Much of this book is based on the author’s lectures to first-year seminary students at Princeton Theological Seminary, where Dr Migliore is the Arthur M. Adams Professor of Systematic Theology. Migliore rightly acknowledges that he ‘is considerably influenced by Karl Barth’s approach to theology and by his creative reinterpretation of the Reformed theological tradition’ (p. 16). The influence of John Calvin and the classical Reformed tradition, as well as that of Paul Tillich, Jürgen Moltmann, liberation theology and to a lesser extent feminist theology, are also evident.

One of the most refreshing things about this book is how Migliore’s own love of Christ and the church shines through his writing. This is not a ‘destructive theology’ where Migliore focuses his energy on declaring what we cannot say about creation, Scripture, the resurrection of Christ, etc. Nor is this a ‘radical theology’. What Migliore has to say is not so much new, original or radical as it is an attempt to glean insights from differing schools of theological thought.

The tone of the book is irenic instead of combative, and there is not much in the way of debate with other theological positions. Insights from liberal, feminist and liberation theologies are ‘de-radicalized’ and presented in a non-combative manner. Instead of forcing those of differing views into a defensive position, the book invites its readers to think, reflect and clarify their own thinking. Yet Migliore’s irenic theology can also lull its readers into uncritically accepting some of these modern ‘insights’ and innovations in theology because it is not always clear to those not well versed in theology what theological issues are at stake.

For instance, Migliore dismisses the doctrine of substitutionary atonement because ‘the world of substitution is the world of replaceable things. When a part of a machine wears out, a new part can be substituted. Representation, however, belongs in the world of persons and personal relationships’ (p. 153). But substitution is not restricted to the impersonal world. Most substitute teachers I have met are persons and to rename them representative teachers would not only not be an improvement but would betray their role and fail to be an accurate description of their work. The real issue has nothing to do with depersonalizing God or choosing a more appropriate and ‘personal’ word to describe Christ’s work. The real issue has to do with the very nature of Christ’s work—did Jesus merely represent us on the cross or did he also stand in our place and die for our sins?

The reader needs a background in the history of Christian doctrine to understand, analyse, as well as fully appreciate, Migliore’s theology. This is further necessitated by Migliore painting his theology more with the brush of an impressionist than a realist who is concerned with precision and detail. That is to say, the picture Migliore’s theology paints is a little fuzzy and leaves many theological questions unanswered and unaddressed.

One example of this ‘fuzziness’ is his distinction between the ‘surface grammar’ and the ‘depth grammar’ of the trinitarian faith (see Chapter 4, ‘The Triune God’). Surface grammar has no authority; depth grammar is essential to our understanding of the Trinity. Yet nowhere does Migliore disclose the all-important hermeneutic as to how one distinguishes between the two. He merely declares which is which as if it were self-evident. ‘Addressing God primarily as personal’ is part of the trinitarian depth grammar. Addressing God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit is not—or is it? Migliore himself seems confused on this point. On the one hand, he declares that the feminist theologians are right: ‘the language of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit must not be absolutized’ (p. 67). ‘We should eschew liturgical fundamentalism that refuses any alternatives to the traditional images.… Baptism “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” is not a magical incantation … [there must be] more serious theological work, more creative imagination, and more responsible expansion of our language of God in hymn, prayer, and liturgy. Guided by God’s Word and Spirit, the church should be open to fresh trinitarian imagery that will complement—not replace—the classical trinitarian images’ (pp. 219–220). But Migliore fails to offer any acceptable alternatives to the classical trinitarian imagery—a strange position for one who has spoken so authoritatively on the subject.

Although evangelicals will find a number of things with which to take issue in Migliore’s theology, from his doctrines of revelation and Scripture to the work of Christ, there is also much in Migliore’s theology that evangelicals will appreciate and find helpful. Despite Migliore’s distinction between ‘surface grammar’ and ‘depth grammar’, he writes a most worthwhile chapter on ‘The Triune God’. There (via Jürgen Moltmann) he makes a strong argument that the biblical witness portrays God as suffering with and for the creatures out of love for them (pp. 70ff.). In this chapter he also rejects the traditional understanding of election and expounds a doctrine of election which closely follows that of Karl Barth—although Migliore’s exposition is clearer, easier to understand and much shorter! This chapter also includes a thought-provoking section on ‘The Doctrine of Creation and Modern Science’. In Chapter 7 there is a most interesting discussion of the imago dei as ‘human life in relationship with God and the other creatures’. Evangelicals should also take seriously Migliore’s exposition of the doctrine of sin, where he draws from liberation and feminist theology in describing sin not only as pride and domination but as self-hatred and servility (pp. 130ff.). His chapter on ‘The Holy Spirit and the Christian Life’ follows Barth a great deal, but has much to say that should be heard on a subject too often neglected by evangelical theology.

Throughout Migliore’s theology there is an overarching concern to be thoroughly trinitarian and to understand Christianity in personal, relational and communal terms. Another keynote of Migliore’s theology is a concern for creation; redemption concerns not only humanity but the whole of creation. He insists ‘this does not mean a devaluation of human life but a revaluation of all creation’ (p. 97). Concerning a ‘theology of nature’ and a Christian approach to environmental concerns, evangelicals will find Migliore balanced and helpful. The book ends with three imaginative, informative and humorous dialogues between selected 20th-century theologians on natural theology, the resurrection and political theology. They are a delight to read and, as I remember, one of the high points of his THO1 class at Princeton.

Because of Migliore’s lack (but not neglect) of reference to the historical development of doctrine, and his failure to point out many of the significant theological issues involved in the articulation of Christian doctrine, Faith Seeking Understanding would be best understood not so much as an introduction to Christian theology as an introduction to Migliore’s theology. Nevertheless, it is a book that deserves a wide readership among those well versed in theology. And though evangelicals will find much with which to disagree, they will also find much that is stimulating, challenging and insightful.

---