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Contours of Christian Theology #1
The Doctrine of God
Here is a substantial introduction to the nature and subject of God, and compelling call for evangelicals to renew their commitment to the solid foundation of a truly trinitarian theology.
281 pages, Paperback
First published March 19, 1993
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290 people want to read
About the author
Gerald L. Bray
99 books39 followersGerald L. Bray (Ph.D., University of Paris--Sorbonne) is director of research for the Latimer Trust, based in London, and a research professor at Samford University, teaching in the Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. A priest of the Church of England, Bray has also edited the post-Reformation Anglican canons. He has edited several volumes of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture and Ancient Christian Texts, as well as volume one of the Ancient Christian Doctrine series, all for IVP Academic. General EditorTimothy George (Th.D., Harvard University) is a renowned Reformation historian and author of Theology of the Reformers, as well as many other theological and historical works. He is founding dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University and an executive editor of Christianity Today.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 19, 2019
Writing from a reformed, evangelical perspective, Bray makes his scholarship accessible to the diligent layman. The first volume in the Contours of Christian Theology series explores the knowledge, the nature and the trinitarian nature of God.
Rather than being a systematic tome, this less than 300 page work explores the historical development of the doctrine of God. This approach reveals that much of what is Scripturally accurate about God has not always been articulated by the armchair theologian. Initially it was hammered out on the anvil of necessity.
“Unlike modern heresies, which are conscious deviations from a received tradition, these ancient heresies [concerning the Trinity] were more like false trails pursued by people who wished to be orthodox, but who lacked the conceptual framework needed to express orthodoxy in the right way.”
Because the Trinity--and its implications--is fundamental to a correct understanding of God, it is to this subject that the author devotes the most pages. “The big difference between Christian faith and any kind of philosophical theology is that Christians claim to know God, the ultimate reality, personally.” Knowing God is intimately tied up with grasping, at least experientially, the one God in three persons.
But how do we describe the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? It took nearly four centuries for a suitable description to come unto its own. Augustine of Hippo is credited with influencing the standard form of trinitarian thought in the western tradition. Most Christians don’t seem to ponder much on the triune nature of God--might even be intimidated by it. As a result, there is much latent unitarianism in “orthodox” circles.
Augustine framed the Trinity in terms of love. Anselm posited that Christ’s atoning work on the cross was a work of God within the Trinity. Karl Barth, in more modern times, contributed a Christological interpretation. Each angle has its strengths and weaknesses. But all are worthy contributors to the conversation.
Bray does not shy away from Eastern Orthodox or Roman Catholic viewpoints. Where he feels they tally with Scripture, they are commended. But the author’s goal is to formulate, albeit in short form, an “evangelical theology today.”
In the last chapter there is an insightful diversion into the concept of time. “The problem of time has occupied philosophers, artists, musicians and scientists, all in their different ways, and theologians have been only catching up with the general trend.”
There is also a reminder to preserve the Person: “That the Word became flesh and dwelt among us has always been one of the basic themes of the Christian gospel, but even today the implications of this stupendous fact are far from having been fully explored.”
Why a historio-theological survey of the Trinity? Perhaps that can best be answered by Bray himself: “We cannot neglect our past if we want to speak to the future.”
Rather than being a systematic tome, this less than 300 page work explores the historical development of the doctrine of God. This approach reveals that much of what is Scripturally accurate about God has not always been articulated by the armchair theologian. Initially it was hammered out on the anvil of necessity.
“Unlike modern heresies, which are conscious deviations from a received tradition, these ancient heresies [concerning the Trinity] were more like false trails pursued by people who wished to be orthodox, but who lacked the conceptual framework needed to express orthodoxy in the right way.”
Because the Trinity--and its implications--is fundamental to a correct understanding of God, it is to this subject that the author devotes the most pages. “The big difference between Christian faith and any kind of philosophical theology is that Christians claim to know God, the ultimate reality, personally.” Knowing God is intimately tied up with grasping, at least experientially, the one God in three persons.
But how do we describe the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? It took nearly four centuries for a suitable description to come unto its own. Augustine of Hippo is credited with influencing the standard form of trinitarian thought in the western tradition. Most Christians don’t seem to ponder much on the triune nature of God--might even be intimidated by it. As a result, there is much latent unitarianism in “orthodox” circles.
