The Surprising God

This post [updated 3/24/2019] continues a series that explores  T.F. Torrance in Plain English  wherein author Stephen D. Morrison unpacks nine key ideas in the Christ-centered, Trinitarian theology of  Thomas F. Torrance . For other posts in the series, click a number: 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 .   Last time we looked at Torrance's key idea that natural theology is useful in understanding God, but only when viewed in the light of divine revelation concerning God's true nature. This post looks at the divine nature by exploring Torrance's key idea that the tri-personal God (the Holy Trinity) is revealed to us in Scripture as "one in being" ( homoousion in Greek). Stephen Morrison comments on the meaning and importance of the homoousion  in Torrance's scientific Trinitarian theology: The being and acts of the Father and the Son are one and not divided ( homoousion : "one in being"). This is a central doctrine in Torranc...

This series explores  T.F. Torrance in Plain English  wherein author Stephen D. Morrison unpacks nine key ideas in Thomas F. Torrance's Christ-centered, Trinitarian theology. For other posts in the series, click a number: 1 , 2 , 4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 .   Last time we looked at Torrance's key idea that God is known truly only when we know him in accordance with his nature  (thus scientifically). This time we'll examine a corollary key idea, here summarized by Stephen Morrison: Torrance agrees with Karl Barth's famous rejection of an independent  natural theology, but goes beyond Barth by integrating (contextualizing) natural theology within divine revelation. This is understood best through the relationship of grace and nature: grace does not destroy nature, it perfects and fulfills nature. (p. 67) With this key understanding, Torrance overcame the false (and unfortunate) dualism that views revelation (fa...