Amazon Reviews 16

5.0 out of 5 stars  All guns blazing

By Donner C. S. Tan - December 1, 2015

David Bentley Hart, an Eastern Orthodox thinker has written a sharp, all-guns-blazing polemic here (reminiscent of Gregory of Nazianzus, whose theological orations against the Eunomians on the subject of 'God' were no less ferocious, yet not in the least vicious) that sets out to clear the air of recent debates about the existence of God by putting forth a definition of God distilled from the best of the classical theistic traditions including Judaism, Islam, Advaita Hinduism and even some early versions of Buddhism and Taoism - that God, as ultimate reality, is not a discrete object among many but the transcendent source, ground and end of all beings. The literal anthropomorphic pictures of God assumed by both the new atheists and the religious fundamentalists are shown therefore to have missed the point.

Hart uses Upadhyay's sanskrit formulation of the Godhead as satchitananda as a framework for discussing God as Being (sat), Consciousness (chit) and Bliss (ananda).

As Being, God is not a finite item within a class of beings that can be found within the space-time universe. He is rather the ground of all beings who holds all things together and one without whom nothing exists and can exist. While not located within our sphere, God is present to all time and space. He is the one as the apostle Paul says 'in whom we live and move and have our being'. As such, he is not to be classed among the fairies, the 'flying spaghetti monsters' or the Olympian gods whose existence might still be proved or disproved by using appropriate empirical methods. Nor is he the super-being ala Demiurge or Brahma, about whom we can properly ask the question 'who made God?' Here he quips ' God is not the last turtle at the bottom upon which an infinite regress of turtles rests '.

Hart's chief method of deducing the existence of God throughout the book appears to one of logic. As such, it stands in the tradition of classical thinkers like Anselm and Aquinas by extrapolating from the contingent to the necessary being.

As Consciousness, God is the supreme intelligence, rationality and personhood that accounts for the intelligibility of the universe as well as the gift of consciousness that allows us to perceive order, seek transcendent purpose and truth, reflect on the world and make real choices. The physicalist position which insists on fitting all reality into the limits of a mechanistic universe solely determined by physical processes cannot account for consciousness. The many neurological studies that try to explore the interactions between external stimuli and physiological responses do not and cannot even begin to answer the question of the mind (consciousness and intentionality), which is much different from the brain. Consciousness simply cannot be reduced to the brain's neuronal processes. Neither can one prove by say the theory of evolution or the Big Bang that nature creates itself. It is simply a category confusion to insist on seeking the 'why' and the 'who' behind the universe by simply demonstrating the 'how' of its origins and development. The latter is physics, the former metaphysics.

As Bliss, God is infinite beauty - the eternal standard of truth, goodness and esthetics. If God does not exist, whence comes moral quest? Evolutionary explanation of human altruism as an illusion programmed into the human species to ensure its survival and flourishing must falter on the ground that a utilitarian ethic can hardly bind us as an obligation.

If modern scientific methods are not suitable for investigating the question of God, what does? How do we know we are not deluded? Hart proposes both logic and experience, especially contemplative prayer because prayer disabuses and frees us from a mind that insists on seeing the world not as it is but as we are. That is, it cures us of the habit of mind that must reduce the world into an object of our 'practical mastery' - a commodity to be conquered, traded and exploited. Such mental opacity borders on willful ignorance - a refusal to see the world as it is. When one is willing to take the efforts required to purge the mind of one's greed, egotism and ambition, one recovers his childlike wonder and an immediate sense of beauty, the unnecessary and fortuitous, which will be a short step from learning to 'see God in all things and all things in God'. It is Hart's strong contention that the contingencies of the world cry out for the self-evident mystery of the necessary being.

Hart began with the modest aim of arguing for a proper definition of God in the classical sense but whether he intended it or not, he ended up with a book that exposes the physicalist/atheist position as one of sheer absurdity and rank superstition. The outcome is a devastating apologetic for the one necessary reality, that best accounts for a world enchanted with beings, consciousness and bliss, we call 'God'.

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Amazon Review 15

5.0 out of 5 stars  Another groundbreaking book from Simon Chan

By Donner C. S. Tan - December 27, 2014

I've been following closely the thoughts of the Singapore theologian Dr Simon Chan since at least his publication of 'Spiritual Theology' in1998.This book 'Grassroots Asian Theology' is arguably one that lays out his theology most explicitly to date. As such, it opens up a wide range of vistas into the various aspects of Christian thought and practice notably in the Asian context.

