftow's essays to task, showing how it is a dialectic between ST and modalism.
Leftow openly says there are “personal parts” in God (Leftow, “A Latin Trinity,” 308, quoted in McCall 114). Indeed, “they add up to the life of the one God” (“Modes without Modalism,” 375). This is hard to square with any account of divine simplicity, but there are bigger problems.
If Leftow is representative of LT, then LT is guilty of positing a Quaternity. So far we have
(3) there are personal parts that add up to the one God
(4) “There is either a fourth instance of divinity,
(4a) or there is not” (McCall 115).
If (4) is true, it is either a divine person or it is not a divine person. Orthodoxy rules out its being a divine person. Logically, that wouldn’t hold, either. A person usually isn’t part of another person (except in the womb, I suppose). As McCall notes, “When three persons add up to another [something], it usually isn’t a person.”
McCall then examines Robert Jenson's claim that God is "whoever raised Jesus from the dead." That's not a bad definition, but Jenson can't avoid positing a temporal god. Jenson’s main argument is that God is “identified by and with the particular plotted sequence of events that make the narrative of Israel and her Christ” (Jenson, ST1, p. 60, quoted in Mccall 131).
Said another way: God is constituted by these historical acts. This leads to a number of big problems:
(5) Theory of Worldbound Individuals (TWI): “For any object x and relational property P, if has P, then for any object y, if there is a world in which y lacks P, then y is distinct from P” (Plantinga, quoted in McCall 143).
(5a) The grim conclusion, if Jenson holds to both his Identity Thesis and TWI, then God could not exist apart from the temporal events in this world.
(5*) for TWI all divine properties are essential properties.
(6) The Son has an essential property (being incarnate) that the Father does not have.
(6a) The Son’s economic property of being subordinate to the Father is now an essential property!
Is Jenson’s God temporal? It looks like it. Let’s take two theses which Jenson would hold: the Indiscernability of Indenticals and TWI. God’s identity for Jenson is linked to key temporal actions in Israel’s life (Exodus, etc; “God can have no identity except as he meets the temporal end toward which creatures live,” Jenson, ST1, 65). This leads to the following:
(7) God has different properties at t1 (e.g., call of Abraham) than he does at t2 (Exodus). Thus,
(7*) God is not identical to himself.
(7’) God changes through time.
So much for Jenson.
McCall also has several fine chapters on the Evangelical Functional Subordination debate and John Zizioulas. They are extremely important but too detailed to discuss here. This is an outstanding book that exercises the mind and clears away false models of the Trinity.
January 10, 2020
Last fall, I read a number of philosophical-theological books on the Trinity. This book was one of them. McCall is a philosophically-minded systematic theologian. He writes clearly and has a good grasp of the issues. The first part of the book covered recent discussions of the Trinity in philosophical theology. Two basic views of the Trinity are often discussed by philosophers of religion. There is Social Trinitarianism, which places greater emphasis on the Trinity's "threeness." And there is Anti-Social Trinitarianism, sometimes called Latin Trinitarianism, which places greater emphasis on the Trinity's "oneness." Like all orthodox Christians, McCall states that we must avoid tritheism (or polytheism), modalism, and the ontological subordination of the Son. I think I appreciated this part of the book most, because it was a fairly clear summary of recent discussions of the Trinity.
The second part of the book examines some interesting, unorthodox, and bizarre Trinitarian doctrine from theologians such as Robert Jenson, Jurgen Moltmann, and John Zizioulas, as well as those who advocate for the eternal functional subordination of the Son.
Those who want to learn more about Trinitarian theology than what is presented in standard systematic theologies might want to read this book.
The second part of the book examines some interesting, unorthodox, and bizarre Trinitarian doctrine from theologians such as Robert Jenson, Jurgen Moltmann, and John Zizioulas, as well as those who advocate for the eternal functional subordination of the Son.
Those who want to learn more about Trinitarian theology than what is presented in standard systematic theologies might want to read this book.
January 4, 2023
A superb, balanced, thorough, and clear scholarly work on Trinitarian doctrine with a specific metaphysical leaning. McCall aims to apply the methods of analytical philosophy and the concomitant conceptual clarity to theological discussion, and reciprocally to apply important theological desiderata (Biblical and creedal) to philosophical discussions. The author clearly wants to maintain an orthodox, Biblical model of Trinitarianism which is defensible philosophically and metaphysically, and understands that the Trinity is not a cold metaphysical notion but has very real implications, like the mutual reciprocal love within the Triune God who possesses sovereignty and aseity being extended to humanity.
Firstly, swift overview of the book. This work is divided into three sections: the first discusses philosophical and metaphysical Trinitarian models - social, relational, Latin, and any variations within the broader categories thereof-, applicable theological desiderata, and then returns to these models in light of the covered desiderata; the second examines the ideas of Trinitarian theologians and philosophers, highlighting the advantages and right ideas therein while critiquing any inconsistencies or possible dangers, where necessary offering possible amendments or resolutions - including Jenson's notion of the Identity and Identification Theses, Moltmann's perichoresis, the contemporary eternal functional subordination debate, Zizioulas' ideas of being as communion and divine aseity and sovereignty - delineating practically how philosophical tools can be utilised in analysis of theological discussions; the third section delineates certain theses on Trinitarian theology and how to proceed in the future, making methodological points such as not applying Trinitarian doctrine to sociopolitical debates in a thoroughly unnecessary way, and to apply a Trinitarian framework to how we view the God-world relation in providence and redemption.
