Thomas F. Torrance and the Orthodox-Reformed Theological Dialogue

by Jason Robert Radcliff

In this volume, Jason Radcliff offers an introduction, critical appreciation, and constructive extension of the Orthodox-Reformed Theological Dialogue spearheaded by Thomas F. Torrance in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Focusing upon the Greek Patristic foundations of the Dialogue, as seen particularly in the "shared rapport" between Torrance and Archbishop Methodios Fouyas as well as the monumental theological outcome of the Dialogue, "The Agreed Statement on the Holy Trinity," a document that claims to cut behind the issue of the filioque, this book also highlights some of the notable conversations that went on "behind the scenes" of the Dialogue as seen in the photos, the unpublished Official Minutes, and correspondence between Torrance and other major figures, namely George Dragas, Methodios Fouyas, and The Patriarch of Constantinople himself, about such topics such as the Athanasian doctrine of the Trinity, Barthian Christocentrism, and John Zizioulas' existentialism. The book includes selections from unpublished minutes and photographs as well as out-of-print documents--such as Torrance's "Memoranda on Orthodox/Reformed Relations" and "Common Reflection" as well as "The Agreed Statement on the Holy Trinity." Radcliff argues that the Dialogue's ecumenical use and creative interpretation of the Trinitarian and Christocentric theology of the Greek Fathers is profoundly relevant for contemporary Trinitarian theology.

"This superb study by Jason Radcliff, which offers a veritable gold mine of information about the central doctrine of the Nicene faith, does a great service for the church and academy explaining how and why Thomas F. Torrance's ecumenical approach remains an underutilized but necessary benchmark for contemporary Trinitarian theology . . . This book is must reading for anyone studying Christology and Trinitarian doctrine today."
--Paul D. Molnar, St. John's University, Queens, New York

"The dialogue between the (then) World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Orthodox Church was one of the ecumenical successes of the late twentieth century. This was not only because they agreed that they would hold to the agenda set by the Nicene-Constantinopolotan Creed (unthinkable in today's era of identity theologies) but because of the depth of friendship between Archbishop Methodios Fouyas and Thomas F. Torrance (my father). The distinguished Greek theologian George Dion Dragas shared that friendship and the volume is most appropriately dedicated to him. It is a perceptive volume, fully alive to the ways good human relationships, loyalty, and deep affection can thaw apparently intractable disagreement."
--Iain R. Torrance, President Emeritus of Princeton Theological Seminary

Jason Radcliff (PhD, Edinburgh), author of Thomas F. Torrance and the Church Fathers (Pickwick, 2014), teaches at The Stony Brook School, a college-preparatory boarding school in New York. He is also on the faculty of The George Mercer, Jr. Memorial School of Theology, and serves as an Assistant Editor of Participatio: The Journal of the Thomas F. Torrance Theological Fellowship.

168 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 5, 2018

Reviews

[Chandler Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Agreed Statement: “According to the Holy Gospel God has revealed himself in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, as ‘through the Son we have access to the Father in one Spirit’ (Eph 2.18). Of decisive importance in the Church’s formulation of belief in the Holy Trinity was the dominical institution of Baptism ‘in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ’ (Mt 28.19). As Basil expressed it: ‘We are bound to be baptized in the terms we have received and to profess faith in the terms in which we have been baptized’ (Ep.125.3).”

Torrance: “The doctrine of the Monarchy that is not limited to one Person, and the doctrine of the περιχώρησις of the three Divine Persons, or their reciprocal containing of one another, when taken together, may help toward a fuller understanding of the mission of the Holy Spirit from the Father and gift of the Holy Spirit by the Son. As the Agreed Statement says: ‘The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, but because of the unity of the Godhead in which each Person is perfectly and wholly God, he proceeds from the Father through the Son for the Spirit belongs to and is inseparable from the Being of the Father and of the Son’. A further study in depth of this procession might help us to find ways of cutting behind the division between the East and the West over the so-called ‘filioque’, for it does not allow of any idea of the procession of the Spirit from two ultimate principles or ἀρχαι.”

“The Reformed Church believes that there is only one Priesthood, the Royal Priesthood of Jesus Christ himself, but that through the Spirit the Church as Christ’s Body participates in that Priesthood in a distinctive way through serving it in the ministry of Word and Sacrament, and that within the Priesthood of the Church some members are set apart to participate in that priestly service in a particular authoritative way, preaching and acting in Christ’s Name and place, in such a way that through their service of him, it is he himself who acts in and through them. The nature of their ministry derives from the servant form of Jesus Christ the Incarnate and Crucified Son of God, and is thus always a humble and never a lordly form of ministry.”

Overall, this book provides excellent and thought-provoking insights into the Reformed-Orthodox Dialogues that occurred at the end of the 20th century. These dialogues crafted an excellent and much-needed ecumenical confession on the doctrine of the Trinity that absolutely NEEDS to be recovered today. I learned much about First, Second, and Third-Wave Trinitarianism, and how this document was ahead of its time in articulating a nuanced version of Third-Wave Trinitarianism (challenging the De Regnon Thesis about how there is a distinction between East and West on the Trinity, the Statement instead cuts behind form and shows agreement of content on the Trinity between Eastern and Western churches). I also developed a better understanding of the Monarchy in Trinitarian theology as applying to the One Being of God rather than to just the person of the Father.

I am only giving this book 3 stars however, because of Radcliff’s writing. This book is painstakingly, tediously, and shamelessly repetitive in the first part from Radcliff. The book is also rife with typos which makes me question the editing work on this book. Radcliff says in 100 pages what anyone else could have said in 20 pages. Certain chapters feel like him saying the same thing in different ways across paragraphs. It’s quite remarkable actually. Radcliff also unwarrantedly applies Torrance’s theology of ministry to an attempt to support the ordination of homosexuals—something Torrance never did! This felt like an overt attempt to use Torrance for a liberal theological end.

I did appreciate that Radcliff was willing to critique Torrance and the dialogue at points—for example, Torrance’s pitting of the Cappadocians against Athanasius and Cyril, was well as Torrance’s anachronistic reading of Augustine. Though the book does highlight Torrance’s appreciation of the Cappadocians and Augustine in certain areas.