reached he act wich we ae made hen of God and ht ao the (tence otheaed human tre “Theology tho, alle to repeated conversion; nd eal mates cal the Churd to cern iin thse th the sacrament ae cee Spiel rin ta Chr my wcrc gal and nested by mee fncon) Theology 8 empha a oi forthe odin ut tension al a ha eo tl hee eo Couns tat Chr i elf theologe, the ret of comergence ween divine it ant human commanicatoneen (uadoncly when tht come fence heaped necogion of the infin gl betwee hana pang, fn divin Sting To be tepid oie helo oben te rer of fgets clings toe nou Ge and Nod, othe cue by which Glas incsning fed fr ling snd for the ensicment of conany cebrging mind and pina. Notes " ae Wien, sp sin on Os Rc. 2, 2 ctl ln ik abot mn hogy san be Sand in Francs fan Map, Na Sy Re Oni Oe Unrest rs 2 LU ete cr ech chara cay sfled whi ws thug tobe deme decree Retna, aia cpl oe oe Spl ii oft oe Seanen woo te oma 5 Jo Sti, Ay Roe Memos ad Rp, ion (pen, OR: Wi 2 Sk, 30, pp Toke 1 On te theo hogy td hoes ce he otnding wk f Anew Stns ‘Spay Fai Hw he Eee Net oT eA, 308 7 Stith fie enn y Mion Mt Mater Safe Ear, Ce ind Conese Payer ta ea (Mago. Cat Urey of Rr en opel 0.3 2 Undergoing something from nothing The doctrine of creation as contemplative insight Brian D. Robinette 1. Systematic theology and the way of unt [Asayama theologian, Lam sometines achingly aware ofthe gulf hat con fepunte the work of theology fom the fed ety of Christian fis Not that ‘Seema theology as sock warn ths charge, bute perception tacit does iret uncommon, and hee ate more than 3 fev examples th end apport tot pereeptan, Often enoogh, hs (al or perceive ul chracteizet tre dconneet between doctrinal elec and lived experience ost at ly by the diguncton between coneepualydeven theology’ an actively embodied pital Tram ao wae of various objection systematic theology tat carte ives amuchronisie of wore, band of ong ning hae peste fr dors ved reality sone way Notwstanding the fact ha senate theology tay peas to be in what Surah Coakley ell remathale state of repeneraton” number of comnion objecons to ths style of techy — and prshops to thelugy more genelly canbe ced! Coakley hers pon thove the Gt is tha sea theology isa forms of nto-theology” hat ys ‘Shim t comprehending Goof witha + syten of refrenes as though Govt ‘oorea Kind oF ojec'in he world we night grap oat lest extrapolt onthe thst of immanent eauies and universal principles The second elated to the ft bur point othe poise impeations of form of dicouse tat, ecate ‘nn for systematic lary in reltng various atures of Csi ath in 2 ren sd compeling yrs the sppresion of marglzed voces Speer perspec: that would otherwe dieupe sts predilection for ne. in ihore systematic deology tends twas hegemony’ The thin! objecaon, itcontngto Couey. asumes pacar eine and prycheamalytic enti that ren tematic theology a6 9 epic ale emerpese that seks to ont aa master and whic ropes at east borates chose aspects of Iie aocted with crboxduentafetvy and ee unconscious. ‘Coakley own effort in systematic deol, which she decebes a the ‘atempe to provide 3 coher art alloring, won of the Christian fi seeks to inet cach of thse objections and inthe fist instalment of Her18 Beit D, Robinte inulivolume project (he only vohume published > dit) she dass so by ‘working through che doctine of dhe Tiny? Tes an ambitions and exccing projet tha wil be the bjt of ively comsetsation and debate For yeas to ome as new volumes appear What Rind especialy srking about her eo, Which ineod to develop in miy own way het her content appeal to the acetico-contemplaie Iie in the work of tcologyor what ebewhere she calls i conterpltve matrix’ Systomatie talon his ew x emphataly not the effoe eo bad 3 ‘cowering. windows edifice of interlocking proponiions that reer Go and the Chestan lie a matter of fll comprehension, Nether i i for ca fy and cohercace a swith a patient senutvty to ved experienc, tothe ambiguices and conics