Reviews

Holy Scripture: revelation, inspiration and interpretation (1994)

Jesus Christ: Saviour and Lord (1997)

A Theology of Word and Spirit is the first volume in a new series called Christian Foundations by Donald G. Bloesch (PhD University of Chicago, 1956) who has been on the faculty of the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary (Presbyterian Church USA) since 1957 and is due to retire in 1993. He is a prolific writer in the area of evangelical theology, spirituality and ethics, and is perhaps best known for Essentials of Evangelical Theology (2 vols: Harper and Row, 1978-9) and The Evangelical Renaissance (Hodder and Stoughton, 1973).

This is his 26th book, and previous works include two theological diaries, one edited work, one co-edited work, two co-authored and one book of songs; he has also published more than hundred articles, reviews and contributions to symposia and reference works.

This ambitious new series (a projected seven volumes over the next eight to ten years) is designed to treat specific theological issues in greater depth and with broader appeal than his previous works. Appropriately, the first volume is devoted to theological foundations, and deals with topics such as revelation, faith, reason, authority, language and method with a view to establishing the basis for a theology that is comprehensive (or catholic) and evangelical, as well as one that serves the church in renewal, witness and worship.

However, in the compass of its 273 pages of attractively laid out text (plus extensive notes, complete indices and several appendices but no bibliography), it manages to deal with many other issues as well including apologetics, ethics, evangelism and theology proper, as well as offering an analysis of contemporary theological trends and mapping out options for future development.

As usual, Bloesch presents a tightly integrated system, reiterating fundamental themes in the manner of a good teacher and showing how they relate to various aspects of his thinking even if this involves a certain amount of repetition. He also provides succinct summaries of biblical material and surveys of historical theology, as well as making many applications to the life and witness of the church.

Gender neutral language has also been introduced for the first time in his writings, although not for divine names, an issue about which Bloesch has strong views. These views appeared in two of his earlier books, Is the Bible Sexist (Crossway Books, 1982) and The Battle for the Trinity (Servant Books, 1985) and have been repeated in some detail in this latest offering (p 81-94).

Readers familiar with his earlier books, especially The Ground of Certainty (Eerdmans, 1971), The Christian Life and Salvation (Eerdmans: 1967) and Christian Witness in a Secular Age (Augsburg, 1968) will notice that in A Theology of Word and Spirit he has provided an excellent restatement of his distinctive theological ideas, with "some slight changes in my theological perspective," as he puts it. (p 11) These are largely changes of emphasis, (rather than of substance) due to changes in how Bloesch perceives the current theological climate. Most of these emphases have been noticeable in articles which have appeared over the last few years, but they are now brought together much more systematically.

Instead of the existentialism, secularism and neo-Protestantism which mainly occupied his attention earlier, he now focuses more on "undogmatic theology" which is "free from the constraint of biblical or confessional norms," (p 16) that is "divested of its metaphysical import" and is "focused on the language and psychology of faith rather than its veracity and universal normativeness." (p 11)

Accordingly, he now places greater emphasis on the truth content and metaphysical implications of revelation, which leads to a small but subtle change in his definition of theology. This is now more clearly seen as the "faithful exposition of what God has revealed in Holy Scripture," (pp 18, 38, 114, 129) rather than "a true understanding of the will and purpose of God disclosed in Jesus Christ" (Future of Evangelical Christianity Doubleday: 1983, 122)

In the interests of the "catholic" aspect of his theology (universality in outreach and continuity with the whole church p 124) he now consistently relates God's self-revelation in Scripture to the tradition of the church where it is witnessed or reaffirmed. Similarly he spells out in more detail the inter-relationships between the relative norms which he lays down as the sources and authorities for theology - Scripture, church and conscience. (p 196f)

But he still follows a Barthian line in strongly rejecting natural theology, natural law, rationalism and evidential apologetics (not least in their evangelical forms) in favour of what he now calls "fideistic" or "dynamic revelationism." (p 21) He still faults Protestant and Catholic liberalism, process, liberation and feminist theologies (and now also narrative theology, the New Age movement and the pluralistic theology of religions) for accommodating and correlating themselves too much with the contemporary mindset and culture. He also repeats his charge accusing much evangelical theology with an irresponsible disengagement from modernity in its misguided efforts to restore the values of a pre-critical age.

Essentially, however, the book is an updated, more detailed and sharply focused outline of the basic elements of Bloesch's theology of Word and Spirit which he has expounded from the beginning of his career.

