1st Edition

T. F. Torrance’s Christological Anthropology Discerning Humanity in Christ

By Christopher G. Woznicki Copyright 2022
    198 Pages
    by Routledge

    198 Pages
    by Routledge

    This book demonstrates the promise of Christology for developing Scottish theologian T. F. Torrance’s theological anthropology.

    T. F. Torrance’s Christological Anthropology: Discerning Humanity in Christ engages with several key themes in Torrance’s theological anthropology and considers how each one of these topics—anthropological method, the metaphysics of human nature, the imago Dei, personhood, vocation, human destiny—can be further developed in light of Christ. Christopher Woznicki argues that Christology not only holds promise for the task of developing Torrance’s insights on humanity but also for developing a constructive account of humanity.

    The volume is valuable reading for scholars of T. F. Torrance’s theology and for those who are interested in the role of Christology in theological anthropology.

    Foreword by Oliver D. Crisp

    Chapter One – Introduction: Approaching T. F. Torrance’s Theological Anthropology

    Relevant Studies of Torrance’s Theological Anthropology

    Method and Thesis

    Outline of Subsequent Chapters

    Discerning Humanity in Christ

    Chapter Two – Method: Torrance’s Christological Anthropology and Christ’s Fallen Human Nature

    Introduction

    Christological Anthropology

    Eschatological Christological Anthropologies

    Protological Christological Anthropologies

    Summary

    T. F. Torrance and Christ’s Fallen Human Nature

    Motivations for Adopting the Fallen Human Nature View

    The Assumption and the Sanctification of Human Nature

    Christ’s Life and the Sanctification of Human Nature

    Torrance’s Christological Anthropology

    A Puzzle Concerning the Movement from Christology to Anthropology

    Coda

    Conclusion

    Chapter Three – Nature: The Metaphysics of Human Beings

    Torrance on the Union of Natures and Atonement

    At-one-ment: The Once and For All Union of God and Man

    Summary

    Torrance’s Use of Anhypostasis—Enhypostasis in his Doctrine of Atonement

    Anhypostasis and Enhypostasis

    Summary

    What is Christ’s Human Nature? Three Options

    The One and the Many: Torrance’s Metaphysics of Human Nature

    The Particularist Option: Concrete Nature Christology and Abstract

    Particular Nature Christology

    Abstract Nature Christology

    The One and the Many: Participation and Instantiation

    Conclusion

    Chapter Four – Image: The Relational, Dynamic, Ecstatic and Christological Imago Dei

    Torrance’s Doctrine of the Image of God

    Developing a Theology of the Imago Dei – Torrance’s Method

    Creation – What did the Image of God Originally Consist in?

    Fall – What has the Fall Done to the Image of God in Humans?

    Redemption – Renewing the Image of God in Humanity

    Summary

    A Christological Puzzle Concerning the Imago Dei

    Conclusion

    Chapter Five – Personhood: Onto-Relational Christological Anthropology

    The Ontology of Persons

    Relational Ontology: The Trinitarian Theology of John Zizioulas

    Persons and Onto-Relations: Torrance

    Torrance vs. Zizioulas on Being Persons

    Summary

    Christ’s Role in Personalizing Human Beings

    Biological and Ecclesial Personhood in Zizioulas

    Christ the Personalizing Person

    Critical Assessment

    Conclusion

    Chapter Six – Vocation: Called as Priests to Know and Care for Creation

    Love and Order: Creation as Contingent and Rational

    The Contingent Universe

    The Rationally Ordered Universe

    Love, Order, and Disorder

    Summary

    Contingence and Order in Natural Science

    Summary

    Priests of Creation

    Discerning Order

    Instituting Order

    Rectifying Disorder

    For the Glory of God

    Coda – Biological Diversity

    The Christological Basis for Acting as Priests of Creation

    The Vicarious Priesthood of Christ

    Epistemological Changes

    The Defeat of Evil

    Conclusion

    Chapter Seven – Destiny: Christ’s Deification of Human Nature

    Describing the Doctrine of Theosis

    Theosis in Athanasius

    Theosis in John Calvin

    Summary

    Features of T. F. Torrance’s Doctrine of Theosis

    Theosis: An "Intimate Sharing of what is Divine"

    Summary

    Christ’s Deification of Human Nature

    Objective Theosis and Human Nature

    Subjective Theosis and Perichoresis

    Conclusion

    Chapter Eight – Conclusion: A Torrancian Christological Anthropology

    The Strengths of Torrance’s Christological Anthropology

    The Weaknesses of Torrance’s Christological Anthropology

    Conclusion

    Biography

    Christopher G. Woznicki is an Affiliate Assistant Professor in Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, USA. He has published various articles in theology and philosophy of religion. His research has appeared in journals such as Calvin Theological Journal, Journal of Reformed Theology, Neue Zeitschrift fur Systematische Theologie und Religionsphilosophie, and Philosophia Christi, among others. His research interests include the doctrine of atonement, theological anthropology, prayer, analytic theology, and the Reformed tradition.

    "Torrance’s Christological anthropology is both traditional and unique at the same time and warrants close study, especially when it is brought into a constructive dialogue with contemporary concerns. Laying out the vista of Torrance’s anthropology, situating it within Christology, and extending it into analytic mode, this study goes beyond Torrance to answer the question as to where the trajectory of his thought may have taken him. This is the first full length comprehensive treatment of this aspect of Torrance’s work and is one that delivers on the promise this holds out for addressing a range of modern issues."

    – Myk Habets, Laidlaw College, New Zealand

    "Dr Woznicki’s book offers an inductive-cumulative argument for how T.F. Torrance’s anthropology can be developed Christologically. The result is an impressively thorough and creative study of Torrance’s corpus as well as a new approach to Christological anthropology. This is essential reading for any students of Torrance or researchers interested in Christological anthropology."

    – Dr Joanna Leidenhag, University of Leeds, UK.

    "This is a lucid engagement by an analytic theologian with the theology of T.F. Torrance. It will inspire readers to address metaphysical questions raised not only by Torrance but by the New Testament itself - exemplifying a commitment to pursue clarity and semantic hygiene in Christian doctrine where, too often, there is obfuscation."

    – Alan Torrance, University of St. Andrews, UK

    "Moving beyond vague claims about Jesus somehow revealing what it means to be human, Woznicki draws deeply from Torrance’s fascinating anthropology to offer a clear, generous, and valuable resource for exploring how a Christological anthropology can shed new light on human existence."

    – Marc Cortez, Wheaton College and Graduate School, USA