God’s Shining Forth

God’s Shining Forth offers a theological presentation of divine light in which the leading motif is the doctrine of the Trinity. More precisely, this study is organized around a double trinitarian theme: God is light in himself, and from himself God is radiant in relation to human creatures. This double affirmation is expounded by considering its extensions in the work of God’s grace, in ecclesiology, and in the nature of theological intelligence. The chosen conversation partners in this study are some of the leading pro-Nicene trinitarian theologians of the fourth century, plus John Calvin, Karl Barth, and a selection of contemporary authors. Andrew Hay argues that the scriptural statement ''God is light'' is best understood as a confession of the eternal, fully realized life of the triune God in its wholly gratuitous electing, reconciling, and illuminating human creatures in the darkness of sin and death.FOR BACK COVER:''Through a careful assessment of key biblical and traditional sources, Hay divulges the relevance of the ’light’ to current theological questions, opening doors for the recovery of this important concept. A valuable and commendable theological enterprise!''--Lydia Schumacher, King’s College London ''Students of almost any Christian discipline will be rewarded for time spent in this penetrating study that cannot but leave one humbled, hopeful, worshipful, and praying. It models what theology ought to be.''--Don J. Payne, Denver Seminary ''God’s Shining Forth is a very remarkable book. It stands firmly in the tradition of Protestant orthodoxy and demonstrates its richness. . . . In all this [Hay] manifests deep and charitable learning. The central theme--God’s radiant shining forth as light--develops a central confession of the Nicene Creed, of Jesus Christ as ’Light from Light.’ The theme of light is also central to the tradition of Eastern Orthodoxy, as Hay is well aware, so that this book is very much an ecumenical challenge. . . . This is a timely and powerful book.''--Andrew Louth, Durham UniversityFOR FRONT MATTER:''Throughout the early history of the Christian church, light remained a popular motif for explaining God’s nature and his work in the world and especially to redeem humanity from the darkness of sin. In contemporary theology, however, the rich resources of this motif have been under-explored. Through a careful assessment of key biblical and traditional sources, Hay divulges the relevance of the ’light’ to current theological questions, opening doors for the recovery of this important concept. A valuable and commendable theological enterprise!''--Lydia Schumacher, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, King’s College London ''How for so long have I missed the significance of ’light’ as an interpretive catalyst throughout Scripture and theology? Andrew Hay’s rigorous study offers chastening and enlivening implications for themes such as the nature of God, ecclesiology, mission, and theological method. Students of almost any Christian discipline will be rewarded for time spent in this penetrating study that cannot but leave one humbled, hopeful, worshipful, and praying. It models what theology ought to be.''--Don J. Payne, PhD, Associate Professor of Theology and Christian Formation, Chair, Division of Christian Thought, Denver Seminary ''God’s Shining Forth is a very remarkable book. It stands firmly in the tradition of Protestant orthodoxy and demonstrates its richness, drawing on the fathers and Western scholasticism, as well as the magisterial reformers, Luther and Calvin, and the great Protestant scholastics, scarcely known nowadays, even by name, as well as Jonathan Edwards, and more recent Protestant theology, especially Karl Barth. Andrew Hay deals trenchantly, but graciously, with more liberal theologians. In all this he manifests deep and charitable learning. The central theme--God’s radiant shining forth as light--develops a c