oF interpretation, to the reactorines of slering, fn othe ints of human knowing ln Bet gly approached ~ or beter, ‘when lived into ~ the work of thology isa sele-nvlving tok undersken From within a living, breathing community, amongst verse vices and cl furl perspectives, and prepping of away of ME orientated toma that inexhaustble mystery we cll God’ Theology an ascetic rl conclave cendesour, not merely an intellecual ope. ust aloe the sf of learned body enacenene sweated out prinfilly ver month and your, ds n tscomiort in bewilderment, well a joy and dering rocogition ‘As wikely are may scem to the who find tematic thecy objec ‘omale for one or more of the above restors, sacha dacpline fi ce a ssceeco-contemplive nderking tat haus hy anki, ore Conley ot proceeds byway of ll an-matery For the vary at of contemplation ~ eesti, embodied seed — isan ace that by grace nd eve time, ines mental patterns 0 ‘mastery’ welcomes the dark realm af the unconscious, opens wp 3 raat tention fo the ‘ether, and inate an acateswntenes of the missy cotaglement of sexual desis att dete for God, The vertiginows fee. {ll of contemplation, hen i not only the means by which a deciplined fran of unknowing makes way for a ne and deeper Kaowedge- beyond [owed sao. the necesary aecompanyng picice of chology ‘commited fo att traakvmation” Te must be sid dat this view of theology it not exactly new Though dhe incsion ofthe soci sciences and ode forms of eial theory dos i fct reece a way of ding theology dit opens up new and challenging tates the foegrounding of contemplation i elaboration arly 0 reli the ‘ay theology wat ypclly prac throughout the atic ad mera ery. Not teal thology cease to extbit hs costerplave dimension wth the re of mover, bute evertles true tht only ince cenures has the’ Sino character of ology shied in sac 3 way tha stipe, ces and doctrines might be regarded 3 an independent boy of propostions ‘which one might lectaly aon, rather han pointes ad esosce or nding someting fom wating 19 an ary of sires and habits of mind enacted in diy fe smi hii ‘evident ithe history of plosphy at well a: Pere Haot bas show, wih the effec hat pre-mosern philosophy is typi ead ts foes doctrinal ‘orargumcntatve coment othe near exon of he ving cate, ‘what Hor describes sway of ie? ‘Wale mach more could be said about the dhiing seme of theogy 2 ‘inf ccipine~shifs tht have contributed to the moxcrh dcipinary ssnctions berseen "cology and “pariesiey’~ the min post 1 wh to ‘phase het, in ight of Coakley’ comments, & the systematic thea, svt done sell approaches che nowy” of God by way of practi! Inhabiotion, Le, a4 realy to be Med is by grace by pacucipaion, apd through » neverending inorement of pargason and ansformaton red en by God inexhausee self gving. Sach an approach wl be diferent fan sete alk sh? Gods unkombity For while ts shionsble today eo invoke poptatcstlesof theology when sing the nite of aman knoe or sven chaaceriing aman guage as che desing deer of meaning 2 contemplative theology wih eke Chain taction wal emphasize spo ‘hai a an embodied and commun pracice with 2"Teniaean shape. Foe Contemplation the unique and wholly st genrscsk of eeking to know and speak of God, unknowing 2+ Christian contemplation, abo the neces ‘nly bodily practice of dsposcion, hur, and effacement which inthe ‘Spin, cae eto learn sneartionaly and only 2, he yal way of the So to the Father™ 2. On not being "two": Discovering cetio ex wile I would lke to develop futher these richly programmatic considerations by turning our atention to another major doceine within the Christan tration, mel the doctrine of cretion inorder to show hors theaogieal telecon and contemplation ate of «piece. In patcu, wish to ake Up the doctrine of etn ex mie, oe eeation Bor nothings a an iatance in which 4 seemingly abrat (and eecendly contested) doctrine gine far richer sgnficance hen approached» the fat of contemplate sgh ‘which