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Boundless Love: A Companion to Clark H. Pinnock's Theology
Clark H. Pinnock (1937-2010) was arguably one of the most noted, productive, and provocative Christian theologians in North American evangelical Christianity in the late twentieth century. Considering how challenging he is to classify and yet how significant his work has been, Pinnock should be widely studied today. However, for many, their first introduction to Pinnock's writing is facilitated through various critical sources. For too long, Pinnock's theology has been stuck within the confines of tired stereotypes and overly simplistic summaries. Andrew Ray Williams, then, gives Pinnock a fresh and fair hearing, outlining some of his major themes while also providing an accessible point of entry into his theology. In doing so, this book is usable and profitable for both longtime fans as well as critics of Pinnock, while also offering first-time readers of Pinnock an open-minded position from which to read him.
128 pages, Hardcover
Published July 22, 2021
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December 31, 2021
I just finished an advanced reader copy of "Boundless Love: A Companion to Clark H. Pinnock's Theology," By Andrew Ray Williams.
(Edit to add pic of my hardcopy.)
Pinnock's was a personal and theological journey that would make some want to sit out the journey. He was raised as and received his doctorate as a conservative Calvinist and yet he is the modern father of Open Theism. Such a change would make one want to know where he landed theologically (the "later" Pinnock). For instance, where does Pinnock fall on the topics of God, Revelation, Creation, Salvation, Church and Hope? Williams brings us a companion to Pinnock's theology so that we can have a view of the whole. This is done because often many who encounter Pinnock do so only through secondary sources, who are fast on half quotes and ellipses only to straw man him, rather than read his work. (As a side note: yall read "Flame of Love". Pinnock writes like a love struck 12 year old pouring his heart out to his lady.)
God:
I love how for Pinnock the model of God often rejected is the God of classical theism but not the God of the bible. Giving up on a model is maturity. The model that Pinnock clung to is one which begins with love as the primary attribute. As such we have to follow up by saying that for Pinnock God as Love demands Him to be relational with His creation. This "God is Love" demands a Trinitarian structure for Pinnock. Otherwise one would have to say that God was lonely before He created and was less that Himself then (Not self actualized). Holy smoke, Williams is drawing from Pinnock books love not heard of. Time to buy.
I find the part on Pinnock's Christology interesting. He used Kenotic Christology to join LOGOS and Spirit Christology. Also he operates from a Pneumatic-Christicentrism not holding the Spirit as an "It" but maintaining His personhood, staying Trinitarian while at the same time pressing boundaries or evangelical orthodoxy with thought like referring to the Spirit in the feminine.
From here Williams eases into how Pinnock began to see and speaks to an open future in God. Great coverage from many resources on Pinnock's Doctrine of God.
Revelation:
Pinnock's view of Revelation went from intellectual propositions to Divine self-disclosure it is here where the W/word finds us. He saw revelation as "synergisticly progressive" (phrasing mine): as we through the Spirit grow our experience of the W/word changes and our grasping of what is revealed grows. He also acknowledges that those of the evangelical persuasion have leaned way to heavily on scriptures perfection. Rather than a book of facts and science Pinnock believes in a view of scripture from below rather than above.
In Pinnock's view the best approach to hermeneutics is via the Spirit. Though he acknowledges that this looser and less enlightenment based approach could be open to abuse it is the believing community that keeps each other in check in this regard. This was quite good especially breaking down the Pinnockian quadrilateral (scripture as a large circle with three internal circles: tradition or past experience, experience, and reason).
Creation, open and free:
"Creation is a piece of Divine self-expression," p 44.
Pinnock's view of the Spirit as the initiator and sustainer of creation eliminated the sacred and secular split. As such the Spirit is everywhere working in life and always accessible; God is different from His creation but always present in it. The very act of creation was a Kenotic, or self emptying/self limiting, act of God.
Further, once one sees the Spirits role in creation eliminating the sacred and secular divide then the question of science and theism becomes a non issue. The problem doesnt lie in either science or theism but the people on both sides if they refuse dialogue.
With the above in mind, Pinnock sees a more relational model of God than the ex nihilo model. He sees continued creation with the Spirit with us and working in creation. This dynamic, pneumatic view of creation allows us to embrace the previously unembraceable : evolution. There was never a time on earth when the Spirit wasn't hovering over the waters of the deep, so to speak, furthering creation. With the Spirits continual involvement we can be assured that She will lead us into resurrection.
Salvation, union and universality:
I believe upon entering this chapter the above about the Spirit working in all things is directly related to salvation, if not further into pluralism.
Pinnock begins with a synergistic model of relationship with God: He has said yes to mankind in the resurrection and continues to wait for out response in the affirmative; God who is love can not be different from this.
He believes that the legal categories used in expressing salvation have been overplayed (and lead to a decisionism of doing that thing that one time and you're good). Rather Pinnock would like us to see salvation received at baptism and the reception of the Spirit as a lifelong sanctifying presence.
The saving work of Jesus doesnt just touch mankind but the whole cosmos. The saved (Jesus people/the church) live a saved life or being specific to everything God has created through the Spirit. We don't bring the Kingdom in, we work with what we have until the Kingdom comes.
Pinnock thinks Protestants have over used justification as though it were the end. It sounds as though he deviates to the Eastern Church and their doctrine of Theosis (union with God) as the real end to which we strive. It is human entry into Perichoresis, or the divine dance of the Trinity, as though adopted in.
"All of this implies that 'salvation is more like falling in love with God' than anything else," p 64.
Pinnock wants to find a middle ground between exclusive and pluralism when it comes to salvation. His is called inclusivism: Christ is specific and God is at work by His Spirit in all places on earth. While the LOGOS became flesh in Jesus the LOGOS could be active over the world. For instance, Acts 17 sees the Athenian populace worshiping God though unknowingly. He also sees that people are judged according to the light they received rather that the fullness of it.
Church, power and presence:
For Pinnock the church is the earthly correspondence of the Tribune life of God to the world. Pinnock on the gift of the Spirit at baptism is good. He sees one receiving the gift of the Spirit at water baptism and a lifetime of fillings by the Spirit. This seems to correspond to his take on justification and sanctification being a lifelong process.
In the sacraments Pinnock makes once again one of his middle of then road observations: we shouldn't see them as totally objective or subjective. Totally objective removes the relational aspect and totally subjective pushes our personal faith to the forefront; once again there is a sundry to Pinnock's thought where creatures and Creator dance.
"'I would not want to see a revival of sacramentality which was not a renewal at the same time of charismatality,'" p 78.
"Because the New Testament does not distinguish between charismatic and non-charismatic Christians, all belivers need to understand themselves as filled with and gifted by the Spirit," p 79 (too good not to quote).
For Pinnock there was no clergy given gifts and laity given gifts: the body of Christ, the Church, are a group of belivers who have the indwelling of the Spirit of God. Herein he states that this charismatic body--like the New Testament churches--should bring forth the prophets and healing prayer by the body. This body of people are by extension of their baptism joining with Jesus; the Spirit then and the Spirit now are one and the same and when we say yes to Jesus in baptism we join His mission.
"Ultimately, focusing solely in the salvation of 'souls' falls short of participating in God's mission, for we look also for the redemption of all creation," p 84.
Hope, finality revisited:
In this chapter on eschatology Williams is trying to find Pinnock's split between universalism and hyper particularism. As seen above Pinnock saw room for God at work in many cultures and this has to be reflected in his doctrine of last things.
Right off the has Williams states that Pinnock had no need to think in categories of a disembodied soul but rather he--as shown in the resurrection of Christ--shows that ours is a promise of a resurrected new body; not just the human body but all of creation "resurrected" or remade.