Augustine framed the Trinity in terms of love. Anselm posited that Christ’s atoning work on the cross was a work of God within the Trinity. Karl Barth, in more modern times, contributed a Christological interpretation. Each angle has its strengths and weaknesses. But all are worthy contributors to the conversation.
Bray does not shy away from Eastern Orthodox or Roman Catholic viewpoints. Where he feels they tally with Scripture, they are commended. But the author’s goal is to formulate, albeit in short form, an “evangelical theology today.”
In the last chapter there is an insightful diversion into the concept of time. “The problem of time has occupied philosophers, artists, musicians and scientists, all in their different ways, and theologians have been only catching up with the general trend.”
There is also a reminder to preserve the Person: “That the Word became flesh and dwelt among us has always been one of the basic themes of the Christian gospel, but even today the implications of this stupendous fact are far from having been fully explored.”
Why a historio-theological survey of the Trinity? Perhaps that can best be answered by Bray himself: “We cannot neglect our past if we want to speak to the future.”
July 19, 2021
Bray’s study of the doctrine of God is strong on matters of historical theology but weak in terms of biblical exegesis. The structure of the book is not straightforward and it can be difficult to follow Bray. This of course can be partly the fault of the reader (me). It also contained very little on God’s attributes. I would recommend a book like John Frame’s The Doctrine of God as more helpful.
May 20, 2022
This was one of those books that will need to be re-visited. Bray engages deeply with the nature and knowledge of God. His emphasis on the necessity of the Trinity was especially rich. Not a fast read, but better chewed on thoughtfully and leisurely.
July 31, 2025
Alongside Herman Bavink’s ‘Reformed Dogmatics,’ ‘The Doctrine of God’ is the textbook used in ST 113 – Doctrine of God at Westminster Theological Seminary, which is being taught by Sinclair Ferguson this academic year.
Bray’s work is divided into an Introduction and six chapters which are titled:
1. Our Knowledge of God
2. The Nature of God
3. One God in Trinity
4. The Persons and the Nature of God
5. The Primacy of the Persons in God
6. Constructing an Evangelical Theology Today
Chapter 1 deals with the topic of God’s self-revelation, what theology is as a discipline, in addition to a historical account of how Christianity emerged parallel to two chief cultural influences, Roman law and Greek philosophy. Pretty straight forward.
Chapter 2 explores some of the traditional ‘proofs' for God’s existence, including the ontological, cosmological, teleological, moral, and what one might call the ‘aesthetic argument.’ Bray explicates each of these arguments and explains why he thinks that the project of natural theology is more or less a failure. Discussion is given to the attributes of God’s nature: the temporal, the spacial, the material, and the qualitative. Bray’s discussion of Divine timelessness I found to be particularly interesting.
Chapter 3 discusses the development of the Doctrine of the Trinity, the biblical evidence for such a doctrine, in addition to the various historical heresies concerning the topic.
Chapter 4 describes various historical strains of thought concerning the Doctrine of the Trinity from the Council of Nicea through the time of the Reformation in addition to the schism between the East and West.
Chapter 5 specifically speaks how the Cappadocian idea of perichorēsis shaped John Calvin’s view of the Trinity more than the idea of ‘essence’ in addition to the idea of co-inherence of the three persons of the Trinity. Most important, the Reformers linked the Trinity the doctrine of our adoption as sons and God's redeeming work.
Chapter 6 speaks to how no person approaches Scripture with a neutral set of assumptions in terms of how the Bible ought to be read and how non-systematic approaches to reading scripture are deficient. Additionally, Bray casts light upon how the Doctrine of the Trinity is not only important, but is purposeful and practical in how we live our lives in adoration of God. I personally found this chapter to be my favorite and it served as a perfect segue to my reading on the Doctrine of the Trinity.
There is a lot packed into this work and the above is by no means intended to be a comprehensive summary. Through my study of the Doctrine of God, a pedagogy organically arose through my reading with a focus on the devotional, the contemplative, and the historical. I found that this work which leaned heaviest towards the historical aspect rounded out my other two readings.
Bray’s work is divided into an Introduction and six chapters which are titled:
1. Our Knowledge of God
2. The Nature of God
3. One God in Trinity
4. The Persons and the Nature of God
5. The Primacy of the Persons in God
6. Constructing an Evangelical Theology Today
Chapter 1 deals with the topic of God’s self-revelation, what theology is as a discipline, in addition to a historical account of how Christianity emerged parallel to two chief cultural influences, Roman law and Greek philosophy. Pretty straight forward.
