Wolfhart Pannenberg

  On The Trinity   In what follows, I read  De trinitate  with Barth, Pannenberg, Jenson, Hodgson, and Moltmann as conversation partners. I argue three things. First, Augustine’s analogies of mind, knowledge, and love, and of memory, understanding, and will, show that unity and multiplicity belong together in created life, which makes the Trinity plausible but does not disclose it. Second, by presupposing a simple divine essence prior to the relations among the persons, Augustine loosens the link between trinitarian language and the biblical narrative that gave it meaning. Third, a better doctrine grounds the Trinity in the way Father, Son, and Spirit relate to one another in revelation, and I close by suggesting that the eternal begetting of the Son and procession of the Spirit already embrace the finite world that God creates and redeems. The most widespread and longest-lasting theological controversies of the 4th century focused on the Christian doctrine of the...

            I want to raise the question of the church in relationship to its culture. In fact, Wolfhart Pannenberg ( “ Kingdom of God and the Church,” 1967, in   Theology and the Kingdom of God,  1969) notes that one can understand the church only in relationship to the world. For him, too many people take the church seriously by denigrating the world. The relationship is essential for the authentic vocation of the church. In fact, the very concept of a Christian community presupposes an other larger community.   A classic statement of the relationship is in Augustine ( City of God,  Books 11-22) saying that the city of humanity was one that began with Cain, who served himself, while the city of God is symbolized by Abel. The city of God is traceable through Noah, Abraham, Moses, the children of Israel, David, the prophets, and the church. The church is a witness to this city, for humanity will find its fulfillment in the city of G...