 Showing his fidelity to the classic Reformation doctrines, he begins with the living God personally addressing us in the Gospel of Christ, as attested in Scripture and reaffirmed in the teaching and witness of the church. The appropriation of this salvation in the awakening to faith through the illumination of the Spirit is only fully actualised in a life of costly discipleship and devotion to Christ within the context of the church, its worship, witness and service in the world.

What is distinctive in Bloesch's approach is first of all a profound integration of objective and subjective elements so it is truly a case of a theology of Word and Spirit. This has important implications for the nature of theology because it makes the experience of faith a correlative of revelation, although they are not on an equal par (p 14) because of the total independence of the absolute norm, God's self-revelation in Christ. (p 196)

It also means that the purpose of the theological enterprise is to lead the church to greater devotion and conformity to the will of God as known in Christ. As a human formulation of the content of divine revelation, theology is a humble, open-ended exercise of piety (summa pietatis - Calvin p 124) rather than a dogmatic intellectual exercise which seeks rational certainty about divine truth. It is "a venture of obedience before it is a search for a deeper understanding - either of divinity or of humanity." (p 133)

This view of theology as "faith seeking understanding" greatly enhances its role in relation to the church, especially its witness, renewal and unity, which is a highly prominent feature of Bloesch's work.

Then arising out of the above, the second distinctive feature is the role of paradox and its extensive impact upon theological method and content. With Kierkegaard, Bloesch points to the foundational paradox of the divine-become-human in the incarnation as a key to understanding the Christian faith. He also builds a great deal on the paradoxical unity of divine and human elements in Scripture, (which will be the topic of the second volume in the Christian Foundations series) but he also identifies similar characteristics in the other loci of theological authority, church and conscience, (pp 199-202) and especially in salvation and the Christian life - the "paradox of salvation" is that "God does all but in and through human decision and obedience." (p 247)

Indeed, for Bloesch, paradoxical (and analogical) language is a necessity for the explication of the Word of God, not because there is ultimate mystery, but because of the limitations of fallen human reason. Bloesch is emphatic about the noetic effects of sin, which is the reason for his sharp rejection of natural theology and rationalistic apologetics and for his condemnation of semi-Pelagian forms of revivalism. But in this volume he is much more affirmative that "there is no paradox in Christ himself nor in his relation to God," for he is the "divine rationality . . . the Logos, the power and wisdom of God." (p 199)

Bloesch finds the concept of "paradox" extremely effective when dealing with the "new reality" (p 200) of Christ and in many related matters. Thus he uses it not only to explicate the relationship of divine and human in salvation, but also as a means to resolve long-standing doctrinal and ecclesiastical conflicts. This commitment to a centrist approach which does not involve a compromise but a synthesis of theological polarities and a desire for Christian unity based on the Gospel is a key feature of Bloesch's proposal for a catholic and evangelical theology.

He employs the idea of paradox in conjunction with his distinctive view of the nature of theology when advocating a confessional, kerygmatic theology that stands over against modern culture to transform it, rather than one that is in synthesis or correlation with it, as is the case with so much of the contemporary theology he describes in this book.

The overall purpose of his theological work is "to equip the church to make a powerful and compelling witness [in both word and deed] to God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ as we find this in Holy Scripture" and thus to "prepare the way for the kingdom of God." (p 24) However, by the end of the book he seems to have his eye more on the discordant theological voices and the threat of an impending church conflict which calls for a "new kind of confessional theology" (p 267) than he does on the call for church renewal.

In this volume his customary dialectic style of writing is still apparent, which sometimes leaves the reader grasping for tangible content but at the same time experiencing a satisfying sense of illumination and edification. But in fact, this is intrinsic to those basic principles which have made his work so significant for evangelical and ecumenical theology. This book provides an excellent statement of those principles and offers a promise of more to come in the remaining volumes of the series.

Return to top of page 

(Carlisle: Paternoster / Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1994)

Holy Scripture is the second volume in a new systematic theology series, Christian Foundations, being published by Donald Bloesch, emeritus professor of theology at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. (For the first, A Theology of Word and Spirit, see ERT 17:4 October 1993, 509-512). In tackling critical elements of the doctrine of Scripture in this expanded form, Bloesch consolidates and refines his position as expressed in earlier writings, especially Essentials of Evangelical Theology. Expounding his distinctive "progressive evangelicalism", his main concern is to steer between two equally unacceptable and increasingly polarised options. On the one hand, there is a rationalistic biblicism which treats Scripture as if it were a legalistic text or even an oracle; on the other, a "latitudinarianism that plays fast and loose with the biblical texts". Bloesch’s preference is for a view which sees Scripture as the written Word of God which is "by virtue of its divine inspiration a reliable witness to the truth revealed by God in Jesus Christ." However, "it becomes the living Word when it actually communicates to us the truth and power of the cross of Christ through the illumination of the Spirit.".

