Pannenbergs argument for the historicity of the resurrection. Wolfhart pannenberg 1928 the students companion to. He basically ends up with orthodox christology, but he cautions against speaking of jesus during his ministry in terms that most of us are comfortable using. Wolfhart pannenberg on the history of christology the. Unlike barth, pannenberg preferred to base his theology on critical studies of the scripture. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Pannenberg moves beyond an idea of history as merely the theatre of gods revelation where specific acts of god constitute the content of revelation. Gods unsurpassable future is present in its futurity in jesuswhich is pannenbergs way of saying that god as the worlds future is not simply identical with jesus, for jesus is not the father. God of the philosophers by wolfhart pannenberg articles. Pannenberg writes, to say that the revelation of god is not a supernatural event which breaks into history perpendicularly from above but rather that it is the theme of history itself, the power that moves it in its deepest dimension, is to say something about god. The concept of revelation as history explains that in historical events god discloses himself. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. The most famous epoch in the development of christology was the ecumenical council of. Pannenbergs use of history as a solution to the religious.
Historical revelation is there for anyone who has eyes to see. Revelation as history pannenberg was the coeditor of, and one of the main. In wolfhart pannenbergs famous christology book, jesus. Pannenbergs quest for the proleptic jesus 55 thus god reveals himself in the history of jesus. Theology and the philosophy of science is pannenberg s engagement with contemporary philosophy of science in a discussion about what constitutes a discipline as wissenschaftlich, as. This naturally leads pannenberg into a discussion of revelation, which he understands as the selfdemonstration of the deity of god in the process of salvation history 187. But more than this, pannenberg maintains that the god who constitutes history has himself fully entered the process of history in his revelation. In wolfhart pannenberg s famous christology book, jesus. They disagreed, however, on the locus of revelation, which led to radically different theological projects. For pannenberg, everything hinges on the resurrection. Dec 23, 20 this led pannenberg to state explicitly that the death of god theologians are the heirs of barth and bultmann pannenberg 1973, p. Faith is at the end of the journey for pannenberg instead of at the beginning for barth.
A good resource for the study of revelation is matthew henrys commentary, which can be found on the web. Widely regarded as the foremost theologian in the world today, wolfhart pannenbergs longawaited systematic theology, volume 2, for which his many previous primarily methodological writings have laid the groundwork. We may nevertheless question whether the role of jesus as fulfiller of apocalyptic expectation is as decisive for nt as pannenberg suggests. Wolfhart pannenberg 2 october 1928 4 september 2014 was a german theologian. He has made a number of significant contributions to modern theology. They were application of the propositions combining elected by god and to be. For pannenberg history is revelation, while dialectical presence is revelation. Gods unsurpassable future is present in its futurity in jesuswhich is pannenbergs way of saying that god as the worlds future is. Wolfhart pannenberg boston collaborative encyclopedia of. Combining exegetical and philosophical insights, fusing historical and con temporary. Rendtorff are both, properly speaking, concluding pieces, the former coalescing the dicta of the preceding chapters into the dogmatic theses of systematic theology, and the latter discussing the impact of the problem of revelation on the concept of the church. Pannenberg made his first significant mark upon the theological community in 1968 when his influential revelation as history was first published, reacting against a common early 20 th century trend of avoiding historical criticism by embracing it and concluding that revelation was exclusively history. Those who are preparing to enter the ministry, who desire to become successful. This is by no means a peculiarly roman catholic understanding.
This revelation, for barth, is gods own interpretation of himself. Thus jesus is identified with gods essence as power over all and as the end of history. It is important first, because from the point of view of logic it proceeds any other christian doctrine. Buy revelation as history by wolfhart pannenberg isbn. Wolfhart pannenberg 19282014, theological outflanker. This focus, then, offers the reader a unique insight into the revelation of god.
He was born in stettin, germany, now part of poland in 1928. Interestingly, several of these scholars, as well as others not included on the list, downplayed the importance of heaven. In 1961 pannenberg with his circle published revelation as history 1968. Pannenberg was a major twentiethcentury theologian by any count, with a series of brilliant articles, important books on the topics of revelation, christology, ethics, science, anthropology, and metaphysics, and a hefty 3volume systematic theology to cap.
