Overview

Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in the doctrine of the Trinity, following a long period in which it was considered irrelevant to the rest of theology and to the challenge of Christian life. In this book, David Coffey claims that this resurgence is caused by a renewed appreciation of the fact that salvation itself has a Trinitarian structure. He argues that we cannot understand salvation without a solid understanding of the Trinity. Coffey considers the full range of issues surrounding this central doctrine of Christian faith. Viewing the doctrine of the Trinity in its historical and ecumenical context, he seeks to arrive at a balanced vision that incorporates the insights of both the Western and the Eastern Churches. In particular, he wants to keep in sight both the immanent Trinity (the Godhead considered in itself) and the economic Trinity (that is, its role within the economy of salvation). In Coffeys own model of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is seen as the objectivization of the mutual love of the Father and the Son. This idea is most closely associated with St. Augustine and Richard of St. Victor. Coffey, however, takes it much further, presenting it as an explanation of the origin of the Son and the Holy Spirit and of the manner of operation of the Trinity in the economy. From this model, he is also able to derive a suggestion for resolving the ecumenical problem of Filioquism vs. Monopatrism (concerning the procession of the Holy Spirit)-- the issue that has divided East from West for nearly a millennium. Presenting a new perspective on a topic of renewed theological interest, this comprehensive study has important implications for ecumenical discussions of the Trinity.

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9780195124729

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Every Chapter is teeming with provocative ideas...[H]e has pushed hard to make trinitarian theology accountable to a broader range of biblical evidence...This is a book that repays scrutiny, especially as Coffey goes on in the later chapters to bring his work into dialogue with a number of recent developments in theology. --Theology Today This erudite and carefully argued book takes the reader to the cutting edge of ecumenical dialogue on the doctrine of the Trinity. --PNEUMA: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies Every Chapter is teeming with provocative ideas...[H]e has pushed hard to make trinitarian theology accountable to a broader range of biblical evidence...This is a book that repays scrutiny, especially as Coffey goes on in the later chapters to bring his work into dialogue with a number of recent developments in theology. --Theology Today ...tightly written and impressively argued... --Theological Studies This erudite and carefully argued book takes the reader to the cutting edge of ecumenical dialogue on the doctrine of the Trinity. --PNEUMA: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies

... highly recommended for its rich analysis and its contribution to the ongoing ecumenical dialogue on the Trinity. PNEUMA: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies This erudite and carefully argued book takes the reader to the cutting edge of ecumenical dialogue on the doctrine of the Trinity. PNEUMA: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies

highly recommended for its rich analysis and its contribution to the ongoing ecumenical dialogue on the Trinity. PNEUMA: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies This erudite and carefully argued book takes the reader to the cutting edge of ecumenical dialogue on the doctrine of the Trinity. PNEUMA: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies

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