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Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture
God in Himself: Scripture, Metaphysics, and the Task of Christian Theology
How do we know God? Can we know God as he is in himself? These longstanding questions have been addressed by Christian theologians throughout the church's history. Some, such as Thomas Aquinas, have argued that we know God through both natural and supernatural revelation, while others, especially Karl Barth, have argued that we know God only on the basis of the incarnation. Contemporary discussions of these issues sometimes give the impression that we have to choose between a speculative doctrine of God driven by natural theology or metaphysics and a Christ-centered doctrine of God driven by God's work in the history of salvation. In this volume in IVP Academic's Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture series, Steven J. Duby casts a vision for integrating natural theology, the incarnation, and metaphysics in a Christian description of God in himself.
400 pages, Paperback
Published December 31, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 15, 2021
This is a must-read for those interested in the Classical Doctrine of God along with current debates surrounding the divine attributes. Duby uses a variety of sources, from medieval thinkers to later Reformed scholastics to demonstrate the doctrine of divine aseity and its implications. Throughout, Duby counters criticisms from diverse figures such as Karl Barth, Robert Jenson, and contemporary evangelical critics.
August 22, 2025
Steven Duby is the man. Everything he writes is gold. This book is an absolute masterpiece on prolegomena and classical theism. Duby makes a wonderful case that we can analogically predicate things about God in se because God has revealed himself to us in nature and Scripture. As creatures wrestle with God’s Word (the external cognitive principle), it is fitting to use reason (internal cognitive principle) by drawing on metaphysical categories in service to summarize and describe Scriptural content. For anyone interested in classical theism, this book is a must read.
January 7, 2020
The role of natural theology does not always get a good rap among some Protestants and Reformed camps. But just the other day Steven J. Duby, associate professor of theology at Grand Canyon University, and author of “Divine Simplicity: A Dogmatic Account,” came out with a dense and demanding 352-page paperback that seeks to give the subject its due! “God in Himself: Scripture, Metaphysics, and the Task of Christian Theology” makes bold to present a way “theologians today can appropriate Reformed orthodox insights on matters like the nature of theological knowledge, the viability of natural theology, and the theological use of metaphysics” (8). This weighty work, part of IVP Academic’s “Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture,” methodically and meticulously treks its way through theologians, esoterica and substantial loci of natural theology, metaphysics and the incarnation to bring together “a constructive account of the Christian practice of theologia taken in the strict sense of the word” (6). A perceptive public, as well as professionals, professors and pastors will find the volume insightful and cause for reflective pause.
The author dialogues with heavyweights like Bavinck, Barth, Van Til, Aquinas, Augustine, Jensen, Molnar and many others. He explicates their challenges and concerns, embraces their strengths, and lays out their positions as thoughtfully and fairly as he can, while responding to them just as thoughtfully and fairly. He draws out the many-sided details of the analogy of being, while maintaining the Creator-creature distinction. He looks at metaphysics and restores it to its rightful place, which is “the study of created being as such” and not necessarily including “God within its field of inquiry” (231). Duby also examines the role of theologia within the divine economy, natural theology, and the important place of the incarnation, specifically as it reveals God in himself.
When addressing Christology’s proper place, he unpacks Barth’s worries about natural theology, and his notion that God’s knowability can only be in Christ. Then the author carefully walks readers through his response, agreeing where he can, modifying what he must, and explaining from Scripture a better way forward. In this section he enlists and penetrates the Gospel-depths of 2 Corinthians 8:9, Philippians 2:6-11, Proverbs 8, and others passages, and concludes that since “the Father has created and sustained the world through his Son, the Son is (with the Father and Spirit) the source of humanity’s natural knowledge of God” (169). This doesn’t mean humankind can pull itself up into a knowledge of God by its own bootstraps, since “the world lacks the “affective” knowledge of God that involves delight in him” (148). Rather, there is a natural knowledge of God mediated through the Son in creation so that all are without excuse. But there is need for God’s more specific self-revelation, which is mediated through the Son before and after the incarnation. Following Aquinas, the author makes the case that Christ is the head, in both nature and grace! I deeply enjoyed the whole chapter, especially the point that “the Son is the one through whom the Father created the world and has given the human race a natural knowledge of God” and the “Son was also the mediator of the supernatural knowledge of God even prior to his incarnation” (176-7).