The first part of the book sets the topic in its contemporary scholarly and church context with emphasis on "the crisis in biblical authority," and then proceeds to as detailed discussion of revelation and inspiration. Bloesch rightly sees the approach to Scripture as crucial for all other theological issues. Although he holds a high view of Scripture and its authority, he rejects the idea that the Word of God can be identified simply with the text of the Bible. Instead, he sees it as a "mediate source of divine revelation"; the "ultimate source is the living Christ, who speaks to us by his Spirit." Following on the theme of his earlier volume, Bloesch affirms "the paradoxical unity of Word and Spirit so that the reception of the Word is both a rational apprehension and a redeeming experience."

Bloesch’s comprehensive approach is seen a chapter on tradition in which he discusses the complex relationship between Scripture and the church, including tradition, canon and the role of the believing community for the proper reception of the power of Scripture as the Word of God. He affirms the need to recognize that "church tradition is not the container of the truth of the gospel but the sign and witness of the forward movement of this truth in history." However, he warns that the gospel is "imparted in such a way that it is never our possession but always our goal and hope."

The second half of the book, which is more tightly constructed than the first, turns to the important issue of hermeneutics. A general discussion of the topic is followed by a chapter devoted entirely to "Rudolf Bultmann: An Enduring Presence." Bloesch regards Bultmann as one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century in regard to biblical studies and especially hermeneutical issues. This judgement is reinforced in the concluding chapters on the Bible and myth, and biblical and philosophical perspectives on truth. Bloesch recognizes that the Bible contains various literary forms, some of which may be described as "mythopoetical" by which he means an "imagistic language describing the dramatic interaction between divinity and humanity . . . that cannot be captured in literal or univocal language." However, this does not imply that the "reality that this language describes is mythological" and nor does it limit the ability of Scripture to convey the truth of God’s word. Nevertheless, Bloesch asserts that the forms must be taken seriously since we only have access to the Word in its literary form. But the "transformative and informative" truth of God’s Word is to be found in obedient faith rather than in assent to some rationalistic concepts or being caught up in some moral or mystical experience.

Bloesch’s dependence on key mentors such as Barth and P.T. Forsyth is once again clearly apparent, as are his skilful presentations of insights from historical theology and his creative integration of theological insights with spiritual realities. Similarly, crucial interpretative concepts such as paradox and Christological gospel-centred hermeneutics are used extensively. Bloesch devotes special attention, (sometimes in appendices attached to the relevant chapters), to topical issues such as theological method, inerrancy, narrative theology and the status of the Apocrypha. These, and discussions of some prominent evangelical positions, together with extensive documentation, combine to make this volume an important point of reference for the thinking of one of evangelicalism’s most respected senior theologians.

 Return to top of page 

(Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1995)

This is the third in Donald Bloesch’s new theological series, Christian Foundations. The earlier volumes were devoted to theological method and the doctrine of Scripture. He now tackles classic and contemporary issues relating to the theology of God in an "expositional theology" with twin emphases. First, there is a clear presentation of what he calls the "biblical-prophetic" understanding of God which contrasts in many ways with other historic and modern treatments. But then above all it reveals a God who is personal and one who calls for the worship and service of his creatures. As Bloesch puts it in the conclusion, "We can worship this God because of the majesty of his glory. We can love this God because he has chosen to meet us on our level and enter into personal relations with us."

The general line taken by the author is clear from the title and subtitle, indicating that he has little sympathy with much contemporary thinking which speaks of God’s vulnerability or speaks of God in impersonal terms. Thus a considerable proportion of the volume is devoted to an exposition of the classic attributes.

In accordance with his customary rigour, Dr Bloesch, Emeritus Profess of Theology at Dubuque Theological Seminary, Iowa, commences with an investigation of philosophical questions, such as act and being; essence, existence and attributes; God and necessity, and rationalism and mysticism. While not conceding that philosophy can be a source of divine knowledge or a "preamble to theology," he is not hesitant to employ philosophy and reason to clarify our understanding of God as revealed in Scripture. He argues that "We should indeed strive for as much coherence as possible but at the same time recognize that no human mind can grasp the mystery" of God’s merciful ways with his people.

This clears the way for a discussion of the "self-revealing God" which includes treatment of mysticism, natural theology and Scripture, and is followed by further chapters on transcendence and immanence. Rejecting deistic interpretations as well as the popular contemporary pantheistic and panentheistic approaches, Bloesch opts for the "dynamic transcendence" of the biblical God who is known as unbounded love in the Christ, the one who "reaches out to us even in our sin and depravity in order to draw us toward himself."

From here, the author goes on in a series of chapters to discuss the other major divine attributes - power, wisdom, holiness and love, clarifying the biblical data with copious historical and philosophical references and insightful explanations, including extended treatments of classic topics such as creation and evil.

The last substantive chapter covers the Trinity with a competent outline of the biblical and historical material, a subject which Bloesch regards as "the culmination of biblical and apostolic reflection on the nature and activity of the living God." His treatment, which includes a discussion of contemporary issues such as the nature of "person" in a section devoted to "restating the Trinity," is supplemented by a thoughtful exposition of trinitarian spirituality (especially, relating to prayer) and appendices on unitarianism and the question of subordination and equality in the Godhead

In the remaining chapters, he restates much of the earlier material in a different arrangement (and often goes beyond it to other related areas of theology) as he contrasts the biblical position with the biblical-classical synthesis, in which "the ontological categories of Greco-Roman philosophy have been united with the personal-dramatic categories of biblical faith" - often with detrimental results. Covering such topics as providence, truth, love, grace, prayer, justification and resurrection, a vintage Bloesch presents a dynamic kaleidoscope of the history of theology and the dangers for the faith of the church of substituting belief in the living God with belief in an impassible Absolute Being and the subsequent impact of metaphysical speculation in place of personal encounter with the Word become flesh.

Another shorter chapter is dedicated to the danger of the biblical-modern synthesis, which since the Renaissance has sought "to accommodate the faith to modernity" (and post-modernity). Here Bloesch focuses on issues such as to the authority of the autonomous self, the contemporary stress on radical divine immanence, a God of temporality and futurity who is "dynamic becoming" and a post-Christian naturalistic mysticism. He thus draws attention to a radically new worldview which stands in contrast to the biblical and classical approaches.

While, at first sight, these two chapters may seem somewhat extraneous, it is in them that the author reveals the main burden of his case, viz., that both the classic synthesis and the views of modern scholars who rightfully react against the weaknesses of this synthesis fail to represent the full truth of the "biblical-prophetic" view of the holy, almighty personal God. His own exposition is a highly stimulating example of the way it is possible to hold together "the polarities that are reflected in God’s nature and activity" as revealed in Scripture.

This is the reason why he includes a detailed discussion of the "open view theism," as proposed by certain recent evangelical scholars; he sympathises with their rejection of non-biblical views of God such as that presented by the biblical-classical synthesis, but remains uneasy about their conclusions, claiming that they need to be "more thoroughly biblical and also more solidly evangelical."

The early chapter on philosophic understanding reinforces Bloesch’s contention that understanding God as revealed in Scripture requires the utmost intellectual effort as well as the deepest devotion.

Thus Bloesch’s most recent work is as welcome for its sound judgement about the crucial issues facing the doctrine of God as it is for its theological content and spiritual sensitivity.

Return to top of page 

For the fourth volume in his comprehensive theological series, Christian Foundations, Donald G. Bloesch, Professor of Theology Emeritus of Dubuque Theological Seminary, turns to a study of the person and work of Jesus Christ. After a brief survey of some of the key issues in contemporary discussion, he clearly indicates the nature of his approach to this much disputed area of theology by declaring that we "cannot fully appreciate the significance of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ as well as his incarnation apart from a keen perception of the plight of humanity corrupted by sin." In his typical style, he first surveys a range of views on the subject (both Christian and otherwise) and then gives a clear although not extended statement of the biblical position; he takes care to include personal, corporate and social aspects of sin..

This initial chapter opens the way for a discussion of the incarnation, with summaries of early and later Christological perspectives and heresies; the author includes a helpful investigation of the different emphases found amongst Catholic, Lutheran and Reformed churches. In re-affirming orthodox Chalcedonian Christology, Bloesch warns that "the heresies of the church all have their source in the often well-meaning attempt to rationalize or resolve the christological paradox" thus giving rise to either docetic or ebionitic views, both of which are unsatisfactory. He seeks to overcome this problem by beginning neither with "an abstract concept of God or Christ removed from history nor with the historical man Jesus" but with the "paradox of God himself entering world history at a particular place and time, in a particular historical figure - Jesus of Nazareth" or in other words, "the unique, incomparable" and personal, ontological union of divinity and humanity in Jesus Christ.

Bloesch devotes a lengthy chapter to the Virgin Birth. He discusses the doctrine from various angles showing its historical and theological foundations, removing obstacles to its belief and warning against holding it for invalid reasons (including the idea that it proves the deity of Christ or that it was the only possible mechanism for the incarnation). Thus, not wanting to claim too much for this doctrine or too little, he affirms that it is "an ineradicable sign that God's great gift to humanity is entirely by grace." Although he holds that it is not a belief that is necessary for salvation, he believes it is "necessary to maintain the integrity and consistency of the witness of the church" and it "serves to safeguard the faith against any heresy that separates or obscures the two natures of Christ." Even if it is not a core belief like the gospel itself, the kernel of the faith, it is "a sign that serves to communicate the mystery." The chapter concludes with a full appendix on the "role of Mary", in which the author seeks to "reclaim Mary for the wider church." against the development of mariological doctrines; he asserts that from an evangelical perspective Mary is to be understood Christologically and given honour as "the handmaid of the Lord and therefore as a model of holiness" according to the biblical witness.

Bloesch's Christological discussion does not include traditional sections proving the deity and humanity of Christ, but it does contain a short chapter on the pre-existence of Christ, which the author acknowledges in his introduction as a point of some significance for him. After outlining various alternatives from the history of theology, he takes a minority option which affirms belief in the "preexistent humanity of Jesus Christ." In adopting this position, he again follows Karl Barth, to whom he is indebted for many insights (although not uncritically). Bloesch does not believe that the "man Jesus preexisted in heaven as a separate being" but, basing his views on a profound theology and in coordination with his fundamental incarnational approach to Christology, he thinks in terms of "individuality, embodiment, vulnerability and dependency." These are all are implied in "true deity" and have important consequences for and give strength to the notion of incarnation understood in the orthodox sense of the assumption of human flesh by the second person of the Trinity.

The second half of the book is devoted to chapters on the atonement, salvation, and the law and gospel. For Bloesch the "incarnation sets the stage for the atonement, though the work of redemption already begins in the decision of Christ to incarnate himself in human flesh." While Bloesch covers familiar material in these chapters, his own distinctive perspective linking both objective (atonement) and subjective (faith) aspects is clear; it is therefore possible for him to integrate thoroughly theology with spirituality, discipleship and ethics, and also to appreciate elements of otherwise rival theories of the atonement, salvation and sanctification. He is thus able to show a more catholic spirit than many other evangelical theologians, advocating the need to "draw upon the insights of the fathers of the early church as well as the doctors of the medieval church", and at the same time to "give serious attention to the enduring witness of the Protestant Reformation." Yet he is fully aware of the necessity of restating "the ancient faith in the language of the present day and [to] relate that faith to the pivotal issues in modern philosophy and culture", thus warning conservatives against the danger of simply returning naively to older positions.

Bloesch illustrates this approach to dealing with traditional doctrines in a new context with his treatment in the closing chapters on the lordship and the finality of Christ. He speaks of a "progressive lordship whereby the victory of Christ is carried forward into history through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit" which allows for both the final victory of Christ and a "christocracy" of word and prayer. Strongly counteracting "power theology", he points out that "As Christians we cannot bring in the kingdom but we can witness to it . . . We can announce the coming of the kingdom and call people to be ready for Christ's kingdom. We cannot build the kingdom, but we can serve the kingdom with the aid of the Spirit." This is a perspective which places a heavy emphasis upon the church's mission and its engagement in the world, but avoids the pitfalls of considering these topics exclusively in terms of doctrine, ecclesiology or the history of religions.

Throughout this lucidly written volume, the author touches on a wide range of issues, both contemporary and historical, effectively showing their key elements and responding in terms of his own distinctive theological insights and methods. Although the book does not provide as much detail as some readers might expect, it is a valuable statement of a senior evangelical theologian's understanding of some of the most important and controverted aspects of Christian truth today.

 Return to top of page 

Return to main page

Home Page