T. F. Torrance Reading Group

Facebook group page

The T. F. Torrance Reading Group meets via Zoom every Thursday, at 1 pm Pacific. All times below are US Pacific time (convert to your time using this World Clock). Topics are announced at Facebook. It is organized by Marty Folsom and Myk Habets. Discussions are led by Marty unless noted otherwise. Access the meeting by joining the Facebook group. Or log in with a member account here, and a Zoom link will appear in the left sidebar. 

Twitter hashtag: #TFTReadingGroup

Reading Group contact: Use this webform to suggest researchers we might invite (including yourself), to request technical assistance, or to send us general input. Thanks!

Spring 2021

  • January 14, 2021: Kevin Navarro, to discuss his book:
    • Kevin J. Navarro, Trinitarian Doxology: T. F. and J. B. Torrance's Theology of Worship as Participation by the Spirit in the Son's Communion with the Father (Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications, 2020); #2020-KJN-1.
    • Book: #2007-WPY-1. Discussion: Video.
  • January 21, 2021: Paul Young, to discuss The Shack
    • From Paul: "...encourage everyone to read whatever sections of The Shack that struck them, looking through the lens of their understanding of Torrance and come prepared to share, and then let that be the catalyst of conversation. Accomplishes two things...we can all be learners, and moves us for a moment out of our potentially stilted academic side of things and into a more playful participatory arena (which I think TFT was all about)."
    • Video.
  • January  28, 2021: Roger Newell
    • Discussion of Roger's review of the Handbook (forthcoming, SJT); and of his dissertation, "Participatory Knowledge: Theology as Art and Science in C. S. Lewis and T. F. Torrance"; #1983-RJN-1. 
    • Video.
  • February 4, 2021: Kate Tyler, "Thomas F. Torrance and Ecclesiology," Handbook.
    • Chapter: #2020-KT-1. Discussion: Video.
    • See also Kate Tyler, The Ecclesiology of Thomas F. Torrance: Koinonia and the Church (Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2019); #2019-KT-1.
  • February 11, 2021: Andrew Grosso, to discuss his book:
    • Andrew T. Grosso, Personal Being: Polanyi, Ontology, and Christian Theology; #2007-ATG-1. See esp. pp. 98-102. Discussion: Video.
  • February 18, 2021 (Third Thursday, published author): Andrew Torrance
    • Andrew Torrance, "Kierkegaard on the Christian Response to the God who Establishes Kinship with us in Time," Modern Theology 32:1 (2016): 60-83. Available online with subscription. ATLA#: ATLAn3869844. 
    • Cf. Participatio Supplemental Vol. 5, ""Søren Kierkegaard as a Christian, Incarnational Theologian"; tftorrance.org/sv5.
    • Discussion: Video.
  • February 25, 2021 (Fourth Thursday, work-in-progress): Daniel J. Cameron
    • Discuss: "Understanding the Fallen Nature View," ch. 2 of Daniel Cameron, Flesh and Blood: A Dogmatic Sketch Concerning the Fallen Nature View of Christ's Human Nature; #2016-DJC-1.
    • Discussion: Video.
    • See also Daniel's in-progress dissertation, entitled: "T. F. Torrance and Ecclesiology"; description under the Students tab.
  • March 4, 2021 (First Thursday, primary source): 
    • Thomas F. Torrance, "The Mediation of Revelation," ch. 1 of The Mediation of Christ; #1983-418a. Audio lecture available: #1981-tft-5a.
      • Book info: #1992-542. Do not purchase the original edition (#1983-418), for an additional chapter was added to the 1992 edition: #1992-542a. Make sure that the copy you acquire has all five chapters.
    • Discussion with Geordie Ziegler: Video.
  • March 11, 2021 (Second Thursday, Participatio author): 
    • Demetrios Harper, to discuss Vladimir Cvetkovic, "T. F. Torrance as an Interpreter of St. Athanasius," Participatio 4, "T. F. Torrance and Eastern Orthodoxy" (2013): 59-93; #2013-VC-1.
    • Demetrios is the author of The Analogy of Love. He is Associate Professor of Moral Theology and Church History and Director of Graduate Studies at Holy Trinity Seminary, NY, an Associate in Byzantine Philosophy at the Antiochian House of Studies, Los Angeles, CA, and a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Winchester, UK.
    • Discussion: Video.
  • March 18, 2021 (Third Thursday, published author):
    • John C. McDowell, "Thomas F. Torrance on the Doctrine of Revelation"; #2020-JCM-1.
    • Discussion: Video.
  • March 25, 2021 (Fourth Thursday, work-in-progress):
    • Jenny Richards, "Two sides of the same coin – Covenant and the rejection of dualism in the theology of J.B. Torrance and T.F. Torrance." Abstract: The theological emphases of T.F. Torrance on holism and J.B. Torrance on covenant are complementary. T.F. Torrance maintains that Christian faith is holistic, rejecting any dualism. J.B. Torrance highlights the opposing natures of theological covenant and legal contract, exposing and rejecting a contractual view of God. However, a rejection of dualism and call to understand the New Covenant in the light of God’s self revelation in Christ are common to both, because a contractual model of God is itself dualist. Read together, the Torrances’ work reinforces and more clearly demonstrates that the Trinity relates to us holistically in unconditional covenantal love.
    • Discussion: Video.
  • April 1, 2021 (First Thursday, primary source): 
    • Thomas F. Torrance, "The Mediation of Reconciliation," ch. 2 of The Mediation of Christ; #1983-418b. Audio lecture available: #1981-TFT-5b.