On of the major themes of the volume is the validity of natural knowledge. Whether Duby is addressing metaphysics or epistemology or Christology, this – in my estimation – is one of the chief importations of the book. “Natural knowledge of God, then, from a scriptural perspective is not something that humanity obtains of its own initiative or by following a pathway never opened or authorized by God. Instead, it is made available by God’s own purposeful self-revelation in order to render all persons aware of and accountable to their Creator” (67). The value of his insights on this subject alone are worth the price of the book. Therefore, “God in Himself” is an ideal addition to a pastor’s and professor’s library, as well as in seminary studies. It is scholarly, but it also draws out devotional applications. I highly recommend the work.
My thanks to IVP Academic for sending the book at my request. I’m also appreciative that they allowed me the liberty to come to my own conclusions. Therefore, the analysis herein is solely my own, liberally made and given.
The author dialogues with heavyweights like Bavinck, Barth, Van Til, Aquinas, Augustine, Jensen, Molnar and many others. He explicates their challenges and concerns, embraces their strengths, and lays out their positions as thoughtfully and fairly as he can, while responding to them just as thoughtfully and fairly. He draws out the many-sided details of the analogy of being, while maintaining the Creator-creature distinction. He looks at metaphysics and restores it to its rightful place, which is “the study of created being as such” and not necessarily including “God within its field of inquiry” (231). Duby also examines the role of theologia within the divine economy, natural theology, and the important place of the incarnation, specifically as it reveals God in himself.
When addressing Christology’s proper place, he unpacks Barth’s worries about natural theology, and his notion that God’s knowability can only be in Christ. Then the author carefully walks readers through his response, agreeing where he can, modifying what he must, and explaining from Scripture a better way forward. In this section he enlists and penetrates the Gospel-depths of 2 Corinthians 8:9, Philippians 2:6-11, Proverbs 8, and others passages, and concludes that since “the Father has created and sustained the world through his Son, the Son is (with the Father and Spirit) the source of humanity’s natural knowledge of God” (169). This doesn’t mean humankind can pull itself up into a knowledge of God by its own bootstraps, since “the world lacks the “affective” knowledge of God that involves delight in him” (148). Rather, there is a natural knowledge of God mediated through the Son in creation so that all are without excuse. But there is need for God’s more specific self-revelation, which is mediated through the Son before and after the incarnation. Following Aquinas, the author makes the case that Christ is the head, in both nature and grace! I deeply enjoyed the whole chapter, especially the point that “the Son is the one through whom the Father created the world and has given the human race a natural knowledge of God” and the “Son was also the mediator of the supernatural knowledge of God even prior to his incarnation” (176-7).
On of the major themes of the volume is the validity of natural knowledge. Whether Duby is addressing metaphysics or epistemology or Christology, this – in my estimation – is one of the chief importations of the book. “Natural knowledge of God, then, from a scriptural perspective is not something that humanity obtains of its own initiative or by following a pathway never opened or authorized by God. Instead, it is made available by God’s own purposeful self-revelation in order to render all persons aware of and accountable to their Creator” (67). The value of his insights on this subject alone are worth the price of the book. Therefore, “God in Himself” is an ideal addition to a pastor’s and professor’s library, as well as in seminary studies. It is scholarly, but it also draws out devotional applications. I highly recommend the work.
My thanks to IVP Academic for sending the book at my request. I’m also appreciative that they allowed me the liberty to come to my own conclusions. Therefore, the analysis herein is solely my own, liberally made and given.
April 8, 2020
This was more dense than I anticipated. Duby has authored a fine work in which he puts a blend of Thomistic and Reformed Orthodox theologians in conversation with Barth, McCormack, Jenson and others who advise an anti-metaphysical/revisionary metaphysical conception of God.
Duby’s historical treatment of the development of these concepts was stretched and sometimes irrelevant to the issues that the concepts have caused. This made for long chapters that didn’t seem to cover substantial ground. In his attempt to be wide and far-reaching, there was compromise on the depth by which he argues against his interlocutors. Save for the chapter on christology, I would have liked him to give more time on constructive argumentation as opposed to historical development.
