Reader's Guide 3f. Natural Theology

Elmer M. Colyer, "An Introductory Reader's Guide to the Published Works of T. F. Torrance," Participatio: Journal of the Thomas F. Torrance Theological Fellowship, Supplement 1 (2011): 38-63; revised online edition (#2017-EC-1).

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This is one of the more difficult subjects in Torrance's theology. Here interpreters of Torrance do not agree. Paul Molnar and I do not agree with Alister McGrath's portrayal of Torrance as advocating a kind of refurbished natural theology, one that McGrath himself tries to develop further. I see Torrance as making a place for a "theology of nature," which at one point he called "natural theology," but later regretted doing so. Torrance was kind enough to read my book, How to Read T. F. Torrance, in manuscript and offer some helpful suggestions. Next to note 187 on page 194 of my book, where I say, "There is reason to believe that Torrance may regret calling this reformulated version 'natural theology,'" Torrance drew a huge exclamation point! Readers should compare the chapters of the first five books below with the discussions in the chapters from The Christian Frame of Mind and the materials listed after that.

Karl Barth: Biblical and Evangelical Theologian (#1990-517)
Chapter 5: Natural Theology in the Thought of Karl Barth (#1990-517f)

The Ground and Grammar of Theology (#1980-369)
Chapter: 4 The Transformation of Natural Theology (#1980-369e)

Reality and Evangelical Theology (#1982-397)
Chapter 1: The Bounds of Christian Theology (#1982-397b)

Reality and Scientific Theology (#1985-450)
Chapter 2: The Status of Natural Theology (#1985-450d)

The Christian Frame of Mind, 2d. ed. (#1989-505)
Chapter 4: Theological and Scientific Inquiry (1st ed., #1986-474)
Chapter 5: Fundamental Issues in Theology and Science (#1989-505g)
Chapter 6: Realism and Openness in Scientific Inquiry (#1989-505h)

"Creation, Contingent World-Order, and Time: A Theologico-Scientific Approach." 
In Time, Creation and World-Order, ed. Mogens Wegner, pp. 206-236. Oakville, CN: Aarthus University Press; (#1999-TFT-5).

McGrath, T. F. Torrance: An Intellectual Biography (#1999-AEM-1)
Chapter 8: The Place and Purpose of Natural Theology

Colyer, How To Read T. F. Torrance (#2001-EC-1)
Chapter 5: Sovereign Creator, Contingent Creation

Paul Molnar, "Natural Theology Revisited: A Comparison of T. F. Torrance and Karl Barth," Zeitschrift fur dialektische Theologie 20, no. 1 (December 2005): 53-83.***

 

Colyer Category links