The Doctrine of Creation: Essays in Dogmatics, History and Philosophy

by Colin Ewart Gunton

Publisher:

T&T Clark

, 2004

Overview

This study, by leading scholars from around the world, engages with central hermeneutical, philosophical and theological dimensions of the doctrine of creation. Particular prominence is given to discussion of creation “out of nothing,” the relation of eternal creator to temporal creation, the Trinitarian construction of the doctrine and its ethical implications. Opens up new dimensions to an important topic.

Contents

Top Highlights

“The fourth aspect is what can generally be referred to as the moral” (Page 5)

“Reality other than God has not only a beginning but a termination” (Page 22)

“Because we confuse making and creating, there is a common tendency, across a broad theological spectrum, to think of creation as a process, which it cannot be. Processes can only occur as changes to what is created. (Neither the sequence of days in Genesis 1 (as interpreted by some) nor the theory of evolution by natural selection are possible modes of creation, but of change and development.” (Page 32)

“For our purposes, however, all that is required is that we reiterate Moltmann’s comment that the phrase ‘ex nihilo’ intends to say nothing more than that ‘the world was created neither out of pre-existent matter, nor out of the divine Being itself’.” (Page 84)

“creation and the Creator by contrasting the relationship of God to the world with the inner-trinitarian relations” (Page 156)

Product Details

• Title: The Doctrine of Creation: Essays in Dogmatics, History and Philosophy
• Editor: Colin E. Gunton
• Publisher: T & T Clark
• Publication Date: 1997
• Pages: 224

About Colin Ewart Gunton

Colin E. Gunton (1941–2003) was professor of systematic theology at King’s College in London from 1969 until his death. He was appointed professor of theology in 1984 and then served as head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies from 1993–1996. In 1992 Gunton delivered the Bampton Lectures at the University of Oxford and in 1993 he delivered the Warfield Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary. Together with John Webster, Gunton co-founded the International Journal of Systematic Theology.

Gunton is often cited as one of the most important British theologians of his generation. Just before his death, he was awarded the earned D. D. by the University of Oxford, where he had taken his three previous degrees. Also just before his death, King’s College planned to make him a fellow of the college, its highest honor, which was then awarded posthumously.

He has authored several works, including The Doctrine of Creation: Essays in Dogmatics, History and Philosophy, The Actuality of Atonement, Christ and Creation, and the titles in the Colin E. Gunton Theology Collection.