Seeing by the Light: Illumination in Augustine’s and Barth’s Readings of John (Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture | SCDS)
Overview
How can we understand God’s revelation to us?
Throughout the church’s history, theologians have often answered this question by appealing to a doctrine of illumination whereby the Holy Spirit shapes our knowledge and understanding of Scripture. Without denying the role of the Holy Spirit or the cognitive role of illumination, Ike Miller casts a broader vision of divine illumination and its role in the Christian life. In his constructive approach, Miller argues for a fully Trinitarian view of illumination that forms not just our intellect, but also appeals to the affections and encourages our ethical action.
In order to develop this theology of illumination, he explores both Augustine’s and Karl Barth’s readings of the Gospel and Epistles of John, including Barth’s previously untranslated lectures on the Gospel of John. In light of his careful study of both the Johannine literature and the theologies of two giants from Christian history, Miller lays out a doctrine of illumination whereby we are enabled to know the Father and participate in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Examines Augustine’s and Karl Barth’s readings of the Gospel and Epistles of John
- Explores divine illumination and its role in the Christian life
- Considers Barth’s previously untranslated lectures on the Gospel of John
- Introduction
- Method in Augustine’s Theological Interpretation of John
- Illumination in Augustine’s Theological Interpretation of John
- Augustine’s Doctrine of Illumination
- Method in Karl Barth’s Theological Interpretation of John
- Illumination in Karl Barth’s Theological Interpretation of John
- Barth’s Doctrine of Illumination
- Coming to See the Light: A Johannine Account of Illumination
- Excursus: The Broader Canonical Witness to the Economy of Illumination
- Walking in the Light: A Dogmatic Account of Illumination
- Conclusion: Addressing Contemporary Issues in Systematic Theology
Top Highlights
“Augustine’s and Barth’s exegesis of John will show that illumination, in its intersection with revelation and regeneration, is ultimately about divine self-communication. This self-communication happens through our participation in Christ—the light of the World.” (Page 5)
“John Owen’s magisterial Pneumatologia (or, A Discourse Concerning the Holy Spirit), which John Webster praises as ‘the greatest Reformed treatise on the Spirit,’ remains among the most influential works on the doctrine of illumination today.” (Page 2)
“Thus, as stated at the outset, illumination is a participation in the Son’s knowledge of the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Page 5)
“In view of Augustine’s theory of signs, the incarnation is paradigmatic for God’s condescension to humanity in the inspiration of Scripture.” (Page 16)
“Illumination is also a matter of cognitively and affectively ‘coming to see the light of Christ’ and, ultimately, participating in it.” (Page 4)
Ike Miller is one of the brightest young theologians in North America, as Seeing by the Light reveals. Miller draws upon Augustine and Barth, in conversation with Johannine literature, to construct a trinitarian view of illumination that accounts for the affectional, intellectual, and ethical dimensions of life. The result is a methodologically sophisticated, multidisciplinary volume that makes a significant contribution to current debates about illumination, participation in Christ, interpretation of Johannine literature, and theological method. An extraordinary volume. Highly recommended.
—Bruce Riley Ashford, author of The Gospel of Our King and professor of theology and culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
One way to summarize the story of the Bible is to say, with Jesus (quoting Isaiah 9:2), ‘The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.’ Today there is conflict not only between the kingdoms of light and darkness but also over rival sources of light. Moderns, who previously celebrated the light of reason, are now groping for ways to cope with post-Enlightenment, postmodern blues. Ike Miller has written a tract for the times that sets forth a Christian theological account of how the God who is light distributes his light to the world in Jesus Christ via the Spirit-illumined readings of the biblical texts that testify to him. This is a dogmatic account of the triune economy of illumination that, in shedding light on Augustine and Barth and other readers of Scripture, participates in the very phenomenon it describes. Take up and see!
—Kevin J. Vanhoozer, research professor of systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
A wonderful achievement—an enlightening study about divine illumination. In a time and world where we have too often turned Scripture into a dead text, Ike Miller’s remarkable book sheds light on how we are called to live faithfully before God through our dynamic engagement with Scripture. A beautiful book.
—L. Gregory Jones, dean and Williams Distinguished Professor of Theology and Christian Ministry, Duke Divinity School
- Title: Seeing by the Light: Illumination in Augustine’s and Barth’s Readings of John
- Author: Ike Miller
- Series: Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture
- Publisher: IVP Academic
- Print Publication Date: 2020
- Logos Release Date: 2020
- Pages: 229
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Augustine, of Hippo, Saint, 354-430; Barth, Karl, 1886-1968; Bible. N.T. John › Theology; Bible. N.T. Epistles of John › Theology; Light › Biblical teaching; Light › Religious aspects--Christianity; Knowledge, Theory of (Religion) › History of doctrines--Early church, ca. 30-600; Revelation › Christianity
- ISBNs: 9780830853922, 9780830848850, 9781789741674, 0830853928, 0830848851, 178974167X
- Resource ID: LLS:SEEINGBYTHELIGHT
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-12-27T21:41:48Z