Chapter 2 explores some of the traditional ‘proofs' for God’s existence, including the ontological, cosmological, teleological, moral, and what one might call the ‘aesthetic argument.’ Bray explicates each of these arguments and explains why he thinks that the project of natural theology is more or less a failure. Discussion is given to the attributes of God’s nature: the temporal, the spacial, the material, and the qualitative. Bray’s discussion of Divine timelessness I found to be particularly interesting.
Chapter 3 discusses the development of the Doctrine of the Trinity, the biblical evidence for such a doctrine, in addition to the various historical heresies concerning the topic.
Chapter 4 describes various historical strains of thought concerning the Doctrine of the Trinity from the Council of Nicea through the time of the Reformation in addition to the schism between the East and West.
Chapter 5 specifically speaks how the Cappadocian idea of perichorēsis shaped John Calvin’s view of the Trinity more than the idea of ‘essence’ in addition to the idea of co-inherence of the three persons of the Trinity. Most important, the Reformers linked the Trinity the doctrine of our adoption as sons and God's redeeming work.
Chapter 6 speaks to how no person approaches Scripture with a neutral set of assumptions in terms of how the Bible ought to be read and how non-systematic approaches to reading scripture are deficient. Additionally, Bray casts light upon how the Doctrine of the Trinity is not only important, but is purposeful and practical in how we live our lives in adoration of God. I personally found this chapter to be my favorite and it served as a perfect segue to my reading on the Doctrine of the Trinity.
There is a lot packed into this work and the above is by no means intended to be a comprehensive summary. Through my study of the Doctrine of God, a pedagogy organically arose through my reading with a focus on the devotional, the contemplative, and the historical. I found that this work which leaned heaviest towards the historical aspect rounded out my other two readings.
March 27, 2024
The first volume in the "Contours of Christian Theology" which is also edited by Gerald Bray. I had to read this volume for my WTS Doctrine of God class taught by Sinclair Ferguson (incidentally, the most popular and highest-reviewed entries in this series are by WTS professors, Ferguson and Clowney).
Instead of a biblical-systematic construction of theology proper and the Trinity. This is more like a historical-theological tracing of the development of these theological loci. On the first read, it is a really sophisticated and tightly condensed work, and sometimes I wonder if Bray begins too many discussions when he cannot conclude them. But on a second, slower read (because of assignments), I've found this volume really enlightening.
Particularly helpful was Bray's method of disguising between God's "being" and "persons," and using these praxes to discuss the development of Trinitarian theology. The history of Christian theology is essentially a history of the doctrine of God because it begins in the apologetic climate where early church fathers, having adopted the monotheism of Judaism, had to defend and articulate the faith that is "one God in three persons" and "God becoming man." After giving a succinct biblical survey of Trinitarianism, Bray traces and examines how the historical church has attempted to place God’s single nature and three Persons into one coherent picture. He surveys both the Eastern and Western traditions, as well as modern views, correlating them loosely as Trinitarian models that attempted to ground the nature of God in the Father (Eastern), in the Spirit (Western), and in the Son (modern). Platonic philosophy and Neoplatonism tended to influence Eastern Christian theology towards mystical and apophatic theology. On the other hand, Roman law and stoicism influenced Western Christianity, where theology is more systematized, pragmatic, concerned with the legal and hierarchical aspects, and the “regulating and controlling use of power." Classical theism also emerged in Western theology and was particularly developed by Thomas Aquinas when he adapted Aristotelian philosophy to become what is known as Thomism or Scholasticism. The Eastern tradition is represented by Origen and the Cappadocian Fathers and developed towards positing the Father as the fountainhead of deity. Therefore, they reject the filioque clause as they maintain that the Spirit cannot have two “sources” of deity. However, the weakness of the Eastern tradition is the lack of co-inherence between the three Divine Persons, and the relationship between the Son and the Spirit is left ambiguous. The Western tradition is represented by Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas. Augustine developed the double procession model which posits the Spirit as the bond of love between the Father and the Son, while together with Anslem they defined the use of hypostasis and persons to describe God’s triunity. However, though in theory, the Western tradition has always acknowledged the equality of the three Persons, “in practice, it has frequently demoted and even depersonalized the Holy Spirit." Aquinas, following Augustine and the Cappodocians, in particular, was fond of the view that the Son was analogous to God's "word" or "knowledge," whereas the Spirit was analogous to God's "violation/will" or "love" (Augustine's read of John 4:24 and 1 John 4:16). In this sense, Bray asserts that both Eastern and Western traditions still have subordinationism tendencies within them.
