Christ and Creation

by Colin Ewart Gunton

Publisher:

Paternoster

, 1992

Overview

The relation between Christ and creation is the subject of this book, which author Colin Gunton describes as “a summary dogmatic Christology.” Central to Gunton’s Christology are a strong incarnation-creation link and the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

Weaving pneumatological, teleological, eschatological, anthropological, and ecological strands into his Christology, Gunton draws from and interacts with a wide range of theologians, from ancient to modern – Paul, Irenaeus, Augustine, Anslem, Aquinas, Calvin, Schleiermacher, Barth, Moltmann, Pannenberg, Thomas, Torrance, John Robinson and many others.

Contents

Top Highlights

“Faith, however, is not the same as blind faith. For theology, faith does two things at least. It orients us to the place where God is to be found; and it drives us to seek understanding.” (Page 14)

“The unity of the Bible, however, is not in the end a literary or historical—critical question, but a theological one. To discern within the pages of the Bible in all its diversity, problems and richness the being and action of a single God is a matter of faith.” (Page 14)

“Sin is not part of what it is to be human, but a distortion of our humanity.” (Page 26)

“The general point is that the stilling of the storm shares with the healing of demoniacs the characteristic of being an aspect of the redeeming action of the one endowed with divine authority over all the world. The language used in the stilling of the storm—‘be silent’—is the same as that used in some of the accounts of exorcism. We have here and in many other places a militant reestablishment of the rule of God over a creation in thrall to evil.⁶ The actions are representations of the authority of Christ over creation.” (Page 18)

“All interpretation is shaped by the frameworks of belief which we bring to it; the hope is that the text—or rather the Holy Spirit’s opening up of the text—will enable us both to use and to transcend those frameworks with ever new insights into the truth of the gospel.” (Page 12)

Praise for the Print Edition

…a theological masterpiece in miniature…

—Catalyst

…a fresh, provocative, and stimulating account of the relation between Christ and creation… Christ and Creation is a highly commendable resource for seminarians, ministers and pastors, and the church at large.

—Benjamin W. Farley, Erskine College

Product Details

• Title: Christ and Creation
• Author: Colin Gunton
• Publisher: Paternoster
• Publication Date: 2005
• Pages: 127

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.