feo informs and helps co guide. In other won, there, oF at Feast there ought co be, 1 mucualy informing inlvence between docena reflecsom and contemplative inquiry an the wrk of theology: and unless ‘his mutually informing influence ie made expic doctrine like oat ee nl likely fl prey tothe Kind oF previ cited objections levelled st Sysematic theology i genet TET may pa the mater soccncy aeati x il shoul noe he nen ak one among many competing propos for devcibing how the universe st begat, ‘which show i sometimes depicted. No shoul it be regarded as nerotay Aefndng God poner or divine omnipotence’ which what some cic ‘hang ss doing” Rather, we should eet this doctrine a remarkable it ‘nr an station to denver romting abot ar eetucines, = decry20 Bran D Robins that, while richly aflemative and wordy of expression and sgorous thoveht, ‘enmot be eaptered in + proposton of come inde the domain of cope henson without losing what excl to it It elem tothe inexhoutbe raytery of oar being 3 all tothe sheer grey of existence a such ~ and oes 10 by drawing ws ito 2 sill "uckaowing or 2 see elation into four ceatireliner dat allows ut acepe our contingency ad git with {rateade and ove: Cat ex mide mame or depen valneraiiy a Teste, ‘whichis that we ae utery dependent for our Being ~ that we do not ext ‘om oursales, ut fom an unfathomable, yer ietmate Other an tds 40 by alo naming the reson why we ca sy er to tat dependency without ‘estan, without fea, without resentment, and without los of our tice Aigiy as creases. Tn order see bow tht might be de case, and ow such acceptance in face an ongoing proceso covery wou be flo expan why esti ex ica forms in dhe way eid daring the secon and hid eon turis A textbook samaay wil typical highlight two banc fests, The fist iethatcreition fom nothing eapily became the def thenlegal reponse toa widespread plosopicl postion thi sumed the co-sterty of mater ‘ith God! Only God i eterna 0 de theolopeal reponse goes, and Gott restive act without any condton whatioevet, la cont fo 4 world view in which God impor forme out of pe-estene mera of eb oder froma primordial chs that habours ange of potencies win the eestor Gd who i eee in the errs nd expecially the God who raed Jus from the non-beng of deat, snmons fod ll his with» eres lidersy that not condoned by anything a all The ceitor God sao ike dest ‘ge who works within regen covet sn neither shee an external ‘eaton or uteri motive for Gods caeative ac Go isnot compelled by tome Jack, lonlies, or ime agstation to give Being tit which soe than God need the wold doesnot have fo be aa, and yet "Rom nothing, ‘which ito out ofthe sheer gatityof God, upom who al thing cone ‘Smvowsly depend for che exstence. "The second major feature ofthe doctrine was prompted by vaio ‘noe ‘sans in antiuitytht tend vo regard matter athe seeded fev ad ‘ereforevomehing fo be transcended athe que fr salvation By contrast, ‘roa ex ws afime the orignal goods of the world, despite “fallen seat, and declares that materia ality the pio Uierence of este, giver lyya loving God who redeem and pomies to easigeeteully the whole of eeation for is defiation. Mates rea noe ari Gods tic poresylt ofthe God-worldreltion suppose, bo the very meas by which ‘Senttes are united wih Goud. Pesap ths hs poi ent rely gleaned ‘om the doctrine name ~ what doe fn nothin’ have co do with the ees ‘ure union with God? — bat this oerologia ners wae inact cnt ‘moetation for theologians ke Tata, Theopls renseus and Teal, who together had + gti hand in shaping As Gerhant May ay of eto desing sme fom wing 21 envie approach othe subject “The meaning ad astare of he creation ae 10 fe understood onl in connection with the universal economy of lvaton’ “The meaning of wt ex who eats upon mich of Christan theology — dhe docs of God the hums pertoa, Cheatin, shatlog. et. ands ieis ey to sce why a ehcologian might wish to elberte teal const fncy wth other major ofthe Eth, The doctrine a eration might even be fren a tabling something ikea grmmatil principle that lp 0 give CChratan dicourse and imagination a pascal shape. By afeming eetion ‘Suter dependent upon Gad forte extence, and thersore Godt aicaly fe mn susnmoning forth fadanene dsincinbeween God and world framed that highlights fr we dei non-competitie relish.” God and ‘worl age noc dough wying for he ame apace i the exeecie a ee dom. Though it common enoug for as imagine God sw being among ‘othe ben, shape even avery big or spreme eng who st al Hhungs in notion an! who sobequedly exercises contol over chem, thinking this way ‘nly stones Gon witha ager fame of reference and nesus of cies. God Spould en become a fnction hin the worl a causa nk within a chin of ‘hon ater tha the nentastbleyurce and ground ofthe wold As David Bentley Har pts kon ex ii ir that God the creator ofall things not athe fire termpora gent ia cosmic hitory Tot asthe eternal ele nw al his ve, aed move and ave heir Teng present nll tht as the acy ofl stale, twarscendent oF llth asthe chanel soure fom which ll atuabty Hows. [eis only Gwen one propely understand ths detincion that ane can ao wader Stand what the contingency of crested things ugh ws about wh and what Gods This tis pin is cuca recall my eae asitence that wate wil ‘sam invitation to dicover the desper significance of oor crestnlines. God lly Other or rally ancendent, ad beease of hs aso racaly inxinate to cresion. Gods there snot sc par from the word ia at ‘postion ways though occupying an unimaealy dane space Raker, (Gat ‘ahcrnes tery near and atte to the eestore nese os sve ae to ouch Sane Augustine ps f~ aed Us present eo al things tie abiding source and ground. We czonot oppose God’ tansendence ‘wth God immanence, for ding 30 only cnt God 33 Had of object see ur on ad wll in ry ihe wold bv onder to highlight cis pot, Nichols of Cas refers, somewhat pada to Godsothernes! a+ tenon andthe teat. This phrse rend dat Goa dilleence om the world cannot be rand 2 sept fom the world. On the ety, precbely became Gd etic the work tom nothing’ God i amos $y. Kat Raber pots ths way" "The dfezence between Gost and the two of sch 2 nate tit Gest cals and ete dflrence om dhe22 rion D. Rinne ‘word fom himel and for that eon he eats the lee ity precy Inthe difeentation ‘Unity ference: this way of puting ic emphases that God and world are not oe ented, ar panic look would have i By sing hat God is the inmost realty of creation, here i no queston of God reing ‘ide the crestre in ay spl seme Neither ae God and cea sone how fs oF woven together Ged uly reins amcendentt craton, 2nd inintelys, br this precisely what lows God tobe incompelensy los tothe creature Go notch” oa hehe oneness el wnt “Thoma Halil We can still sce cose objecs, but we cannot soe closeness self We see objet in igh we do not sc light tel I we donot even se Our oom fices, but ony see their reverse reflection in ee bow could we pony ce the ace of Goa? This lst statement already suggests tata contemplative approach willbe Ipfil in apprecaing the ‘non-object’ of God, but we son tke ne ore observation before seing how IF God and world ennot be identi fr imagined a ceszensve sth one aothers nd if smu ako be posted ut, Gods anscendence meas dat cation st sot an extension’ of God ot 2 temporal odysey that God mat unergo in oner to be Gav, then nether fan we say dat God and Word ar temizable alter sanding alongside ne nother Ie nota though we have ‘God-p- world, iit David Bare Tor any atempt co characterize dvnty in terns of ater tha the wor rake incoherence forthe way Ht consrues Gods tanscendence i tri that ate repay dened bythe work, To spss of Got in ti way my se ike ith emphasing Gods wanscendence bu ict ting hat mance ce by defining iin conte with crest, a f God were dled by the word Herbert MeCabe ake dhe tame poe wis hit typical clarity and st leis noe posible tha God and the users should add up to make to" God and woe ae not "ont hat nether are they tw The ano 0" oF ‘non-dul Since God i nota creature, not even 4 very Big ad agin ‘one, God cannot be propery thought of alongside inside, oe above the wld in any spat sense While night sectn ery ta imagine divine anscendence in jas thi way at somehow “thereon pond thefts reaches ofthe ‘Phys universe, we muse eventually abject our imagination to scrutiny and fee it rom is eving tendencies. Tis i noe to day the importa oe of imagination or canceptalzaion in the bie of ath ~ Christian sth ot incamationain seni, which saan att ares dhe Bll range of ur reurelins, acing the percep an afetive its of cing and know ing God ~ but our imaginal conception sa ako be purged of any obectiying tendencies tit would domestate te mstery of Gov aad {hereore the mystery of own creature dering samething Sm ming 23 3. Undergoing something from nothing “The quetion {pose now ie whether there i am eroded practice Ut embes to ain richer sma led seme, of wat being a rete om nothing tight mea, ln other sor, how doe oid the potent robe that We gre aapped ina coneepa al game? Given that we hve reached the pom of Ihulipping negate sateres tat nt yp the God wold ston noe Se” andor" or alert on-dal nigh we ony Be mire su; Uae stil efetivly commited go «concep vesogy thst however uagesve Or tetoricily play moe urs as exhausting race upon coneeptal ‘ehresonttions of God aftr a2 Bue pops tht concepetlinpase pointe to a ehreshold. Perhaps it sa oor, ather than am enlou, and indictive of anther mode of igiey Tint whe not a all opposed wo wonds or concep, not rested bythe fithr And pehsps ths move f anit an uvtiion to freer formation, fo a proces of esining (ork) that cin help calvate deposions and Init ol tae page rom our tendency to regal God a6 2 kind of ‘bjeein cur spel and imagination, fs, ch ingry would Bly iol incueating mental potern of an-mtery” wo reall Coley’ phase hit thaw ino nknowing’ by way of parcpuion, James Alion provides asking acount of dhe theologians vocation that capers rich of what Ua sugpeting “The theologians wosstion requires patcpating on the imide of an at of sommunication coming fem someone who s ace an eject in the “hives. An the notion ofthe Creitoy, a rom being bad ween con ‘Corning the bean ofthe univer woes undergoing ese of ‘ontething coming ov of nothing” “To sy that eeation comes fom nothing’ snot x0 much a statement about am isependene sate of sy, ethos ic were a hypothesis abot the st instant oF the universe, bu an iia "undergo! dene ings. 1s 22) ffackuowledging our dependense on a fice Creator who gives ll thing “Yo be but mice sons fo ve out tht dependency, wake 2nd Lough the responsible exeree of or Feedor.in suc a ay that We cone to undergo Gods sel comrnnicating ac of creation, This isha the spect ‘even ofthove who call themselves "heologian ofcourse but Alson reminds {ethic the work of theology; even ints dscpined and profesional aspects ‘ocation tha suai those who approach ea way of With ference {oThonsAguinsand Dryas the Areopazte before him, Alon’ acount ‘of thcolgy a certain pat i implies fa more tan the production of ‘ess that Bear upon whit we eal ‘Ga, Chri, or “aan Te imphis 3 proces of change, of bing ‘onthe way’ o spe, n which the teologan partapates, actively but with disposition of deepest welcoming, ina divine24 Bran D, Reine happening dati ongoing. Ie ena an ‘azadinal pattern vd over tne shar avas oneself to sactched and weed opens ta “omething fm odhing™ Tes preci here where contemplative practice becomes crucial for the work of theology Theze ate many eons why this is, but at leet one reason immesitely sand out contemplauon i ot a dsearsve seategy tht ties {0 formulate in won, in tens of phrase, in parades, in clsing metaphor, fn nanntive saversions, or argument the ungrapale mystery of God. Te ‘nay accompany all f th, and no doubt is prepared bys And ye the prac ‘ce of contemplation ~ and