Enter the Protestant Reformation. Bray posits that Luther and the Reformation brought a sea of change to Trinitarian theology and theology proper that has been unappreciated by historians.
Unlike earlier traditions that tend towards God's being and ontology, the reformation shifted the Creator-creation relationship from "participation in divine being" to "in covenant relationship." Whereas both the East and West have tended towards participationist soteriology (divinization), the Reformation accepted classical theism, yet reserved God's being to only secondary issues. The pertinent issue, according to Luther and the Reformation, was how men could relate to the Triune God in a personal, covenantal way, not in a divinization that consists of man participating in God's divine nature. Bray adds that Calvin's Authothean theology, where Christ (and the Spirit) is "God-in-Himself, is then the most consistent development of Trinitarian theology, where each person of the Trinity is truly and independently divine, yet participates in the perichoresis relationship. For Calvin, unlike the earlier traditions (both East and West) that posit that the Father is the "fountainhead of divinity" and communicates the divine essence to the Son and the Spirit, Calvin instead insists that it is only relational procession that is communicated to the Son and the Spirit, as the divine essence is noncommunicable, and that both the Son and the Spirit exhaust and possess the divine essence in themselves. Remarkably, Calvin's Autothean Christology and Trinitarianism have been somewhat neglected by subsequently reformed theologians. Bray states that only Benjamin Warfield has picked up and continued to articulate Calvin's Authothean Trinitarianism. At the time of my reading and according to my knowledge, after Warfield, only Brannon Ellis, and Van Til (according to Lane Tipton's work on Van Til's Trinitarian theology), have continued to develop Calvin's Authothean trinitarianism.
Not surprisingly, Bray then concludes that it is in the direction of "personhood" and less of "being" that theology proper and Trinitarianism should be constructed and developed in evangelical theology. Bray suggests that evangelical theology must continue to give primacy to God's personhood rather than God's being, and posit that it is God's Triune Person that controls His divine attributes, not the other way (as the earlier traditions have developed). Across the book, Bray has also attempted to demonstrate how some of God's attributes, when grounded and controlled by God's Triune persons, may dissolve certain theological dilemmas. At the time of this writing (1993), Bray reserved comments on the development of Barthian theology and seems somewhat invested in the "time and eternality" framework which is a Barthian signature, therefore I have a hunch that Bray is somewhat optimistic and sympathetic to some of the theological directions that have been incited because of Barth. In short, a sophisticated unpacking of the historical development of theological proper and Trinitarianism unfolded through the twin praxes of God's being and God's personhood.
Instead of a biblical-systematic construction of theology proper and the Trinity. This is more like a historical-theological tracing of the development of these theological loci. On the first read, it is a really sophisticated and tightly condensed work, and sometimes I wonder if Bray begins too many discussions when he cannot conclude them. But on a second, slower read (because of assignments), I've found this volume really enlightening.
Particularly helpful was Bray's method of disguising between God's "being" and "persons," and using these praxes to discuss the development of Trinitarian theology. The history of Christian theology is essentially a history of the doctrine of God because it begins in the apologetic climate where early church fathers, having adopted the monotheism of Judaism, had to defend and articulate the faith that is "one God in three persons" and "God becoming man." After giving a succinct biblical survey of Trinitarianism, Bray traces and examines how the historical church has attempted to place God’s single nature and three Persons into one coherent picture. He surveys both the Eastern and Western traditions, as well as modern views, correlating them loosely as Trinitarian models that attempted to ground the nature of God in the Father (Eastern), in the Spirit (Western), and in the Son (modern). Platonic philosophy and Neoplatonism tended to influence Eastern Christian theology towards mystical and apophatic theology. On the other hand, Roman law and stoicism influenced Western Christianity, where theology is more systematized, pragmatic, concerned with the legal and hierarchical aspects, and the “regulating and controlling use of power." Classical theism also emerged in Western theology and was particularly developed by Thomas Aquinas when he adapted Aristotelian philosophy to become what is known as Thomism or Scholasticism. The Eastern tradition is represented by Origen and the Cappadocian Fathers and developed towards positing the Father as the fountainhead of deity. Therefore, they reject the filioque clause as they maintain that the Spirit cannot have two “sources” of deity. However, the weakness of the Eastern tradition is the lack of co-inherence between the three Divine Persons, and the relationship between the Son and the Spirit is left ambiguous. The Western tradition is represented by Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas. Augustine developed the double procession model which posits the Spirit as the bond of love between the Father and the Son, while together with Anslem they defined the use of hypostasis and persons to describe God’s triunity. However, though in theory, the Western tradition has always acknowledged the equality of the three Persons, “in practice, it has frequently demoted and even depersonalized the Holy Spirit." Aquinas, following Augustine and the Cappodocians, in particular, was fond of the view that the Son was analogous to God's "word" or "knowledge," whereas the Spirit was analogous to God's "violation/will" or "love" (Augustine's read of John 4:24 and 1 John 4:16). In this sense, Bray asserts that both Eastern and Western traditions still have subordinationism tendencies within them.
