Incarnation and Inspiration: John Owen and the Coherence of Christology

by Alan J. Spence

Publisher:

T&T Clark

, 2007

Through engagement with the historical debate Incarnation and Inspiration offers a systematic exposition of the person of Jesus that brings together dissonant aspects of the tradition. It serves as an introduction to the theology to John Owen, the most able of the Puritan theologians and provides a way of understanding the theological dynamic underlying the Christology of the Fathers and the Definition of Chalcedon. Through its emphasis on coherence it seeks to illuminate the inner rationality of God's triune being and his mission among us through the Son and Spirit. Incarnation and inspiration are concepts which can be used to characterize two quite different ways of thinking about Christ.



Although the history of doctrine suggests they are mutually exclusive, John Owen's theology effectively integrates them in one coherent Christology. The underlying structure of his exposition is that of incarnation, whereby the Son willingly assumed human nature into personal subsistence with himself. But his distinctive idea was that the divine Son acted on his own human nature indirectly and by means of the Holy Spirit. The foundation of the Spirit's distinctive work was the renewal of the image of God in the humanity of Christ, which the Spirit formed, sanctified, empowered, comforted and glorified. Owen thus affirmed an inspirational Christology within the framework of an Alexandrian interpretation of the incarnation. The coherence of this account is tested with respect to four areas of concern.





Firstly, can a Christology which affirms the distinct operation of Christ's two natures successfully maintain the unity of his personal action? Secondly, is nature or ontological language too static to model the dynamic reality of Christ? Thirdly, is Owen justified in arguing that, other than in its assumption, the divine Son acts on his own human nature only indirectly and by means of the Spirit? Fourthly, does Owen's interpretation of the distinct action of the Trinitarian persons undermine the doctrine of the indivisibility of their external operations? Finally the significance of Owen's Christology is considered in relation to the Definition of Chalcedon and to modern theology.

Features

Spence's thesis is widely cited and parts of it already published.
Spence uses John Owen to construct a history of the development of christological thought and to put forward his own argument on the subject.
In the last twenty years a minor industry of doctoral disserations, articles and books has developed around the theology of John Owen, particularly in the US.

Contents

Preface



Part I- Two Ways Of Thinking About Christ





Inspiration or Incarnation



1. Why did Jesus pray?


2. Incarnational Christology


3. Inspirational Christology


4. Compatibility and the witness of the tradition


a. Spirit Christology


b. Basil of Caesarea


c. Adoptionism


d. Irenaeus


e. The Antiochenes


f. The Alexandrians


g. Chalcedon





5. John Owen





Part II- Incarnation





The Son assumes human nature


1. The writing of Christologia


2. Christ as the way of our knowing


3. The context in which Christ is known


4. The wisdom of God and the person of Christ


5. The appropriateness of the incarnation


6. The pre-existent Son


7. God's eternal counsels


8. The agent of the incarnation


9. The Word became flesh


10. The assumption of human nature


11. Anhypostasia


12. The hypostatic union


13. The natures distinguished


14. Interaction between the natures



Part III- Inspiration





The Spirit renews God's image in Christ's human nature


1. Quakers and Socinians.


2. The Spirit in the Christian life


3. The Spirit in Nature and in Grace


4. Christ as the foundation and goal of the Spirit's work


5. Firstborn among many brothers


6. The Spirit's work in Jesus


7. Inspiration and incarnation


8. Master-stories


9. Integrity of the Person


Part IV -The Mediator


One person acting in two natures


1. Athanasius - The Incarnation of the Word of God


2. Anselm - Why was God made Man?


3. Calvin - Incorporating both perspectives


4. The office of Mediator


5. The person of the Mediator


a. a human nature


b. a divine nature





6. From Logos to Mediator


7. The Mediator as subject of the incarnate life


8. Evaluation



Part V- The Son And The Father





Of the same being





1. Introduction of the homoousion


2. Arian christology


3. The Athanasian alternative


a. The new difficulties it introduced


b. The Son as servant


c. The Son as divine


4. The Socinians


a. Challenge to the Trinity


b. Son by adoption


c. Dependent on the Father


5. Owen's response


a. The eternal Son


b. The Son as Mediator





6. Conclusion


Part VI -The Son And The Children


An 'autokinetic' human nature


1. The relation between the natures


2. The Apollinarian solution


3. An alternative account


4. The nature of Christ's humanity


a. Jesus as our prototype


b. Jesus as willing priest


c. Jesus as God's revelation





5. The self-consciousness of Jesus


6. Conclusion





Part VII -Trinitarian Agency



The Son and Spirit as distinct agents





1. Our knowledge of God as triune


2. The essence of the doctrine


3. Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa


4. Distinct principles of operation
a. The Spirit as a distinct person


b. The Son assumes human nature





5. Resolution


6. Consistent?


7. Strictures on the tradition


8. New possibilities


Part VIII- Conclusion


1. The problem of christology


2. Owen and the coherence of Chalcedon


3. Coherence and modern christology





BIBLIOGRAPHY

Praise for Incarnation and Inspiration

This constitutes a useful, although controversial, contribution to Christology in general and to the thought of John Owen in particular, and is written in an accessible and readable style that will commend it to a wide range of readers, specialist and general.

"Spence's book would serve as an ideal textbook...an able and patient tour guide, he shows readers the sites of Christology, helpfully giving us the back story to and unpacking the internal logic of pressing Christological dillemas." Journal of Reformed Theology, 2008.

Product Details

• Title: Incarnation and Inspiration: John Owen and the Coherence of Christology
• Author: Alan J. Spence
• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Print Publication Date: 2007
• Logos Release Date: 2024
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Ebook
• ISBNs: 9780567271686, 9780567045379, 0567045374, 0567271684
• Resource ID: LLS:9780567271686
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-05-12T03:30:49Z

About Alan J. Spence

Alan J. Spence taught mathematics in Harare, served as a tent evangelist in the South African townships and ran camps and conferences with Scripture Union in Zimbabwe. He has been a minister in the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa, and was at one time moderator of its general assembly. He helped to found Domboshawa House, a theological college in Harare and has chaired the Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Committee of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches. He is now the minister of a United Reformed Church congregation in Northampton, UK.