Towards a doctrine of providence : a response to contemporary critiques
This essay is an attempt to find an approach to the Christian doctrine of providence which takes account of modern resistance to traditional formulations even while criticizing some current assumptions that make inevitable --mistakenly, we believe-- a clash between the scientific view of reality and the biblical picture of a governing and intervening God. Our objective is not to develop a doctrine of providence as such, but simply to set in place some of the epistemological and theological conditions that would make such a doctrinal development possible today. Our investigation is set against the foil of a prior analysis of several main currents in Greek and Roman metaphysical theology. We proceed to consider the ~anthropological pole~ of the Judeo-Christian doctrine of providence. First we examine the term ~person~; then we conduct an exegetical and historical-theological study of the doctrine of the imago Dei. We argue that the concept of the personal was undiscoverable by speculation and could only have emerged as a consequence of divine revelation; and that this concept is the key to a proper understanding of the biblical doctrine of the imago Dei, the essence of which is the notion of divine-human relationship.
Hobson, George Hull
Philosophy
Towards a doctrine of providence : a response to contemporary critiques. This essay is an attempt to find an approach to the Christian doctrine of providence which takes account of modern resistance to traditional formulations even while criticizing some current assumptions that make inevitable --mistakenly, we believe-- a clash between the scientific view of reality and the biblical picture of a governing and intervening God. Our objective is not to develop a doctrine of providence as such, but simply to set in place some of the epistemological and theological conditions that would make such a doctrinal development possible today. Our investigation is set against the foil of a prior analysis of several main currents in Greek and Roman metaphysical theology. We proceed to consider the ~anthropological pole~ of the Judeo-Christian doctrine of providence. First we examine the term ~person~; then we conduct an exegetical and historical-theological study of the doctrine of the imago Dei. We argue that the concept of the personal was undiscoverable by speculation and could only have emerged as a consequence of divine revelation; and that this concept is the key to a proper understanding of the biblical doctrine of the imago Dei, the essence of which is the notion of divine-human relationship.
towards doctrine providence response contemporary critique essay attempt christian_doctrine providence take_account modern resistance traditional formulation even criticize current assumption_make inevitable mistakenly believe clash scientific view reality biblical picture govern intervene god objective develop doctrine providence simply set place epistemological theological condition would_make doctrinal development possible today investigation set prior analysis several main current greek_roman metaphysical theology proceed consider anthropological pole judeo christian_doctrine providence first_examine term person conduct exegetical historical_theological study doctrine dei argue concept_personal speculation could emerge consequence divine revelation concept key proper biblical doctrine dei essence notion divine_human relationship