Paul D. Molnar discusses issues related to the concepts of freedom and necessity in trinitarian doctrine. He considers the implications of “non-conceptual knowledge of God” by comparing the approaches of Karl Rahner and T. F. Torrance. He also reconsiders T. F. Torrance’s “new” natural theology and illustrates why Christology must be central when discussing liberation theology. Further, he explores Catholic and Protestant relations by comparing the views of Elizabeth Johnson, Walter Kasper and Karl Barth, as well as relations among Christians, Jews and Muslims by considering whether it is appropriate to claim that all three religions should be understood to be united under the concept of monotheism. Finally, he probes the controversial issues of how to name God in a way that underscores the full equality of women and men and how to understand “universalism” by placing Torrance and David Bentley Hart into conversation on that subject.
Paul D. Molnar is Professor of Systematic Theology at St. John's University, NY, USA.
IntroductionChapter 1God, Freedom and Necessity: Karl Barth and the Current DiscussionChapter 2Barth and Roman Catholic TheologyChapter 3Karl Barth, Thomas F. Torrance and the "New" Natural TheologyChapter 4Contrasting Visions: Comparing T. F. Torrance and Karl Rahner on Non-Conceptual Knowledge of GodChapter 5Liberation and Theology: A Theological AnalysisChapter 6Language for God: Considering the Difference between ‘Disclosure Models’ and ‘Picturing Models’ in Knowing the Trinity with T. F. Torrance Chapter 7Thomas F. Torrance and David Bentley Hart in Conversation about UniversalismChapter 8Do Christians Worship the Same God as Those from Other Abrahamic Faiths?BibliographyIndex
This volume confirms Paul Molnar as one of the most substantive theologians working in the field today. His research is meticulous, his writing is clear, and his judgments are powerful and sure. It is a pleasure to encounter such high caliber thinking in the service of theology and church.