That is to say that the doctrine of gods revelation is the foundation upon. The reiteration of the eternal trinitarian god, who in himself possesses the totality of life in the simultaneity of his eternity, provides the ontological ground for pannenbergs concept of revelation as history. Wolfhart pannenberg s recent venture into christology, jesusgod and man,2 represents a significant departure in several respects from the dominant modes of german theologizing over the past two centuries. A group of younger scholars, headed by wolfhart pannenberg, then of mainz, later of munich, was proposing a radical alternative to bultmanns existential theology. An examination of the first four books of augustines the trinity strongly suggests that the traditional view is not subject to the weaknesses pannenberg indicates. The poor sinners gospel weitling, wilhelm christian. For pannenberg, as lane explains it, revelation is contained in the events of history, all the events of universal history. Pannenberg is especially impatient with bultmanns argument that the new testament tends to divorce itself from an apocalyptic understanding of history. The subject of gods revelation is of primary importance for christian theology. If god is true, then he can and will be found at the end of a critical investigation of his historical revelation.
If revelation is historical, it must be ascertainable and verifiable by the methods of historical scholarship, and the point of departure for theology cannot be the word of god or the kerygma, but instead the. The christology of wolfhart pannenberg sage journals. History as revelation and divine discourse in history. Pannenberg has written a masterful christology from below in jesus. Critically, the trinitarian doctrine serves to keep all language about god monotheistic. This thesis will argue that while wolfhart pannenbergs theological. The churchs orientation in the present time is to be toward the revelation of god in jesus christ. It may be instructive to compare the above statement on history with the following statement from. He claims to have broken with the widely prevalent theology of the word and points instead to history as the medium of gods revelation. The affirmation that the god of israel and the god of the philosophers is the one and same godan affirmation that entails the reception by christian theology of the philosophical argument for the one true godis a constitutive and permanent feature of christian faith. Pannenberg s quest for the proleptic jesus 55 thus god reveals himself in the history of jesus. Wolfhart pannenberg 19282014, theological outflanker the. Pdf pannenbergs concept of revelation and the gospel of john.
Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Volume 2 of pannenbergs magnum opus moves beyond the highly touted discussion of systematic prolegomena and theology proper in volume 1 to commanding, comprehensive statements. Which of the following best represents how faith is related to history, according to pannenberg. Introduction pannenberg made his first significant mark upon the theological community in 1968 when his influential revelation as history 1 was first published, reacting against a common early 20th century trend of avoiding historical criticism by embracing it and concluding that revelation was exclusively history. No other books contain so many chains of prophecy reaching down to the end. He has made a number of significant contributions to modern theology, including his concept of history as a form of revelation centered on the resurrection of christ, which has been widely debated in both protestant and catholic theology, as well as by nonchristian thinkers. Pannenberg says that in opposition to the view of religion as a purely anthropological human. Gods presence in history wolfhart pannenberg wolfhart pannenberg, jesus god and man.
Wolfhart pannenberg 2 october 1928 4 september 2014 1 was a german theologian. As richard bauckham has pointed out, what the nt presents is a christoloo of divine identity. All christian doctrines develop over time as the church revises its talk about god, as karl barth would say, and christology is no exception. In revelation as history, pannenberg and others upended barths dictum that revelation could not be a predicate of history by saying that revelation is history. Although revelation occurs in history, history as such is not revelation.
Similar to hegel, he argues that history as such is divine revelation. The revelation of god pannenberg begins this chapter with the crucially important observation that god. History figures prominently in the titles of many works by and about pannenberg, and he has said that, in his view, history is the most. The source of pannenberg s revision can be traced back to his views of reason, revelation, and the godworld relation. Sep 10, 2014 wolfhart pannenberg was without doubt one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century. In the course of religious history the concept of revelation has become a description of the result of. A few explanations of certain portions might be added, but i am not sure that these would be needed. Wolfhart pannenberg, christianity and secularism, asbury theological journal 50. Wolfhart pannenberg, ne le 2 octobre 1928 a stettin en allemagne aujourdhui szczecin. Revelation as history rolf rendtorff, trutz rendtorff.
God and man, he provided an impressive outline of how christology as a dogma had developed historically. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The reiteration of the eternal trinitarian god, who in himself possesses the totality of life in the simultaneity of his eternity, provides the ontological ground for pannenberg s concept of revelation as history. Buy revelation as history by pannenberg, wolfhart, quinn, e. Wolfhart pannenberg, born in stettin, germany now szczecin, poland, was a german christian theologian. Jenson has not been accorded a place at the center of the american academic establishment. Wolfhart pannenberg sees faith as rooted in history.
