Recherche – Detailansicht
Ausgabe: | April/2022 |
Spalte: | 345–347 |
Kategorie: | Dogmen- und Theologiegeschichte |
Autor/Hrsg.: | Allen, Michael [Ed.] |
Titel/Untertitel: | T & T Clark Reader in John Webster. |
Verlag: | London u. a.: Bloomsbury T & T Clark 2020. 240 S. Kart. £ 25,99. ISBN 9780567687500. |
Rezensent: | Daniel L. Nelson |
Michael Allen has provided an excellent introduction to the constructive, although unfinished, systematic thought of the late John Webster. Webster, most widely recognized for his translations of Eberhard Jüngel and the subsequent introduction of the latter to the English-speaking world, along with his exegetical work in Barth-ian ethics, ought not to be valued simply for his engagement with these important thinkers; Webster has something specific to contribute in his own right through his development of a »theological theology«. A. offers this collection of essays to highlight the scope and the central concerns of Webster’s unfinished dogmatic project, as well as to pull the reader into the task of reading theology.
Drawing from all five of Webster’s published essay collections, A. organizes Webster’s thought in terms of chronological devel-opment as well as by topic. His Reader is explicitly aimed at the »novice«, whom he guides into engagement with Webster’s theology. As an introductory text focused on primary readings, this book works well in conjunction with the volume A Companion to the Theology of John Webster, edited by A. and David R. Nelson.
In the introduction to the collection, A. makes use of three essays that do not appear in this volume. These additional essays contain parallels to three overarching themes in essays provided in the Reader. A. draws our attention to how Webster works to reframe »our thinking about reading theology, about grace in doing theo-logy and about the kind of moral community involved in the theo-logical task« (4). In the case of reframing how we ought to read theology, A. argues that Webster views the task of theology as in service to the Word of God for the Church both positively and critically, in regard to the Church’s faithfulness to the gospel. A. is referring specifically to academic theology, which itself often critiques theology according to the current insights of other disciplines, rather than in response to the »living Word«. Second, in regard to the »grace« with which we read, A. shows that Webster is further clarifying how we read theology – again, in response to the »living Word«. The implication of this is that our relation to scripture is based on the communicative nature of the living God, who is Father, Son, and Spirit. Finally, A. draws our attention to the moral nature of reading theology in terms of relationality. While the relationship to God is primary, the theological task is necessarily a so-cial task to be accomplished in community. This communal nature of theology, then, is related directly to the very task of reading theology – the theolo-gian is required to read broadly as a member of the community. The task also looks forward to the theologian’s obligation to share the »intellectual goods« to which the theologian has been graciously granted access. It is with these ideas in mind that A. invites us to begin reading Webster.
To this end, the reader is offered an essay on the nature of scripture and reason (»Biblical Reasoning«); on theological methodology (»Theological Theology«); two essays on the doctrine of the Trinity (»The Immensity and Ubiquity of God« and »The Place of Christol-ogy in Systematic Theology«); one on the nature of creatures and created being (»Eschatology and Anthropology«); others on the nature of fellowship with God (»Non ex aequo«), on soteriology (»It was the Will of the Lord to Bruise Him«), and ecclesiology (»Christ, Church, and Reconciliation«); and two final essays on ethics (»Evangelical Freedom« and »Intellectual Patience«). A. offers a brief introduction to each essay providing context and indicating its relevance and relationship to Webster’s larger body of work. These introductions also offer a helpful sketch of the central arguments and concerns of each essay. As A. intends this collection for the begin ner, he includes footnotes offering brief commentary or drawing the reader’s attention to recurring themes and concerns from Webster’s other writings.
One final idea to which A. draws the reader’s attention is Web-ster’s understanding of the nature of the divine Trinity versus that of the typical contemporary focus solely on divine economy. While it is not unique to focus on the economic Trinity in discussions of the presence of God, Webster, in keeping with his idea of »theolog-ical theology«, suggests that God’s presence and the nature of the triunity of God ought to be understood in terms of God’s perfec-tion, but that perfection as revealed in the event of God’s history of »free self-enactment as Father, Son and Spirit« (68). In so doing, Webster works to differentiate his concerns and method from perfect being theology (found in analytic philosophical approaches), while also maintaining a distinction from narrative approaches. At issue is the starting point of the discussion: methodologically, theology must begin with scripture and then engage the classics of the tradition primarily as commentary over against external discourses. A. continues to highlight this methodological consistency in Webster’s work throughout the book. A. shows how Webster emphasizes the tension between the metaphysical and the epistemological orders – the nature of God and how we as creatures can know this nature – and the attempts to bring them into harmony coram Deo. This is an enduring question and Webster’s construc-tive project is an important contribution.
Finally, while the book is aimed at »novices«, novice is surely a vague category. If it is intended for novices in reading Webster’s constructive theology, specifically, then the Reader is an excellent resource likely to prompt further engagement with Webster’s corpus. The introductory material is nuanced enough to provide the reader with some context without diminishing the need to read the essays for oneself. It is obvious, however, that this is not a collection of essays for the novice in theology proper. Webster’s writing is clear but also dense, and pitched to the academy. Each essay includes suggestions for further reading, the index is well sourced, and there is a complete list of Webster’s published works in the appendix. As a teaching text, this book is more appropriate for grad-uate than undergraduate level. As a resource for scripture-based theology steeped in tradition and geared toward conversation with the broader academy, A.’s Reader is an excellent introduction.