Secondly, a quick record of my thoughts, which are probably more to aid myself in processing some thoughts. 1 - This was my first entrance into the realm of philosophical theology. Though I have some knowledge in philosophy and theology (more in the latter), I lacked some knowledge of metaphysical notions and even the conceptual tools to parse some issues. Yet, I found the book though somewhat dense and requiring slow and deliberate reading to still be of great use, and an encouragement to delve into books of a similar approach or leaning. 2 - I read this book primarily to grasp a philosophical defense of the Trinity, particularly against the LPT as advanced by Muslim apologists, and realised that some of the basic defenses provided are unfortunately philosophically shallow. For instance, one has to be able to define "being" and "person" in the definition "one being, three persons", and the relation of the two terms thereof, at the risk of a lack of conceptual clarity. I realised that I have more work to do in this area, both thinking and reading, though it was a dual relief to see that Christian philosophers have done work in these areas and that McCall's recommendation of Yandell's modified Social Trinitarianism or the Constitution Theory within Relational Trinitarianism could resolve these issues without being theologically bankrupt. 3 - Though not directly or adequately addressed, the methodological issue of philosophy as applies to theology has to be considered, and where to concretely draw the line in regards to speculation. I am sure that work has been done on this, and I would more likely hold to a view of philosophy being subordinate to theology, which may be consistent with my presuppositionalist leanings; however, I could stand to be convinced. McCall's theses in the third section provide a useful primer with specificity to considerations of Trinitarian doctrine, though principles circumscribing a wider diameter would be helpful, yet obviously not required in the context of the purpose of this work. 4 - I hope philosophy in university is not as dense as this. 5 - This book is pretty cheap on Kindle from Amazon, and in my opinion it is more than worth the price.
Really quite good, balanced, and elucidating.
Firstly, swift overview of the book. This work is divided into three sections: the first discusses philosophical and metaphysical Trinitarian models - social, relational, Latin, and any variations within the broader categories thereof-, applicable theological desiderata, and then returns to these models in light of the covered desiderata; the second examines the ideas of Trinitarian theologians and philosophers, highlighting the advantages and right ideas therein while critiquing any inconsistencies or possible dangers, where necessary offering possible amendments or resolutions - including Jenson's notion of the Identity and Identification Theses, Moltmann's perichoresis, the contemporary eternal functional subordination debate, Zizioulas' ideas of being as communion and divine aseity and sovereignty - delineating practically how philosophical tools can be utilised in analysis of theological discussions; the third section delineates certain theses on Trinitarian theology and how to proceed in the future, making methodological points such as not applying Trinitarian doctrine to sociopolitical debates in a thoroughly unnecessary way, and to apply a Trinitarian framework to how we view the God-world relation in providence and redemption.
Secondly, a quick record of my thoughts, which are probably more to aid myself in processing some thoughts. 1 - This was my first entrance into the realm of philosophical theology. Though I have some knowledge in philosophy and theology (more in the latter), I lacked some knowledge of metaphysical notions and even the conceptual tools to parse some issues. Yet, I found the book though somewhat dense and requiring slow and deliberate reading to still be of great use, and an encouragement to delve into books of a similar approach or leaning. 2 - I read this book primarily to grasp a philosophical defense of the Trinity, particularly against the LPT as advanced by Muslim apologists, and realised that some of the basic defenses provided are unfortunately philosophically shallow. For instance, one has to be able to define "being" and "person" in the definition "one being, three persons", and the relation of the two terms thereof, at the risk of a lack of conceptual clarity. I realised that I have more work to do in this area, both thinking and reading, though it was a dual relief to see that Christian philosophers have done work in these areas and that McCall's recommendation of Yandell's modified Social Trinitarianism or the Constitution Theory within Relational Trinitarianism could resolve these issues without being theologically bankrupt. 3 - Though not directly or adequately addressed, the methodological issue of philosophy as applies to theology has to be considered, and where to concretely draw the line in regards to speculation. I am sure that work has been done on this, and I would more likely hold to a view of philosophy being subordinate to theology, which may be consistent with my presuppositionalist leanings; however, I could stand to be convinced. McCall's theses in the third section provide a useful primer with specificity to considerations of Trinitarian doctrine, though principles circumscribing a wider diameter would be helpful, yet obviously not required in the context of the purpose of this work. 4 - I hope philosophy in university is not as dense as this. 5 - This book is pretty cheap on Kindle from Amazon, and in my opinion it is more than worth the price.
Really quite good, balanced, and elucidating.
February 22, 2022
Excellent book on the Trinity and gives a coherent biblical account of the doctrine. McCall gives an account along the line of Keith Yandell which rejects incoherent notions of divine simplicity but still has an account of it that has all the advantages of the classical doctrine and none of its drawbacks. Much commended book. The discussions of different Trinitarianisms is fascinating as well.
February 28, 2021
'Look, ma, I can make any model of the Trinity in to my model of the Trinity.' --Thomas McCall
Good refutation of the 'post-quantum Hegelianism' (my phrase) of Jenson, who speaks nonsense that I've never quite been able to put my finger on. He's fingered good here.
Good refutation of the 'post-quantum Hegelianism' (my phrase) of Jenson, who speaks nonsense that I've never quite been able to put my finger on. He's fingered good here.
February 23, 2015
Exceptional treatment of the subject, with good reviews of specific works representing new ideas in the field.
March 12, 2013
This is an essential resource for anyone wanting to start a more in-depth study of the trinity. McCall provides excellent summaries and interaction with various trinity models and issues.
October 28, 2014
A must read. That is all.
February 22, 2024
A good overview of models and debates within Trinitarianism.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews