Why does God permit the great suffering and evil that we see in our world? This basic question of human existence receives a fresh answer in this book as the mystery of evil is explored in the context of the mystery of the Trinity. God's permission of evil and the way in which suffering can lead human persons into the life of the Trinity are discussed in dialogue with the great Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar. In the light of Balthasar's model of the Trinity as divine self-giving love, we gain a profound grasp of the nature of suffering in human life by placing our suffering in the context of the divine life of the Triune God.

Why does God permit the great suffering and evil that we see in our world? This basic question of human existence receives a fresh answer in this book as the mystery of evil is explored in the context of the mystery of the Trinity. God's permission of evil and the way in which suffering can lead human persons into the life of the Trinity are discussed in dialogue with the great Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar. In the light of Balthasar's model of the Trinity as divine self-giving love, we gain a profound grasp of the nature of suffering in human life by placing our suffering in the context of the divine life of the Triune God.

An Exploration of Different Issues in the Doctrine of the Trinity. Throughout the last century, theologians gave great attention to the doctrine of the Trinity, and they largely 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 crept into the discussion that requires a careful reevaluation of the classical tradition. Trinitarian Theology—the subject of the second annual Los Angeles Theology Conference—sought to make constructive progress in the doctrine of the Trinity by aligning the trinitarian revival with the ongoing task of retrieving the classical doctrine of the Trinity. The nine diverse essays in this collection include discussions on: Ways to clarify the doctrine of the Trinity without sacrificing its essential mystery. The ways in which trinitarian theology applies practically to the Christian life and mission. Highlighting the counter-revolutionary trends in the most recent trinitarian thought. Discourse on the role Karl Barth played in advancing trinitarian thought. Each of the essays collected in this volume engage with Scripture as well as with others in the field—theologians both past and present, from different confessions—in order to provide constructive resources for contemporary systematic theology and to forge a theology for the future.

The doctrine of the Trinity is the foundational doctrine for all Christian theology, doxology and practice. In this publication James Kombo brings a unique and valuable contribution to understanding the Trinity and how God can be understood within the context of any culture and language. Kombo first recognizes and brings into focus God’s self-presentation in Scripture as the triune God. Moving from the early church through various church traditions over the centuries, he interacts with how each tradition viewed God and their interpretation of the Trinity. Closing with a distinctly African view of God from the Luo language tradition, used mostly in Kenya and Tanzania, Kombo emphasises the benefits of considering alternative models of interpretation from various regions of the world. Kombo’s work applying his research across cultures makes this an excellent resource in any context of ministry and the academy.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the Bible (and in Christian experience) are all vital to the reality of salvation. But since the word "Trinity" does not appear in the Bible, many people wonder whether the doctrine is anything more than an intellectual puzzle created by theologians. This book leads readers step-by-step to a robust understanding of God as a Trinity.

Where does evil come from? If there is a sovereign creator God, as Christian faith holds, is this God ultimately responsible for evil? Does God's sovereignty mean that God causes each instance of sin and suffering? How do Satan, his demons and hell fit into God's providential oversight of all creation and history? How does God interact with human intention and action? If people act freely, does God know in particular every human decision before the choice is made? In this important book Gregory A. Boyd mounts a thorough response to these ages-old questions, which remain both crucial and contentious, both practical and complex. In this work Boyd defends his scripturally grounded trinitarian warfare theodicy (presented in God at War) with rigorous philosophical reflection and insights from human experience and scientific discovery. Critiquing the classical Calvinist solution to the problem of evil, he advocates an alternative understanding of the sovereignty of the trinitarian God and of the reality of Satan that sheds light on our fallen human condition. While all may not agree with Boyd's conclusions, Satan and the Problem of Evil promises to advance the church's discussion of these critical issues.

The doctrine of the Trinity was settled in the fourth century, and maintained, with only very minor disagreement or development, by all strands of the church--Western and Eastern, Protestant and Catholic--until the modern period. In the twentieth century, there arose a sense that the doctrine had been neglected and stood in need of recovery. In The Quest for the Trinity, Holmes takes us on a remarkable journey through 2,000 years of the Christian doctrine of God. We witness the church s discovery of the Trinity from the biblical testimony, its crucial patristic developments, and medieval and Reformation continuity. We are also confronted with the questioning of traditional dogma during the Enlightenment, and asked to consider anew the character of the modern Trinitarian revival. Holmes s controversial conclusion is that the explosion of theological work in recent decades claiming to recapture the heart of Christian theology in fact deeply misunderstands and misappropriates the traditional doctrine of the Trinity. Yet his aim is constructive: to grasp the wisdom of the past and, ultimately, to bring a clearer understanding of the meaning of the present.