Enter the Protestant Reformation. Bray posits that Luther and the Reformation brought a sea of change to Trinitarian theology and theology proper that has been unappreciated by historians.
Unlike earlier traditions that tend towards God's being and ontology, the reformation shifted the Creator-creation relationship from "participation in divine being" to "in covenant relationship." Whereas both the East and West have tended towards participationist soteriology (divinization), the Reformation accepted classical theism, yet reserved God's being to only secondary issues. The pertinent issue, according to Luther and the Reformation, was how men could relate to the Triune God in a personal, covenantal way, not in a divinization that consists of man participating in God's divine nature. Bray adds that Calvin's Authothean theology, where Christ (and the Spirit) is "God-in-Himself, is then the most consistent development of Trinitarian theology, where each person of the Trinity is truly and independently divine, yet participates in the perichoresis relationship. For Calvin, unlike the earlier traditions (both East and West) that posit that the Father is the "fountainhead of divinity" and communicates the divine essence to the Son and the Spirit, Calvin instead insists that it is only relational procession that is communicated to the Son and the Spirit, as the divine essence is noncommunicable, and that both the Son and the Spirit exhaust and possess the divine essence in themselves. Remarkably, Calvin's Autothean Christology and Trinitarianism have been somewhat neglected by subsequently reformed theologians. Bray states that only Benjamin Warfield has picked up and continued to articulate Calvin's Authothean Trinitarianism. At the time of my reading and according to my knowledge, after Warfield, only Brannon Ellis, and Van Til (according to Lane Tipton's work on Van Til's Trinitarian theology), have continued to develop Calvin's Authothean trinitarianism.
Not surprisingly, Bray then concludes that it is in the direction of "personhood" and less of "being" that theology proper and Trinitarianism should be constructed and developed in evangelical theology. Bray suggests that evangelical theology must continue to give primacy to God's personhood rather than God's being, and posit that it is God's Triune Person that controls His divine attributes, not the other way (as the earlier traditions have developed). Across the book, Bray has also attempted to demonstrate how some of God's attributes, when grounded and controlled by God's Triune persons, may dissolve certain theological dilemmas. At the time of this writing (1993), Bray reserved comments on the development of Barthian theology and seems somewhat invested in the "time and eternality" framework which is a Barthian signature, therefore I have a hunch that Bray is somewhat optimistic and sympathetic to some of the theological directions that have been incited because of Barth. In short, a sophisticated unpacking of the historical development of theological proper and Trinitarianism unfolded through the twin praxes of God's being and God's personhood.
September 23, 2014
Bray does an excellent job expounding on the theological beliefs of the church. However, Bray's book takes a bizarre twist. Bray is incredibly hostile towards Thomas Aquinas and apologetics; to the point that Bray sides with skeptics which is an odd position for a theologian to take. After expounding that it is impossible for one to know that God exists, Bray then lays out the beliefs of the church. Bray, on page 205, even seems to discredit the belief in the human soul. It is not known whether Bray misunderstands the arguments made by Aquinas and apologists (which one would think to be unlikely), is ultra-critical of natural theology, or holds a hyper-presuppositional theology. Whatever the case, Bray gives too much credence to the skeptic and leaves one wondering whether he suffers from doubt. Bray takes the position that God's existence is too high for an individual to know completely. this is appreciated. but it is irresponsible to discredit all of natural theology when in fact the Bible itself proclaims that the "heavens declare the glory of God." In addition, this is an older book and many advances have been made in the apologetics arena since then. Regardless, read this book for knowledge in theology but do not approach this book with the anticipation that ones faith will be defended.