The first chapter discusses the various methods undertaken by various theologians in developing a theology relevant to the pluralistic Asian background. Chan basically found the elitist approach such as represented by the liberationist theologies of CS Song, MM Thomas, etc wanting not least because it fails to address the primal spiritual consciousness of the people. He proposes in its place a theology 'from below' that takes seriously the ecclesial experience of the ordinary men and women of the church and uses the concept of the Trinity as an organizing principle.

He then demonstrates throughout the rest of the book how this is done using the classical systematic theology schema. In the discussion on God, he sees the trinity as analogous to the human family and takes the functional hierarchy of the trinity (ie the Father as the sole source of the divine persons) as a model for human relationships. This finds ready resonance in many Asian societies that are structured hierarchically and at the same time challenges its inherent inequalities and injustices (eg the caste system). It is also interesting that Chan uses the same model to question the modern egalitarian ideology that tends to flatten out gender distinctions.

Sin is similarly dealt with in terms of personal relationships rather than as a legal infringement. As Asian ethical culture is largely based on shame and honor, sin is understood primarily here as 'shame while reconciliation is the restoration of honor.'

Chan goes on to discuss the various ways in which Christ has been presented to the Asian audience as the cosmic Christ, the liberating Christ, the suffering Christ, and the enlightened Christ. All these have their merits. Yet they share a common pitfall in reducing Christ to a general principle. Chan following Barth (contra Tillich) emphasizes instead the particularity of Christ as Jesus of Nazareth whose 'life, death, resurrection, ascension, giving of the Spirit and parousia' has far-reaching effects on the world. He cites the numerous conversions of Muslims brought about by a personal encounter with Jesus (in dreams and visions) as evidence of the irreducibility of Christ as a divine-human person. Whereas the West has tended to highlight the kingship and prophetic ministry of Christ, Chan sees the priestly ministry such as presented in the book of Hebrews to be better suited to the Asian context that values the priestly ministry highly.

The chapter on the Spirit has to be Chan's distinct contribution, drawing from Pentecostal and Orthodox traditions, to our reflection on the role of the Spirit in the divine economy. He shows how the Spirit is the bond of the divine persons that binds the church to Christ and that hypostatizes the non human creatures, thereby fulfilling the ultimate divine purpose of bringing all things into communion. The Spirit's particular work in bringing the world into communion with God is also set against other attempts that see the Spirit as simply working to realize human aspirations or certain socio-political ideals. He notes that Pentecostalism has been much more successful than elitist theologies in Asia largely because it touches the Asian instincts for a personal encounter with God through physical healing and miracles. Sadhu Sundar Singh was a prime example that took such an approach.

The final chapter on the church brings these theological concepts to a focus that is essentially ecclesio-centric. He advocates a high view of the church as the contrast community in the world with porous boundaries. Wang Ming Dao and Vishal Mangalwadi are two exemplary models of such a proposal. In this regard, the western preference for 'dialogue, inculturation and liberation' falls short of the church's mission in proclaiming the gospel and converting people to Christ. So too advocates of 'churchless Christianity' in neglecting the sacramental dimension of the spiritual life runs the risk of losing grip with Christ altogether. Nonetheless, even these indigenous movements provide an alternative response to the pluralistic Asian challenge that can yield different and sometimes surprising insights.

Chan ends with an epilogue that puts the whole discussions into a neat summary.

As usual, Chan's book offers much fodder for a fresh rethink on many aspects of Christian theology and practice. While noting the discontinuity between Christianity and the great axial religions, Chan also helps us see areas of overlaps as well. One takeaway among many is the need to rethink the concept of the communion of the saints in light of the practice of ancestral veneration. Christ here can be construed as our supreme ancestor, 'the firstborn from among the dead' ! Over and over again, Chan helps us see the gospel with new eyes and suggests ways to commend the gospel to the Asian conscience in a more sensitive way. In so doing, our service to the worldwide church is also enriched and sharpened.

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Amazon Reviews 14

4.0 out of 5 stars  A theological bombshell in the liberals' camp

By Donner C. S. Tan - September 29, 2014

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Karl Barth's Romans commentary was an important book that helped reverse the tide of liberal Protestantism in the 20th century. I read it partly out of historical curiosity and partly to get a handle on Barthian theology, which I learned was nearly as pivotal to modern (progressive) evangelical scholarship as Aquinas was to Catholic theology.

As with most of the reviewers here, I found the reading tough and had to make a few attempts to really get into it. Barth in his preface to the 2nd edition actually spent nearly one whole page defending the abstruseness of his writing against critics who charged him for being overly bombastic! Somehow I felt strangely comforted by both the critique and his defense : while simplicity is good, oversimplification falsifies.