Nevertheless, this is a very good book even if I still think that most faithful and compelling way to begin a doctrine of God is by what He has done in Jesus Christ.
This is a conversation I hope theology continues particularly within evangelicanism.
Duby’s historical treatment of the development of these concepts was stretched and sometimes irrelevant to the issues that the concepts have caused. This made for long chapters that didn’t seem to cover substantial ground. In his attempt to be wide and far-reaching, there was compromise on the depth by which he argues against his interlocutors. Save for the chapter on christology, I would have liked him to give more time on constructive argumentation as opposed to historical development.
Nevertheless, this is a very good book even if I still think that most faithful and compelling way to begin a doctrine of God is by what He has done in Jesus Christ.
This is a conversation I hope theology continues particularly within evangelicanism.
October 9, 2020
Summary: A study of what may be known of God in God’s self rather than in God’s external relations to the world and the role that scripture, metaphysics, natural and supernatural theology, and the use of analogy all play in forming this understanding.
In theology, the distinction is often made between what may be know of God in se, of God in Himself versus what may be know of God in his relations with the world. This holds true particularly in Trinitarian studies, considering what may be known of intra-trinitarian relations versus the was the Triune God interacts with creation.
Steven J. Duby believes that this theological work is vitally important for the church. For one thing, it underlines that while God is complete in Himself without any need of us, he has extravagantly loved us. Furthermore, this takes us into the transcendent wonder of the perfections of the Triune God, a foretaste of the joy to come. And this study sets out to help us reflect more deeply on the interactions of scripture, natural theology, the incarnation, metaphysics, and analogies in our witness to God in Christ among the nations.
This indicates Duby’s approach then. He explores what we may know of God in Himself through the testimony of scripture, the role of natural theology as preparatory, the incarnation of Christ and what this says of God in himself, the interaction of theology and metaphysics, and the role of analogy. We understand something of the perfections of God including the holiness of God and the perfection of love within the Trinity. We grasp more deeply the significance of the aseity of God, that God is uncause and self-existent and independent. We also learn something of the limits of our knowledge.
Duby does something more. These approaches often are set off from each other but what Duby tries to do is show how these work together in an account of God in Himself. He also proposes that what God shows of Himself in relation to the world, while not compromising God’s self existence, is utterly consistent with what we know of God in Himself.
This is a careful work of scholarship, engaging theologians and philosophers through history–Aquinas, Boethius, Turretin, Kant, Barth, and contemporaries like Bruce McCormack and Matthew Levering. It calls for close and careful reading, but I found myself at points caught up in pondering the excellence of God. While this is academic study, weighing the ideas of different thinkers and making its own proposals, it never loses sight of the fact that God can never be the mere subject of our study and dare never be an object for idle speculation, but is always the One before whom we wonder and worship.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
In theology, the distinction is often made between what may be know of God in se, of God in Himself versus what may be know of God in his relations with the world. This holds true particularly in Trinitarian studies, considering what may be known of intra-trinitarian relations versus the was the Triune God interacts with creation.
Steven J. Duby believes that this theological work is vitally important for the church. For one thing, it underlines that while God is complete in Himself without any need of us, he has extravagantly loved us. Furthermore, this takes us into the transcendent wonder of the perfections of the Triune God, a foretaste of the joy to come. And this study sets out to help us reflect more deeply on the interactions of scripture, natural theology, the incarnation, metaphysics, and analogies in our witness to God in Christ among the nations.
This indicates Duby’s approach then. He explores what we may know of God in Himself through the testimony of scripture, the role of natural theology as preparatory, the incarnation of Christ and what this says of God in himself, the interaction of theology and metaphysics, and the role of analogy. We understand something of the perfections of God including the holiness of God and the perfection of love within the Trinity. We grasp more deeply the significance of the aseity of God, that God is uncause and self-existent and independent. We also learn something of the limits of our knowledge.
Duby does something more. These approaches often are set off from each other but what Duby tries to do is show how these work together in an account of God in Himself. He also proposes that what God shows of Himself in relation to the world, while not compromising God’s self existence, is utterly consistent with what we know of God in Himself.
