Los Angeles Theology Conference

The proceedings of the third annual Los Angeles Theology Conference seek to identify the place of the doctrine of atonement in systematic theology. Locating Atonement: Explorations in Constructive Dogmatics intentionally excludes discussion of theories of atonement, typologies of those theories, and contests among various theories. Instead, it undertakes the question: What else is there to do in atonement theology besides rehashing types and theories?

Theologians often discuss method in a remote and preliminary way that suggests they are not yet speaking theologically when speaking methodologically. But it is also possible to reflect on the work of Christian dogmatics in a way that is self-consciously nourished by biblical reasoning, resourced by tradition, joined up with ecclesial practice, and alert to spiritual dynamics. Bringing together theologians who are actively engaged in the writing and editing of extended dogmatics projects, The Task of Dogmatics represents the proceedings of the 2017 Los Angeles Theology Conference and seeks to provide constructive accounts of the nature of the dogmatic task.

The claim that God acts in the world is surely a basic theological claim, but it is one that has been construed in a wide variety of ways in the Christian theological tradition. In some accounts, God appears as the largest, first, and most powerful agent. In others, God is portrayed as the transcendent ground of all finite agency, while never acting on the same plane as other agents. The Christian doctrine of providence demands clear and deep thinking about God's relation to the world, about the nature of omnipotence, and about the theological meaning of the course of history. Ideas of miracle, natural law, intervention, and double agency are all closely linked in this fundamental Christian doctrinal complex. The Seventh Annual Los Angeles Theology Conference invited theologians across Christian traditions to engage the doctrine and to contribute their constructive accounts and proposals to the theology of divine action and providence.

Scholars from biblical studies and theology have recently been engaged in various ways in the project of theological interpretation of Scripture. This literature has raised issues about the theological content of the biblical material, authorial intention, the reception and formation of the Bible as Christian Scripture, the importance of the canonical form of the text, and the relationship between Scripture and the Rule of Faith. With this recent interdisciplinary debate in mind, the fourth annual Los Angeles Theology Conference focuses on the theological and doctrinal dimensions to the biblical texts drawing on scholars of biblical studies and theology in order to do so. The question that frames it is, "How does the voice of God come to us in the text of Scripture?"

A Fresh Look at the Doctrine of Christ,Essential for Modern Theological Work Christology was the central doctrine articulated by the early church councils, and it remains the subject of vigorous theological investigation today. The study of the doctrine of Christ is a field of broad ecumenical convergence, inviting theologians from all denominational settings to fruitful collaborative exploration. In the contemporary setting, it is especially crucial for theologians to investigate the scriptural witness afresh, to retrieve classical criteria and categories from the tradition, and to consider the generative pressure of soteriology for Christology proper.The first annual Los Angeles Theology Conference sought to make a positive contribution to contemporary dogmatics in intentional engagement with the Christian tradition. Christology, Ancient and Modern brings together conference proceedings, surveying the field and articulating the sources, norms, and criteria for constructive theological work in Christology.

Throughout the last century theologians gave great attention to the doctrine of the Trinity, and succeeded in restoring it to a central place in Christian thought. But as they highlighted the novelty of the revolutionary new trinitarianism, a number of generalizations and simplifications crept into the discussion: a contrast between a supposed "Eastern" view versus a "Western" view; a social and perichoretic foundation for divine unity; and considerable scapegoating of major historical figures, especially among early Latin theologians. What is needed today is a re-evaluation of the twentieth-century trinitarian revolution in light of more careful historical retrievals of major thinkers from the classic tradition, in light of interesting developments in analytic theology, and in light of more nuanced conversations among representatives from between different Christian traditions. The second annual Los Angeles Theology Conference sought to make constructive progress in the doctrine of the Trinity by highlighting the counter-revolutionary trends in the most recent trinitarian thought, and aligning the trinitarian revival with the ongoing task of retrieving the classical doctrine of the Trinity.

Recent decades have witnessed increased attention on the Holy Spirit, recognizing it as a critical component in Christian thought. While the volume of publications on the Spirit indicate that scholarly discussion about the Spirit is both creative and lively, it does sometimes appear to be diffused across the spectrum of contemporary theological thought. Nowhere does this scattering seem more prevalent when discussion of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit occurs in outlying areas of doctrine and practice rather than within its native context-the doctrine of God. The 2020 Los Angeles Theology Conference examined pneumatology as a core component of the doctrine of the Trinity, offering constructive proposals for understanding the doctrine of the Holy Spirit with theological and historical depth, ecumenical scope, and analytic clarity. This book represents the proceedings of the conference.