I found that one of the keys to understanding Barth is his 'theology from above' approach. He repeatedly invokes the Kierkegaardian insight of the 'infinite qualitative distinction' between God and man as a lens to understanding spiritual perception. It is by faith and faith alone that one can properly apprehend spiritual reality. One does not work his way up the mountain of theology by his (unaided)intellectual effort or religious piety. Instead, it is through a supernatural encounter with God that the gospel can be grasped in all its mystery (think of the paradox of the Incarnation for example or the mystery of the atonement)

Barth does not seem to condescend to unbelievers by appealing to reason or experience since human will and perceptions are essentially fallen but bases his epistemology almost exclusively on divine election/revelation. In this regard, he stands squarely within the Reformed tradition which holds a high view of divine grace, leaving no ground for human boasting.

The letter to the Romans had been used historically as a revolutionary tool against the pelagian heresy and medieval Catholicism. It is amazing to see how Barth uses it against liberal Christianity, which basically reduces the gospel to anthropology and a civil religion. Barth's 'theology from above' approach basically calls us back to the transcendent nature of the Christian faith, 'which no eyes have seen or the ears heard'.

Barth writes with great passion and unapologetic fervor. One does not read this commentary with a cool head as one would read an exegetical work replete with lexical treatment and historical reconstruction. Rather Barth writes as if he is preaching, bringing the letter of Paul alive to his readers with great urgency. One has to keep pace with the rhetoric to get it, like riding a bicycle (keep pedaling to avoid falling off !), even when one is tempted to pause to consider a ponderous turn of phrase.

I finished it in a couple of days and will likely go back again and again, to soak in this theological tour de force for a deeper grasp of Barth's ideas and passion. Not your average devotional reading but one that can deepen and enrich our reading of Romans as well as Barthian theology.

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Amazon Review 13

4.0 out of 5 stars  Resurrection as key to understanding Romans

By Donner C. S. Tan - September 26, 2014

Daniel Kirk's 'unlocking Romans' dovetails well with a new understanding of Paul after Ed Sanders' insight that Judaism was a grace-based faith and not a works -righteousness religion as popularly conceived.

He picks up 'the resurrection of Christ' from the introductory (1:1-7) and concluding words (15:4) of Romans as the key to tracing out the message of Paul here, which was laid out as a defense of the faithfulness of God in the face of what appears to be a failed salvation project through Israel.

Jesus basically is God's answer to that charge. Jesus' resurrection is a cosmic game changer that unleashes several seismic shifts all at once : 1) the old dominion of sin and death is broken off and the new life under the lordship of Christ is now in force. 2) The Spirit empowers obedience to God that was never possible before for sin-infected humanity. 2) A new people of God emerges through their faith and union/participation in the death and resurrection of Christ, rendering all former dividing lines (old temporary protective/identity markers such as Torah observance) obsolete.

The author builds up his case by first touching on several OT and apocryphal texts that highlight the concern for theodicy in the face of Israel's long exile and defeat and the allusions to a resurrected people by way of vindication.

Jesus' resurrection is therefore understood by Paul as a powerful fulfillment of these prophetic texts. Seen in this historical light (taking the trajectory of Israel's story seriously), Kirk hopes to open up the pages of Romans afresh, showing how the various threads in the letter are held together by the resurrection theme - from the universal problem of sin and death, the call of Abraham to form one family, the solution in the new Adam and our incorporation in him through death and resurrection, the Spirit and the new creation, the election of Israel as an instrument of salvation for the world, Christ as the end of the Torah, the outworking of our obedience of faith (to the law of Christ) to the unity of the church amidst the generous realm of adiaphora/Christian liberty.

Kirk then concludes with a personal reflection of what this resurrection-based reading of Romans means for the church today. He holds out a grander, far more expansive view of salvation as encompassing not only the individual and his soul but the whole humanity - body and spirit - as well as the whole creation. He also shows how a fresh look at the Jew-Gentile integration through faith in Jesus can provide the framework for healing the historic and modern fragmentations of the church. This insight is utterly refreshing and a gift that Kirk and other 'new perspectivers' like Tom Wright and Richard Hays following Ed Sanders' lead have brought to Pauline studies.

As it turns out, Romans is not so much about the *justification of man* by his faith in Christ but the *justification of God* through the faithfulness of Christ. This is going to excite some readers (positively or negatively) as it appears to supplant or overturn an established hermeneutic key to Paul's letters since Luther or even Augustine and many have hailed this as a Copernician revolution in Pauline scholarship.

Kirk makes a good case for reading Romans through the resurrection key. But because I find the Romans letter to be such a rich tapestry and layered with meanings, I am doubtful if we can do justice to it with any single key or schema. In any case, readers will have to decide for themselves what to make of this new perspective.

This is a scholarly book and those who love the work of biblical exegesis will enjoy and stand to gain much from it.

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