This is a careful work of scholarship, engaging theologians and philosophers through history–Aquinas, Boethius, Turretin, Kant, Barth, and contemporaries like Bruce McCormack and Matthew Levering. It calls for close and careful reading, but I found myself at points caught up in pondering the excellence of God. While this is academic study, weighing the ideas of different thinkers and making its own proposals, it never loses sight of the fact that God can never be the mere subject of our study and dare never be an object for idle speculation, but is always the One before whom we wonder and worship.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
March 9, 2021
This was a deep, rigorous, and thoroughly satisfying book in the area of theology proper. I would highly recommend the book to anyone wanting to do a deep dive in the classical doctrine of God, especially as it relates to who He is in himself and in interacting with the creation. The only issue I had with the book is that Duby seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time in historical development. I felt this time could have been better spent developing his own thoughts.
June 26, 2022
I agreed with the overall perspective of this book. He doesn't interact at all with contemporary philosophical arguments against the classical divine attributes (absolute simplicity, timeless eternity), but is more interested in engagin with contemporary theologians who don't buy into the classical project. The major flaws of this book are its anemic use of Scripture (despite the subtitle), and that it is much longer on explanation of its position than real, robust argument. Still worth a read as a rejoinder to theologians like Jenson, Moltmann, Pannenberg, etc.
April 5, 2020
This work about theology proper takes on several issues: theology and transcendence, the possibility and authority of natural theology, Christology and method, the ministerial and crucial role of metaphysics, and what analogous language is and does. All of these are issues relating to theological method and the doctrine of God.
Something has been happening in this discipline for the last several years, and Duby’s is one of a number of the robust results. The doctrine of God was drifting and perilously weak. It is in need of retrieval, and that work has begun. One of the weaknesses is that the past was being ignored and caricatured. This may not entirely have been due to mere historical ignorance, but to a more fundamental ignorance of the culture of theology in which theological formulation for ages had been done. Ignorance of Aquinas is ignorance of what Aquinas said and meant, but it may be a symptom of a greater ignorance of what Aquinas understood to begin with, what he worked with and what that meant. Duby’s book demonstrates that theology proper that does not take Aquinas seriously cannot take theology seriously.
Theological retrieval, as Duby’s book shows, today means a repudiation of the basic assumptions of Karl Barth. Long has Barth ruled in the world of academic theology. But as has become manifestly clear, classical theism has a substantial place for natural theology, and without that our theology is not only diminished, but gradually squandered. Hellenization theory attacked this important part of theology, a discredited theory that still lives on against scholarship and probability. Substantial history refutes it. May this book signal the end of the hegemony of Karl Barth. It has certainly exposed his shabbiness.
The real thing to do is to go back to Duby’s sources. That’s being undertaken. This book is just the beginning.
Something has been happening in this discipline for the last several years, and Duby’s is one of a number of the robust results. The doctrine of God was drifting and perilously weak. It is in need of retrieval, and that work has begun. One of the weaknesses is that the past was being ignored and caricatured. This may not entirely have been due to mere historical ignorance, but to a more fundamental ignorance of the culture of theology in which theological formulation for ages had been done. Ignorance of Aquinas is ignorance of what Aquinas said and meant, but it may be a symptom of a greater ignorance of what Aquinas understood to begin with, what he worked with and what that meant. Duby’s book demonstrates that theology proper that does not take Aquinas seriously cannot take theology seriously.
Theological retrieval, as Duby’s book shows, today means a repudiation of the basic assumptions of Karl Barth. Long has Barth ruled in the world of academic theology. But as has become manifestly clear, classical theism has a substantial place for natural theology, and without that our theology is not only diminished, but gradually squandered. Hellenization theory attacked this important part of theology, a discredited theory that still lives on against scholarship and probability. Substantial history refutes it. May this book signal the end of the hegemony of Karl Barth. It has certainly exposed his shabbiness.
The real thing to do is to go back to Duby’s sources. That’s being undertaken. This book is just the beginning.