      • Book info: #1992-542. Do not purchase the original edition (#1983-418), for an additional chapter was added to the 1992 edition. Make sure that the copy you acquire has all five chapters.
    • Discussion with Tom Noble. Discussion: Video.
  • April 8, 2021, at 2pm Pacific – note unusual time (Second Thursday, Participatio author): Explore the recent issue on Biblical Theology with the organizers of the volume:
    • Elizabeth H. P. Backfish, "Shattering Itself against the Covenant: Reading Judges 2:20-22 with Thomas F. Torrance," 46-64; #2020-EHPB-1.
    • Paul Owen, "An Essay-Review of Michael F. Bird and Preston M. Sprinkle, eds., The Faith of Jesus Christ: Exegetical, Biblical, and Theological Studies (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2009)," p. 112-138; #2020-PO-1.
    • Discussion: Video.
  • April 15, 2021 (Third Thursday, published author): Bruce Ritchie
    • Bruce Ritchie, T. F. Torrance in Recollection and Reappraisal (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2021); #2021-BR-1.
  • April 22, 2021 (Fourth Thursday, guest):
    • Stephen Morrison, T. F. Torrance in Plain English; #2017-SDM-1.
  • April 29, 2021 (Fifth Thursday, guest):
    • Cherith Fee Nordling, "Ascension, Communion, and the Hospitality of the Priest-King," in Come, Let Us Eat Together: Sacraments and Christian Unity, ed. George Kalantzis and Marc Cortez (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2018), 78-93; #2018-CFN-1.
  • May 6, 2021 (First Thursday, primary source): 
    • Thomas F. Torrance, "The Person of the Mediator," ch. 3 of The Mediation of Christ; #1983-418c. Audio lecture available: #1981-TFT-5c.
      • Book info: #1992-542. Do not purchase the original edition (#1983-418), for an additional chapter was added to the 1992 edition. Make sure that the copy you acquire has all five chapters.
    • Discussion with Steve Solari.
  • May 13, 2021 (Second Thursday, published author): 
    • Derrick Peterson, Flat Earths and Fake Footnotes: The Strange Tale of How the Conflict of Science and Christianity was Written into History (Cascade Books, 2020); #2020-DP-1. Discussion led by Kerry Magruder and Myk Habets.
      • Prepare by reading chs. 2-3, with context by adding the Intro and chs. 1-4 if you have time.
      • Derrick also provides a wealth of related materials at his blog and at academia.edu. Two items available there of special relevance are "Early Christian Reception of Darwinism" and "Deleting Theology."
  • May 20, 2021 (Third Thursday, Participatio author): 
    • Focus on: Travis Stevick, "The Function of Scientific Theory in the Thought of T. F. Torrance," Participatio 7, Science, Epistemology, and Natural Theology (2017): 49-70; #2017-TMS-1. Discussion led by Kerry Magruder. See also these related publications: 
      • Travis M. Stevick, "Theological Science Then and Now," in T&T Clark Handbook of Thomas F. Torrance, ed. Paul D. Molnar and Myk Habets (London, New York: T&T Clark, 2020), 111-124; #2020-TMS-1. This page includes an embedded video of Travis' discussion of that article here at the Reading Group last fall.
      • Travis M. Stevick, Encountering Reality: TF Torrance on Truth and Human Understanding, Emerging Scholars (Minneapolis, Minnesota:  Fortress Press, 2016); #2016-TMS-1.
      • Travis M. Stevick, "Openness and Formal Logic in the Natural and Theological Sciences according to T. F. Torrance" Participatio Supplemental Volume 2 (2013): 37-66; #2013-TMS-1.
      • Travis M. Stevick, "Truth and Language in the Theology of T. F. Torrance" Participatio Supplemental Volume 2 (2013): 67-101; #2013-TMS-2.
  • May 27, 2021 (Fourth Thursday, work-in-progress):
    • Kerry Magruder, to discuss "Interdisciplinary Relations: Art, Astronomy, Music and Theology in Galileo’s World.” https://vimeo.com/385168333 
      • This lecture was part of a course entitled "Love and the Cosmos: Trinitarian Perspectives on Science with T. F. Torrance and C. S. Lewis." This was not a course in theology per se, but an inquiry utilizing the history of science to attempt to extend Torrance's perspectives for inter-relating theology and science. I am currently adapting these lectures into a book and welcome your comments in our discussion. In the case of this particular lecture, the specific aim was to explore one implication of a kata physin approach to knowing, namely, the problem of interdisciplinary relations. For format, choose video or PDF, or both. The video has slide builds that may help you follow along, and includes an audio of Kepler that (trust me) you won't want to miss, but the PDF (link in video caption) has a searchable transcript as well as low-res versions of the slides. The lecture is 2 hours long, with six parts. It may be watched/read in six separate sittings if you wish: (1) Introduction: Kata-physin knowing; (2) Tuscany and the World of Galileo; (3) Art and Astronomy; (4) Music and Astronomy; (5) Theology and Astronomy; (6) Concluding Theological Reflections. At the very end are questions for discussion — I hope to hear your thoughts and responses to these questions when we meet! They should provoke a good multiway discussion with everyone involved. You can see all the lecture topics in sequence here: https://kerrysloft.com/education/trinitarian-perspectives-on-faith-and-science/ (By the way, if you want more on the “boxes” analogy, it also shows up in the following lectures:  Week 6, Knowing Kata-physin; Week 8, Divine Freedom and Contingent Order; and Week 12, Natural Theology.)

