An International Journal for Pastors and Students of Theological and Religious Studies
An International Journal for Pastors and Students of Theological and Religious Studies
This is a very exciting and significant book. It fleshes out (pun intended) our understanding of Torrance’s view of the incarnation. Incarnation: The Person and Life of Christ is a compilation of Torrance’s Christology lectures delivered between 1952 and 1978 at New College, Edinburgh. The focus of the lectures is the person and work of Jesus Christ, and the significance of the incarnation and the unity of his natures. His audience consisted of theological students in the first stages of their training, mostly for ministry in the Church of Scotland. These previously unpublished lectures are edited by Torrance’s nephew Robert T. Walker, who attended these lectures as a student. A companion volume on the atonement, also from Torrance’s lectures at New College and edited by Walker, is forthcoming.
Synopsis
The book contains seven chapters of lecture materials that are introduced by the “Editor’s Introduction.” In addition to the lecture notes, it includes (1) an extensive section of forty pages called “End notes to Chapter One,” (2) an addendum on eschatology that is over forty-five pages, and (3) a glossary.
The Editor’s Introduction (together with the “Endnotes to Chapter One”) is very enlightening in terms of (1) the process of editing Incarnation, (2) an insider’s summation of Torrance’s theological purposes, (3) a crystallization of Torrance’s overall theology, and (4) the expression of such a theology throughout the full sweep of Christology.
Chapter one, “Introduction to Christology,” begins with a discussion of Christological methodology. This chapter, together with chapter two, provides the biblical platform for the theological integration and construction carried out in chapters three through seven.
Chapter two begins with “The incarnation and the old Israel” and “The New Testament Perspective—the Christian doctrine of Israel.” These sections extensively survey the Old Testament, which is God’s means of preparing Israel and humanity with the structures and language with which to begin to comprehend the coming of God in the flesh. “The incarnation and the new Israel,” explores the metaphysics and language of the incarnation with Phil 2 as its primary referent. In this section Torrance brings together incarnation, recapitulation, and substitution-reconciliation (pp. 62–63).
Chapter three is entitled “The once and for all union of God and man in Christ: His birth into our humanity.” This section contains more biblical material, this time dealing with the virgin birth, and some dogmatic reflections with regards to “mystery” and pneumatology in relation to Christology.
Chapter four is on “The continuous union in the historical life and obedience of Jesus.” The themes treated at this juncture include mediation, that is, Jesus’ faithfulness towards both the Father and fellow human beings.
Chapter five, “THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST: the mystery of the union of God and man in the person of Christ,” must be amongst Torrance’s greatest contributions to ecclesiology. This is a rather dense section that may require re-reading. However, it repays this effort and subsequent reflection. In addition, the Trinitarian aspects of Christology are treated in this chapter; however, these are dealt with in greater depth in Torrance’s more explicitly Trinitarian works.
Chapter six is a massive undertaking: “The hypostatic union.” It works through the detail and history of anhypostatic/enhypostatic Christology, both the demand for it and its significance.
Chapter seven, “The Kingdom of Christ and Evil,” deals with Satan and evil in view of the preceding chapters. However, Torrance’s treatment of evil is perhaps less than what would be expected in contemporary works.
The “End Notes to Chapter One” and “Addendum: Eschatology” are excellent. These sections offer far-ranging insights into Torrance’s method, views on the deficiencies of various approaches to Christology, and treatments of topics such as election and justification by faith.
Negative Aspects
T. F. Torrance book with a certain degree of confusion that results from Torrance’s style.
Positive Aspects
1. Torrance’s interaction with the Bible and with various movements in historical theology (including those beyond patristic and Reformed theology) reveals much of his methodology and theological assumptions.
2. The extent of the significance of the Incarnation both for a Christian understanding of Christ and the life of the worshipping church is captured wonderfully.
3. Torrance’s theology of mediation, previously addressed in other works, is developed in relation to many points of theology.
4. In light of the contemporary renewal of interest in “recapitulation” for the incarnation and the atonement, Torrance’s work offers a contribution that argues for the merit of such a position when understood in relation to other biblical, patristic, and Reformed theological loci.
In conclusion, though Torrance had written extensively on the Incarnation before his death in 2007, the biblical and historic considerations with which Torrance works in this volume are a unique insight into some of the underpinnings of Torrance’s theology, and they argue strongly for the enduring value of his insights.