April 10, 2020
This is an immensely deep and rich book and it addresses the following areas:
First of all “a scriptural case for the pursuit of knowledge of God in himself.”
Secondly, the contribution of the natural knowledge of God to this pursuit.
Thirdly, how supernatural revelation culminates in the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Fourthly this leads to an in-depth discussion of the relationship between metaphysics and theology.
And the final chapter, chapter 5, discusses how human language can express truth about God.
This is a detailed and fairly technical book, where the author calls upon Thomas Aquinas and post-Reformation dogmaticians, but interacts with modern theologians like Barth, Pannenburg and their more orthodox sympathisers.
I found this very fruitful and I highly recommend it.
First of all “a scriptural case for the pursuit of knowledge of God in himself.”
Secondly, the contribution of the natural knowledge of God to this pursuit.
Thirdly, how supernatural revelation culminates in the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Fourthly this leads to an in-depth discussion of the relationship between metaphysics and theology.
And the final chapter, chapter 5, discusses how human language can express truth about God.
This is a detailed and fairly technical book, where the author calls upon Thomas Aquinas and post-Reformation dogmaticians, but interacts with modern theologians like Barth, Pannenburg and their more orthodox sympathisers.
I found this very fruitful and I highly recommend it.
October 10, 2022
With his focus on prolegomena, Duby thoroughly argues for an approach to theology which utilizes scholastic tools in a ministerial manner. The greatest strength of this book is his constructive account of the positive use of Thomistic categories, without overreliance upon the same, and his refutation of Karl Barth, the most compelling account against the classical Reformed approach to theological prolegomena. This will likely become a standard work regarding this area of theological study for years to come. Highly recommended.
July 25, 2020
This dogmatic work is a case study on theological methodology at its finest. In it, Duby does us all the favor of untangling some 20th century knots, and liberates the theologian to pursue the task of theology by wrestling *first* with God in himself. Densely packed and meticulously reasoned.
Another noteworthy feature of this book is Duby’s irenic tone. Even with authors from which he strongly differs, Duby displays a charity and humility that is all too uncommon today.
Another noteworthy feature of this book is Duby’s irenic tone. Even with authors from which he strongly differs, Duby displays a charity and humility that is all too uncommon today.
January 14, 2025
Can we speak of God in himself? If so, what's the role of metaphysics and natural theology in dogmatics? Duby shows the benefits and limits of both natural theology and metaphysics role as handmaidens to the task of theologia. When interacting with interlocutors, Duby is a model of charitably disagreeing by a close reading of their arguments. He not only does the work of exegesis, but he uncovers every stone in his historical engagement as well.
March 8, 2021
A deep theological work focusing on the fact that we can know God in himself, not just in the economy through Scripture. This means that God is not limited to just how he works within creation or I should say our knowledge is not limited to just his working. An interesting read and should be in anyone's theological collection.
February 14, 2020
This will probably (certainly) be the most important theological book put out this year. Very academic read. But so worth our attention as we consider how to think rightly about who God is.
June 19, 2020
Stellar, but not for the faint of heart. Extremely learned work of ressourcement. Most (all?) of it would fall under prolegomena.
July 10, 2020
A very fine work of theology that continues the work of rehabilitating the work of Aquinas and post Reformation orthodoxy for theology proper. Some parts a slog, but necessary.
November 29, 2020
an especially good chapter on metaphysics and how it maps/doesnt map onto Christian Scripture
May 3, 2021
A little bit beyond me, but also very helpful. Definitely have benefited from a difficult yet enjoyable read.
December 15, 2021
Very dense in places. Very good (and even moving) in more places.
February 26, 2022
Worth it for its discussion of analogy alone. Best constructive account of analogy I’ve read. Helpfully addresses both contemporary and traditional Scotist critiques of analogy.
June 10, 2025
A book not for the faint of heart. I found it to be very advanced and not written for the average lay Christian.
January 17, 2020
Stonkingly good bit of theological writing that offers some fresh perspectives on a number of things I’ve been chewing over.
Nearly five stars but it is just too technical to recommend to some of those who most need to think about their theology, christology and anthropology.
Nearly five stars but it is just too technical to recommend to some of those who most need to think about their theology, christology and anthropology.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews