A Trinitarian Theology of Nature

by Lisanne Winslow, Alister E McGrath (Foreword by)

Overview

In its attempt to ascertain the mechanisms of nature, contemporary science seems to be generating unanswerable questions. One way forward might be by appealing to a theistic metaphysics of the fundamental workings in natural science. Moving beyond Barth's objection to natural theology, this work arrives at some of Emil Brunner's exegetical insights indicating that nature is divine communication. This communication and revelation is understood through natural types, or onto-types, building upon the insights of Jonathan Edwards. Edwards proposed messages in nature as a language of God intending to convey spiritual, biblical, and theological messages to the creature as part of God's end in creating. Edwards's insights are brought forth to determine the usefulness of his typological method all the way down to cellular and molecular mechanisms. Edwards also proposed that God's acting in nature reflects the Trinitarian God of the Christian faith. Therefore, a Trinitarian theology of Nature composing a Theo-logy of Nature, a Christology of Nature, and a Pneumatology of Nature explores how each divine person of the Godhead acts in perichoretic unity in the world we encounter. God's Trinitarian powerful and magnificent glory is not merely displayed by what has been made, but is also intimately shared in a gospel of nature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781532684135
Publisher:	Pickwick Publications
Publication date:	03/20/2020
Series:	Princeton Theological Monograph , #244
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.41(d)

About the Author

Lisanne Winslow is Professor of Biology and Chair of the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Northwestern, St Paul. She holds doctorates in both biology and theology, so she also teaches courses in the Department of Biblical and Theological Studies at the University of Northwestern, St. Paul. Winslow has authored or coauthored numerous articles in scientific journals. She is also an ordained minister in the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Lisanne Winslow has written a visionary, broad-ranging book that links the Trinitarian God and the discoverable structures of the created world. Her earlier work as a marine biologist supplements and energizes her Trinitarian vision, as she pursues analogies between creation and the Creator she systematically explicates as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Arguing that science alone cannot comprehend what nature is, she presents a new natural theology as a Trinitarian theology of nature.”

—Philip Rolnick, University of St. Thomas



“In a letter to Erwin Schrodinger, written in 1935, no less than Albert Einstein confided that, while physics describes reality, we do not know what reality is. Some account of what reality is must therefore be a metaphysical or religious account. This work presents just such an account, blending seamlessly the rigor one might expect from a scientist with all the richness one would also expect from a seasoned religious believer, rooted deeply in orthodox Christian theology.”

—Walter Schultz, University of Northwestern, St. Paul



“Dr. Lisanne Winslow augments the contemporary doctrine of creation and maps out an innovative theological way to interpret nature as divine action. What I find especially noteworthy is her endeavor to develop a Christian natural theology based on the current status of scientific research and within the framework of a Trinitarian theology of nature. This book is a must for anyone interested in the dialogue between science and religion.”

—Matthias D. Wüthrich, University of Zurich



“The evolving dialogue between theology and science is well-served by the work of those who, like Winslow herself, inhabit both the scientific and theological worlds and are committed to integrating them with the distinctive insight and creativity such a position affords.”

—Philip G. Ziegler, University of Aberdeen

Editorial Reviews

Lisanne Winslow has written a visionary, broad-ranging book that links the Trinitarian God and the discoverable structures of the created world. Her earlier work as a marine biologist supplements and energizes her Trinitarian vision, as she pursues analogies between creation and the Creator she systematically explicates as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Arguing that science alone cannot comprehend what nature is, she presents a new natural theology as a Trinitarian theology of nature.”

—Philip Rolnick, University of St. Thomas



“In a letter to Erwin Schrodinger, written in 1935, no less than Albert Einstein confided that, while physics describes reality, we do not know what reality is. Some account of what reality is must therefore be a metaphysical or religious account. This work presents just such an account, blending seamlessly the rigor one might expect from a scientist with all the richness one would also expect from a seasoned religious believer, rooted deeply in orthodox Christian theology.”

—Walter Schultz, University of Northwestern, St. Paul



“Dr. Lisanne Winslow augments the contemporary doctrine of creation and maps out an innovative theological way to interpret nature as divine action. What I find especially noteworthy is her endeavor to develop a Christian natural theology based on the current status of scientific research and within the framework of a Trinitarian theology of nature. This book is a must for anyone interested in the dialogue between science and religion.”

—Matthias D. Wüthrich, University of Zurich



“The evolving dialogue between theology and science is well-served by the work of those who, like Winslow herself, inhabit both the scientific and theological worlds and are committed to integrating them with the distinctive insight and creativity such a position affords.”

—Philip G. Ziegler, University of Aberdeen

From the Publisher