July 21, 2016
The truth is: I don't disagree with much the author had to say but the author attempts to say far too much and doesn't manage to make any of it very interesting.
November 19, 2018
Bray provides an entry-level presentation in The Doctrine of God. He addresses how we as humans are able to learn about God, which is a good starting place. Most of the text is about the Trinity. The book also explains the nature and interworkings of the trinitarian God. In addition to biblical references, Bray describes the historical aspects of this theological subject. Unfortunately, Bray has evidently swallowed the lie that there are two (or more) valid religions in Christianity, and he supposes that the Roman Catholic religion and the various Orthodox religions are legitimate forms of Christianity despite having different holy texts, means of salvation, and deities. I deduct two stars for this.
This book is an entry-level text for a technical topic, and I suspect the average reader will be satisfied with a presentation such as this. Still, I cannot recommend this book due to the faults above. An oldie but goodie is The Existence and Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock. This title takes a Reformed perspective, and I recommend it over Bray's potential stumbling-block.
This book is an entry-level text for a technical topic, and I suspect the average reader will be satisfied with a presentation such as this. Still, I cannot recommend this book due to the faults above. An oldie but goodie is The Existence and Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock. This title takes a Reformed perspective, and I recommend it over Bray's potential stumbling-block.
January 5, 2022
The doctrine of God, as this book states so clearly, is not just a means of entertaining the academics, but is crucial to healthy, orthodox Christianity. How we understand God (and, more precisely, the trinity) is crucial to our relationship with him. The Protestant church must pay careful attention to the historic confessions of the church on this issue (something Bray emphasises well) or we are doomed to fizzle out like so many others. Embrace the historic faith and be careful ambassadors of it. Understand the great work the saints have put into developing a doctrine of God and the church will continue to shine for another generation.
January 11, 2022
This is a useful introduction to the doctrine of God, mostly focused on the doctrine of the Trinity. It considers the meaning of the theology, the nature of God, the relationships between the persons of the Trinity. Bray engages with classical and contemporary theology and also considers the insights of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. The only issue I take with this book is that it is a little disorganised in its treatment of the attributes of God. This could have done with its own chapter rather than being integrated into chapters on the doctrine of the Trinity.
July 19, 2022
A great resource especially if you're looking to learn more about God's attributes and the trinity from a historical context.
To be honest I was hoping for more of an exegetical approach to the subject but still came away feeling refreshed after studying the nature of God.
The chapter discussing different trinatarian models was enlightening. The historic teachers that Bray interacts with don't aim to diminish the equality of some of the persons of the trinity, yet by the model they construct does so by its implications.
Loads of great insights here
To be honest I was hoping for more of an exegetical approach to the subject but still came away feeling refreshed after studying the nature of God.
The chapter discussing different trinatarian models was enlightening. The historic teachers that Bray interacts with don't aim to diminish the equality of some of the persons of the trinity, yet by the model they construct does so by its implications.
Loads of great insights here
August 10, 2018
My head hurts. This book is more about the history of the doctrine of God until the last two chapters.
November 24, 2019
Easy read but a little dated. I began to lose interest towards the end.
July 19, 2013
This is not easy reading, and it's not exactly what I expected (truth be told, I didn't know what to expect). Bray provides a concise survey of the development of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, beginning with Christian departure from Jewish monotheism, continuing through to the Medieval Scholastics - including the Cappadocian Fathers in the East and Augustine in the West - Thomas Aquinas, then the great Reformers, and finally key developments in the 19th and 20th centuries. He closes with a call to Evangelicals to have a holistic understanding of the Trinity rooted in the Scriptures and expressed in the tradition of the Church.
You might need to re-read a few passages, but that's okay. Love the Lord with all your Mind, our Savior said. Here's a great mental exercise in one of the most enigmatic mysteries of the Christian faith, but an experience that is not just mentally stimulating but worshipful as well.
You might need to re-read a few passages, but that's okay. Love the Lord with all your Mind, our Savior said. Here's a great mental exercise in one of the most enigmatic mysteries of the Christian faith, but an experience that is not just mentally stimulating but worshipful as well.
February 16, 2016
Bray does a good job handling difficult subjects without getting needlessly technical. There are still sections which are hard to grasp (I still don't fully grasp the discussion on time in the last chapter), but over all, the book was interesting to read.