I liked this perspective: Pinnock wants God as judge to be seen in the family rather than the courtroom. It is only when God's judgements are ignored that they be one eschatological wrath. One always picks one's road. Pinnock rejects universalism because that overrides human freewill. God gives to mankind what mankind wants. If that be separation then so be it. But Pinnock does not reject the concept of Hell, just the traditional package it has arrived it. Rather than raising the wicked to judgement and the eternity in the flames Pinnock sees the second death for the wicked as them ceasing to exist.
This was a great Primer for Pinnock's theology and a must read for anyone who seeks to get closer to understanding Pinnock's thought.
(Edit to add pic of my hardcopy.)
Pinnock's was a personal and theological journey that would make some want to sit out the journey. He was raised as and received his doctorate as a conservative Calvinist and yet he is the modern father of Open Theism. Such a change would make one want to know where he landed theologically (the "later" Pinnock). For instance, where does Pinnock fall on the topics of God, Revelation, Creation, Salvation, Church and Hope? Williams brings us a companion to Pinnock's theology so that we can have a view of the whole. This is done because often many who encounter Pinnock do so only through secondary sources, who are fast on half quotes and ellipses only to straw man him, rather than read his work. (As a side note: yall read "Flame of Love". Pinnock writes like a love struck 12 year old pouring his heart out to his lady.)
God:
I love how for Pinnock the model of God often rejected is the God of classical theism but not the God of the bible. Giving up on a model is maturity. The model that Pinnock clung to is one which begins with love as the primary attribute. As such we have to follow up by saying that for Pinnock God as Love demands Him to be relational with His creation. This "God is Love" demands a Trinitarian structure for Pinnock. Otherwise one would have to say that God was lonely before He created and was less that Himself then (Not self actualized). Holy smoke, Williams is drawing from Pinnock books love not heard of. Time to buy.
I find the part on Pinnock's Christology interesting. He used Kenotic Christology to join LOGOS and Spirit Christology. Also he operates from a Pneumatic-Christicentrism not holding the Spirit as an "It" but maintaining His personhood, staying Trinitarian while at the same time pressing boundaries or evangelical orthodoxy with thought like referring to the Spirit in the feminine.
From here Williams eases into how Pinnock began to see and speaks to an open future in God. Great coverage from many resources on Pinnock's Doctrine of God.
Revelation:
Pinnock's view of Revelation went from intellectual propositions to Divine self-disclosure it is here where the W/word finds us. He saw revelation as "synergisticly progressive" (phrasing mine): as we through the Spirit grow our experience of the W/word changes and our grasping of what is revealed grows. He also acknowledges that those of the evangelical persuasion have leaned way to heavily on scriptures perfection. Rather than a book of facts and science Pinnock believes in a view of scripture from below rather than above.
In Pinnock's view the best approach to hermeneutics is via the Spirit. Though he acknowledges that this looser and less enlightenment based approach could be open to abuse it is the believing community that keeps each other in check in this regard. This was quite good especially breaking down the Pinnockian quadrilateral (scripture as a large circle with three internal circles: tradition or past experience, experience, and reason).
Creation, open and free:
"Creation is a piece of Divine self-expression," p 44.
Pinnock's view of the Spirit as the initiator and sustainer of creation eliminated the sacred and secular split. As such the Spirit is everywhere working in life and always accessible; God is different from His creation but always present in it. The very act of creation was a Kenotic, or self emptying/self limiting, act of God.
Further, once one sees the Spirits role in creation eliminating the sacred and secular divide then the question of science and theism becomes a non issue. The problem doesnt lie in either science or theism but the people on both sides if they refuse dialogue.
With the above in mind, Pinnock sees a more relational model of God than the ex nihilo model. He sees continued creation with the Spirit with us and working in creation. This dynamic, pneumatic view of creation allows us to embrace the previously unembraceable : evolution. There was never a time on earth when the Spirit wasn't hovering over the waters of the deep, so to speak, furthering creation. With the Spirits continual involvement we can be assured that She will lead us into resurrection.
