The Trinity in German Thought

This book, published in 2000, is about the Christian doctrine of the Trinity as it has developed in Germany.

Samuel M. Powell (Author)

9780521092920, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 8 January 2009

292 pages
21.6 x 14 x 1.7 cm, 0.37 kg

Review of the hardback: ' … what he offers us at one and the same time is both a framework within which to understand present developments and a series of very helpful vignettes of the thought of major figures along the way.' David Brown

The Trinity in German Thought, published in 2000, describes the three ideas that govern modern German Trinitarian thought: the ideas of reflective selfhood, of revelation and of history. 'Reflective selfhood' designates the attempt at finding an analogy between the Trinity and the structure of the human self. Such attempts, following the lead of Augustine, typically see the structure of self-consciousness as an especially apt analogy of the Trinity. 'Revelation' points to two questions: what is the Word of God? and can the idea of the Trinity be derived from the Word? From Martin Luther to the present, Trinitarian thought has depended on the way in which theologians conceived of the Word. 'History' designates the impact that historical modes of thought have had on Trinitarian thought. For some, 'history' has meant a critical approach to Scripture and creeds; for others, it has meant God's own participation in history.

Foreword
Introduction
1. Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon
2. Between scholastic theology and enlightenment
3. The critical enlightenment
4. Hegel
5. Liberal theology
6. The twentieth century
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Christian theology [HRCM]