Bray focuses on the doctrine of the Trinity and structures the book by a historical survey of the doctrine. The high point of the book is Calvin's doctrine of the Trinity which emphasized the persons of the Trinity, rather than the concept of "being" drawn from natural theology. The persons and the personal aspect of God is the focus of revelation, while the single essence of God was the focus of natural theology (carried over, unwillingly, from the Greeks). This has great implications for our conception of God, our communion with God, Christology and kenosis, and our view of man and his nature. God is personal, not an impersonal force to be dissected or tapped into. He speaks, and we listen, worship, and love.
Bray focuses on the doctrine of the Trinity and structures the book by a historical survey of the doctrine. The high point of the book is Calvin's doctrine of the Trinity which emphasized the persons of the Trinity, rather than the concept of "being" drawn from natural theology. The persons and the personal aspect of God is the focus of revelation, while the single essence of God was the focus of natural theology (carried over, unwillingly, from the Greeks). This has great implications for our conception of God, our communion with God, Christology and kenosis, and our view of man and his nature. God is personal, not an impersonal force to be dissected or tapped into. He speaks, and we listen, worship, and love.
November 23, 2016
What was useful about this book was that it introduced me to something of the broader theological debates in the church. What was much less useful was that it was mostly boring to read and it committed the greatest crime in theology: it failed to move my heart towards my God (even if it helped somewhat in moving my head towards Him). Time is precious, and it's unlikely that I'll come back to finish this book (read up to Ch 3) - maybe will use as a reference in times to come, but on a whole there are way too many other books on theology that I want to read that I trust will be more useful.
Also - very disappointing that he doesn't even acknowledge the existence of the presuppositional argument in his discussion of arguments for the existence of God. If you are a Van Tillian, you will want to find a theologian on the same wavelength as you probably. Bray won't be (at least not self-consciously or consistently).
Also - very disappointing that he doesn't even acknowledge the existence of the presuppositional argument in his discussion of arguments for the existence of God. If you are a Van Tillian, you will want to find a theologian on the same wavelength as you probably. Bray won't be (at least not self-consciously or consistently).
November 21, 2013
Gerald Bray’s The Doctrine of God exhibits a genius of brevity and insight. The work covers the essential history and reasoning behind core dogmatic questions regarding the nature of God. Most helpfully, the book breathes with both lungs of Christendom, both East and West. With this grounded yet full-orbed approach, The Doctrine of God can be readily commended to a member of any branch of Christ’s Church as well as to a relative newcomer to the Christian faith.
February 16, 2014
Fantastic content. More than a head-full. Presentation is a little dry and plodding. But I mean, come on, it's the Trinity! Were you expecting it to be easy? His approach is historical and he only has a few pages at the end of historical conclusions. He does a good job bringing out the best of Calvin in contradistinction to Barth. Recommended for all evangelical, scholarly, Protestant theologians.
July 6, 2012
Great book from the most unassuming, yet most brilliant, man alive. Could be an exaggeration but the man knows 13 languages, is a speed reader, practically has a photographic memory, and has a great sense of humor. I trust Bray with all he says and writes. He taught me a few classes at Beeson Divinity School. Remarkable man.
August 20, 2012
Typical Bray: Brilliant! I love this entire series (Contours Of Christian Theology) and this volume is excellent. If I were teaching a course on theology proper this would certainly be a primary text. Bray is an impressive scholar but he writes theology with a proper warmth. Highly recommended.
November 29, 2012
Good book. Well written/communicated. A little too critical toward the East, but still a helpful volume. Worthy of reading by way of a beginner to intermediate text. One of the better volumes in the Contours Series from IVP.
June 17, 2016
This book really helped me understand the Trinity. Bray does a good job of laying out how the three persons are unified and yet distinct. This was a dense read and I'm still wrestling with what he had to say about time. Overall I was really edified by this book.
June 19, 2012
Another har
d but useful read on an unsettled subject!
d but useful read on an unsettled subject!
August 21, 2012
Easy to read introduction to the doctrine of the Trinity. I particularly enjoyed the presentation of Cappadocian Trinitarianism and the way in differs from the Western tradition in chapter 4.
June 20, 2014
Great primer on theology proper.
December 23, 2015
I enjoy Bray's approach to writing and scholarship and find his books engaging. No exception here. This is a good series.
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