Salvation, union and universality:
I believe upon entering this chapter the above about the Spirit working in all things is directly related to salvation, if not further into pluralism.
Pinnock begins with a synergistic model of relationship with God: He has said yes to mankind in the resurrection and continues to wait for out response in the affirmative; God who is love can not be different from this.
He believes that the legal categories used in expressing salvation have been overplayed (and lead to a decisionism of doing that thing that one time and you're good). Rather Pinnock would like us to see salvation received at baptism and the reception of the Spirit as a lifelong sanctifying presence.
The saving work of Jesus doesnt just touch mankind but the whole cosmos. The saved (Jesus people/the church) live a saved life or being specific to everything God has created through the Spirit. We don't bring the Kingdom in, we work with what we have until the Kingdom comes.
Pinnock thinks Protestants have over used justification as though it were the end. It sounds as though he deviates to the Eastern Church and their doctrine of Theosis (union with God) as the real end to which we strive. It is human entry into Perichoresis, or the divine dance of the Trinity, as though adopted in.
"All of this implies that 'salvation is more like falling in love with God' than anything else," p 64.
Pinnock wants to find a middle ground between exclusive and pluralism when it comes to salvation. His is called inclusivism: Christ is specific and God is at work by His Spirit in all places on earth. While the LOGOS became flesh in Jesus the LOGOS could be active over the world. For instance, Acts 17 sees the Athenian populace worshiping God though unknowingly. He also sees that people are judged according to the light they received rather that the fullness of it.
Church, power and presence:
For Pinnock the church is the earthly correspondence of the Tribune life of God to the world. Pinnock on the gift of the Spirit at baptism is good. He sees one receiving the gift of the Spirit at water baptism and a lifetime of fillings by the Spirit. This seems to correspond to his take on justification and sanctification being a lifelong process.
In the sacraments Pinnock makes once again one of his middle of then road observations: we shouldn't see them as totally objective or subjective. Totally objective removes the relational aspect and totally subjective pushes our personal faith to the forefront; once again there is a sundry to Pinnock's thought where creatures and Creator dance.
"'I would not want to see a revival of sacramentality which was not a renewal at the same time of charismatality,'" p 78.
"Because the New Testament does not distinguish between charismatic and non-charismatic Christians, all belivers need to understand themselves as filled with and gifted by the Spirit," p 79 (too good not to quote).
For Pinnock there was no clergy given gifts and laity given gifts: the body of Christ, the Church, are a group of belivers who have the indwelling of the Spirit of God. Herein he states that this charismatic body--like the New Testament churches--should bring forth the prophets and healing prayer by the body. This body of people are by extension of their baptism joining with Jesus; the Spirit then and the Spirit now are one and the same and when we say yes to Jesus in baptism we join His mission.
"Ultimately, focusing solely in the salvation of 'souls' falls short of participating in God's mission, for we look also for the redemption of all creation," p 84.
Hope, finality revisited:
In this chapter on eschatology Williams is trying to find Pinnock's split between universalism and hyper particularism. As seen above Pinnock saw room for God at work in many cultures and this has to be reflected in his doctrine of last things.
Right off the has Williams states that Pinnock had no need to think in categories of a disembodied soul but rather he--as shown in the resurrection of Christ--shows that ours is a promise of a resurrected new body; not just the human body but all of creation "resurrected" or remade.
I liked this perspective: Pinnock wants God as judge to be seen in the family rather than the courtroom. It is only when God's judgements are ignored that they be one eschatological wrath. One always picks one's road. Pinnock rejects universalism because that overrides human freewill. God gives to mankind what mankind wants. If that be separation then so be it. But Pinnock does not reject the concept of Hell, just the traditional package it has arrived it. Rather than raising the wicked to judgement and the eternity in the flames Pinnock sees the second death for the wicked as them ceasing to exist.
This was a great Primer for Pinnock's theology and a must read for anyone who seeks to get closer to understanding Pinnock's thought.
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