Apr 24, 2012 wolfhart pannenberg on revelation introduction. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. In the midst of history, jesus christ has come as fully revealing god in anticipation of the consummation of history and gods kingdom when he returns. Pannenbergs doctrine of the trinity lies at the very center of his doctrine of god.
Wolfhart pannenberg project gutenberg selfpublishing. A proposal for a more open, less authoritarian view of an important theological concept wolfhart pannenberg, david granskou on. An exploration of the trinitarian doctrine of wolfhart pannenberg. Wolfhart pannenberg on revelation thoughts of a living. This chapter presents the life and works of wolfhart pannenberg.
Pannenberg, on the other hand, argued that universal history geschichte itself was gods revelation. Pannenbergs work is a theology from below, examining the person of jesus beginning with his identity as the man from nazareth. A proposal for a more open, less authoritarian view. Since then numerous volumes and essays have poured from the pen of the prolific pannenberg, extending the concept of revelation as history into various areas of doctrine. Wolfhart pannenberg 2 october 1928 4 september 2014 was a german lutheran theologian. The source of pannenbergs revision can be traced back to his views of reason, revelation, and the godworld relation. A study guide to the prophecies of daniel and the revelation. Barth, on the one hand, argued that revelation was an existential divine encounter in which god makes himself known to the individual. Building on hegel, they maintained that knowledge, as history, is always openended and can thus be understood only from the end, when history is complete.
However, in the early 60s wolfhart pannenberg, a german systematician and former pupil. As someone just beginning my journey into serious theological reading i found his german academic style of writing a bit dense at times, but overall it was well worth the effort. The books of daniel and the revelation should be bound together and published. Rendtorff are both, properly speaking, concluding pieces, the former coalescing the dicta of the preceding chapters into the dogmatic theses of systematic theology, and the latter discussing the impact of the problem of. Combining exegetical and philosophical insights, fusing historical and con. Wolfhart pannenberg, the emergence of creatures and their succession in a developing universe, asbury theological journal 50. His unique blend of exacting standards and warm, personal encouragement have helped. With a starting point built on a hegelian and barthian understanding,2. Wolfhart pannenberg was without doubt one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century. This attack on kantianism and pannenbergs explicit move toward a more hegelian philosophical orientation help to account for the intimate and positive relationship between theology and historical inquiry in his thinking.
I had the privilege of studying with pannenberg in munich, where he taught theology at the university of munich, during 19811982. The full text of this article hosted at is unavailable due to technical difficulties. His emphasis on history as revelation, centred on the resurrection of christ, has proved important in stimulating debate in both protestant and catholic theology, as well as. On both counts pannenberg is at odds with the dominant views of revelation and its relation to history in modern theology. Response feedback lane 195 question 16 2 out of 2 points. Pannenberg on the resurrection and historical method. Placher t he claim that god reveals himse lf in history is obviously central to the theology of woltliart pannenberg. In the midst of history, jesus christ has come as fully revealing god in anticipation of the consummation of. Scholars, such as paul althaus and emil brunner, supplied the discipline with a broad critique of barthian views. Wolfhart pannenberg, retired from a long theology career at munich, has died at age 85. Pdf history as revelation and divine discourse in history. This is the suggestion that i made to elder haskell which resulted in the book he published. Tracking the trinity in contemporary theology 101 revelation, and reealedness. Wolfhart pannenbergs recent venture into christology, jesusgod and man,2 represents a significant departure in several respects from the dominant modes of german theologizing over the past two centuries.
Pannenbergs solution, in contrast, recognized the objective truth as the end of an inductive handling of the content of revelation. The story of daniel the prophet, and the story of the seer of patmos. Positive assertions can be made only because god has revealed himself as the triune lord. Explorations in the eschatological theology of wolfhart pannenberg. Revelation as history the war and postwar generations witnessed heated debates regarding the themes of dialectical theology and the bultmannian existential method. The eschatological meaning of jesus resurrection as a historical.
When an important new name appears on the theological horizon thinking christians experience a natural though probably an unwise urge to classify the newcomer in terms of established labels, so that his contribution might the more readily be assimilated into current church thinking. In pannenbergs concept of revelation, appearance and essence merge. Christians are to live now by faith in the historical reality of the. Bingham 141 question 25 2 out of 2 points wolfhart pannenberg sees faith as rooted in history. Building on hegel, they maintained that knowledge, as history, is always openended and can thus be. And his own prayers memorably combine trust in god with realism.
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