Summer 2021

  • June 3, 2021 (First Thursday, primary source): 
    • Thomas F. Torrance, "The Mediation of Christ in our Human Response," ch. 4 of The Mediation of Christ; #1983-418d. Audio lecture available: #1981-tft-5d.
      • Book info: #1992-542. Do not purchase the original edition (#1983-418), for an additional chapter was added to the 1992 edition. Make sure that the copy you acquire has all five chapters.
    • Discussion with Todd Norquist.
  • June 10, 2021: Joey Sherrard, to discuss his book:
    • Joseph H. Sherrard, T. F. Torrance as Missional Theologian: The Ascended Christ and the Ministry of the Church (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2021); #2021-JHS-1.
  • June 17, 2021 (Third Thursday, published author):
    • Adam Nigh, tba.
  • June 24, 2021 (Fourth Thursday, work-in-progress):
    • TBA
  • July 1, 2021 (First Thursday, primary source): 
    • Thomas F. Torrance, "The Atonement and the Holy Trinity," ch. 5 of The Mediation of Christ; #1992-542a. No audio lecture available. Book info: #1992-542. Do not purchase the original edition (#1983-418), for this chapter was added to the 1992 edition.
    • Discussion with Ken Roxburgh.
  • July 8, 2021 (Second Thursday, Participatio author): 
    • Todd Speidell and Chris Kettler. Todd and Chris both were students of T. F. Torrance, J. B. Torrance, Ray S. Anderson, and Geoffrey W. Bromiley. In this discussion, they will share their experiences with these mentors.
  • July 15, 2021 (Third Thursday, published author):
    • Andrew Torrance, science and theology (tba)
  • July 22, 2021 (Fourth Thursday, work-in-progress):
    • TBA
  • July 29, 2021 (Fifth Thursday, guest):
    • Robert R. Redman, Jr., "Reformulating Reformed Theology." 
    • Cf. Thomas F. Torrance, "Hugh Ross Mackintosh: Theologian of the Cross," Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology 5 (1987): 160-73; #1987-485.
  • July 30 - Aug 1:
  • August 5, 2021 (First Thursday, primary source):
    • Thomas F. Torrance, The Trinitarian Faith (#1988-489), Foreword (#1988-489a) and ch. 1, "Faith and Godliness" (#1988-489b).
    • Discussion with: tba.
  • August 12, 2021 (Second Thursday, Participatio author): 
    • C.S. Lewis discussion
  • August 19, 2021 (Third Thursday, published author):
    • Benjamin Myers, “The Stratification of Knowledge in the Thought of T. F. Torrance,” Scottish Journal of Theology 61, no. 1 (2008): 1-15; #2008-BM-1.
  • August 26, 2021 (Fourth Thursday, work-in-progress):
    • tba

Fall 2021

  • Sept 24-26: Firbush Virtual Retreat
  • September 16: Ross Hastings, chs. 4-5 of Echoes of Coinherence: Trinitarian Theology and Science Together (#2017-WRH-1); and excerpts from God and Molecules, a work in progress.
  • September 30: Douglas Campbell, chapter tbd from Pauline Dogmatics: The Triumph of God's Love (Eerdmans, 2020), in relation to T. F. Torrance, Space, Time and Resurrection (#1976-331).
  • Nov 19: Annual meeting.
  • December 23, 2021: Stavan John, "Torrance and Indian Theology on the Ascension."

 

 

  • 1467 views

Special announcement: Regent Audio Torrance sale

50% off through May 31! Regent Audio has an extensive catalog of Torrance-related audios, including recordings by Thomas and James Torrance, and events such as the conference Discovering the Incarnate Saviour of the World. From now through May 31, use the code TORRANCESALE for 50% off of all mp3 download products by the Torrances (and James Houston) in the Regent Audio collection. This code is offered as a courtesy to members of the T. F. Torrance Theological Fellowship and participants in the Torrance Reading Group.