Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture

In the words of the creeds, the church is the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic body of Christ. Of those features, perhaps none is as misunderstood as the church's catholicity (that is, its universality)-because while the church is universal, it is also radically local, connected to a particular community or even found on a specific street corner. How might we reclaim the universality of the church without losing its local situatedness? In this Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture volume, pastor and theologian C. Ryan Fields offers a surprising solution: he turns to the Free Church tradition, those churches that are historically separate or "free" from state oversight. Juxtaposing the Free Church with its Episcopal counterpart, he argues that far from neglecting the catholicity of the church, the Free Church tradition can helpfully inform our understanding of the one body of Christ while remaining true to its local roots. Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture, edited by Daniel J. Treier and Kevin J. Vanhoozer, promotes evangelical contributions to systematic theology, seeking fresh understanding of Christian doctrine through creatively faithful engagement with Scripture in dialogue with church tradition.

What does it mean to pursue safety in the Christian life? Safety is among the most important concerns of human life: we pursue it instinctively and go to great lengths to avoid danger or harm. However, the category of safety has received surprisingly little focused theological reflection. Important questions for the church have gone unanswered: How do secular understandings of safety shape our imaginations? How can Christians navigate the tension of pursuing safety as a creational good in light of the eschatological aims of discipleship? In this volume in IVP Academic's Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture series, theologian Jeremy Lundgren provides a constructive theological analysis of safety. After addressing the conceptual development of safety and risk through premodern, early modern, and late modern settings, he gives practical guidance to the contemporary church on how to faithfully engage with the pursuit of safety in the present day. Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture, edited by Daniel J. Treier and Kevin J. Vanhoozer, promotes evangelical contributions to systematic theology, seeking fresh understanding of Christian doctrine through creatively faithful engagement with Scripture in dialogue with church tradition.

How can we understand God's revelation to us?

How do we know God? Can we know God as he is in himself? These longstanding questions have been addressed by Christian theologians throughout the church's history. Some, such as Thomas Aquinas, have argued that we know God through both natural and supernatural revelation, while others, especially Karl Barth, have argued that we know God only on the basis of the incarnation. Contemporary discussions of these issues sometimes give the impression that we have to choose between a speculative doctrine of God driven by natural theology or metaphysics and a Christ-centered doctrine of God driven by God's work in the history of salvation. In this volume in IVP Academic's Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture series, Steven J. Duby casts a vision for integrating natural theology, the incarnation, and metaphysics in a Christian description of God in himself.

What does the epistle to the Hebrews mean when it calls Jesus "Son"? Is "Son" a title that denotes his eternal existence as one person of the Trinity? Or is it a title Jesus receives upon his installation on heaven's throne after his resurrection and ascension? In this Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture (SCDS) volume, which promotes fresh understandings of Christian belief through creative, faithful readings of the canonical text, pastor and New Testament scholar R. B. Jamieson probes the complexity of the Christology presented in the epistle to the Hebrews. Exploring the paradox of this key term, Jamieson argues that, according to Hebrews, "Son" names both who Jesus is eternally and what he becomes at the climax of his incarnate, saving mission. Jesus is, in short, the eternal Son who became the messianic Son for us and for our salvation. This volume thereby offers a case study showing how the church's core convictions about Christ lead us not away from the text, but deeper into it.

God is good. "Taste and see that the Lord is good," the Psalmist writes (Ps 34:8). And to those who called him good, Jesus said, "No one is good―except God alone" (Mk 10:18). In this volume in IVP Academic's Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture series, Christopher R. J. Holmes explores the divine attribute of God's goodness through a theological interpretation of the Psalter that engages with the church's rich tradition, including Augustine and Barth, but especially Aquinas. He contends that in the very depths of God's being, God is goodness itself and that goodness is preeminent among the divine attributes. Leading us in this journey through the Psalms and the church's tradition, Holmes helps us to understand what it means to make that simple affirmation: God is good.

In his lucidly written and carefully researched study, Jonathan Hoglund provides a constructive treatment of effectual calling that respects both the Reformed tradition and non-Reformed critiques, while subjecting the doctrine to a fresh reading of Scripture with special attention given to the letters of Paul. Hoglund interprets divine calling to salvation as an act of triune rhetoric in which Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in a personal way to communicate new life. By bringing together theological exegesis, rhetorical theory, dogmatic reflection, and historical inquiry, Called by Triune Grace prove to be a feast--not only for the mind but also for the spirit.

Discover the story of salvation in Christ through Levitical rituals Atonement lies at the heart of the Christian faith. In Christ's work of atonement, we are reconciled to God, enabled to draw near to him, and can see his glory. Through studying the Levitical burnt offering, Roy McDaniel takes readers on a deep exploration of Leviticus 1:1-9 in this thought-provoking volume, part of the Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture series from IVP Academic. Using elements of narrative analysis like setting, plot, and hero, McDaniel shows how the Levitical burnt offering is a ritual recapitulation of the narrative of Israel's election and deliverance as depicted in Genesis and Exodus, and how in doing so, it proclaims the atoning work of Christ. At the heart of this work lies the "logic" of atonement, present in the Levitical burnt offering, an idea that contributes to the doctrine of atonement by demonstrating how Christ's incarnate sacrifice is rooted in his eternal identity as God the Son. In Enacting Atonement, Roy McDaniel: - Provides a coherent account of atonement centered on the eternal identity of the Son, - Shows how Levitical sacrifice can inform the church's doctrine of atonement by modeling a careful theological exegesis of Leviticus, and - Explores questions about the meaning of sacrifice and its relationship to the being and attributes of God. Whether you're a scholar, student, pastor-theologian, or a layperson seeking deeper understanding, Enacting Atonement invites you to uncover the rich tapestry of God's redemptive narrative in the Levitical ritual.

How should we read the book of Revelation? Interpreting Scripture faithfully is a challenge with regard to any text and for any reader of the Bible. But perhaps no text confronts and confuses readers as much as the book of Revelation. With its vivid imagery and rich prophetic language, John's Apocalypse provokes and stirs our imaginations. Some have viewed it primarily as a first-century anti-imperial document. Others have read it as a book of prophecies or eschatological promises. Still others wonder why it is in the biblical canon at all. Theologian and biblical scholar Brandon Smith brings clarity to this question by reading the book of Revelation primarily as John's vision of the triune God. In conversation with early church theologians, including Irenaeus, Origen, Athanasius, and the Cappadocians, as well as modern biblical scholarship, Smith shows how John's vision can help us worship the one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture, edited by Daniel J. Treier and Kevin J. Vanhoozer, promotes evangelical contributions to systematic theology, seeking fresh understanding of Christian doctrine through creatively faithful engagement with Scripture in dialogue with church tradition.