hore am referring psi to nom-ierne mediation and prayer ~ seeks to inhabit that mystery throug slong ting f°" Contemplative peer unetes out managed impresion and concep ‘ops and inves oto dcover 4 toe funlmental awareness that came Be taut y any of contents. Tee rth ke fe fang into analy Coakley spgestively puts i buts dis ee we wil id ours graciously plied by an inetable presence shit ie alway theres clove loess but whichis wally not noticed by om acount of our many preocca Hons men chater and rete search for sent ka this ores? mode of prayer, which by no meass oppored to dace approaches of pres we elec our thoughts and concepts about God ia dhe abut of bith, cen ‘hose hc ae mos enon and convoling, and ste into an ae epoe, 2 deep slnes tht allows us to tecome wakefl wo de mystery of Go i ou ‘aids jst =H "Preserve loving atetivens to God with no dese to feel or understand any parce eng eacerning hi writes Saint Jn he Cros in simple simi of 3 pace ha when culated over ime, 8 ‘wansfrmative™ Teshould be observe dit while vtiows trains of contemplative pray may recommend eerain body posts, watches of beth or tthe ‘ecttons ofa prayer word ar short prise i order to centre anc’ tention ~ and w ds exter certain shilfules and abi formation rwoed — tbymo means should such practices be regarded a he deployment of techies in order to acquire special sees of mia or generate heightened experiences Contemplative pracce'docin’ soir anything writes Marin Lala tat sen and an nporane see, t ota techni but asureendering of deeply Iedded resisances that allow the saced thin gray to revel ul 3s = simple, damental fac Lain ac hat tht noe 2 earch for Goda abject co-be acquired’ bo the rele of ou tenacious ipo things onder that we may gow wabfil wo God pretence with simpli of atenton ‘We enter into eit loving aesivencs by ceasing our aleve defences ak by unclaping our copative designs, by aneeting and ing go ofthe tay steam of sensations, though, and entangled deze tt oir sractore ‘our asaenes, and which ofen projec he son that we at septate en Gad. Whereas we offen imagine God 1 realty ‘out ther’ ot pthaps an ‘absence that reine some method of recovery, comtetplitine pratt ein guises our tendency to formate God ‘odernes in + qui-objective way rT | Undeging seething wobing 25 slowly avakens us tod sel-comnnicating mystery of Gol that anaes ‘ur seryexitence, God isthe ground of dhe human bing. [nso] swe ar going to speak ‘of whats human beng i we have aot said enough ul we speak of Gd Iweane to daconr fr ursier who we tray ae hat inmost sl hat Ss hoor bene ie formed rer den ich Chit in God (Pe 1313, Jee t3-Col 33) ~ the ducovery going t be a maniltation ofthe ine file myptery of Ga though we ay fel move apd tore inline 103) Tew and fe aboot God.” Discovering Goin this way. trough the embod prac of unknowing nay seem lke the negation of our agency or de absarpion of our entity, ‘bt eis + mseken nogon, Our dependence upon God not all oppose teout creaturlyfeedon, for we woul rem be cea were i not for ‘Got who ceaelely ges to be In pote of fc, we shoul say the eae Spposte: the more we lv inte the fc and wiaty of the Creator who Snows ford all hing, che more we paripate in Gos own fear and ality inthe vealizstionof ur own cesturctnes Our smile diy Is Uoeovered in God, not ha sepuntiv, agoninie movement away fn Go Some al is dferentaing won, Lad aor: the more we waz are one ‘wah God the more we become ous, je as we ae usa we were re ited wo be The Create outpouring love the creation, the lowe ouspoured {Rater formulation ofthe dtiacton” oa be had to Bd, ‘Contemplative prayer helps gina hed sense that Gea sot ‘Big Other gait hom we must tive the search for deity Beaune Go BoC omer past anything atl or in competition with any create, cis meas that ‘Sur relator ith God ite one elton chat allows us ly to accept Sur ceeatrclines, or contingency and fine, wedhow any far oF Sen Inout whatever without any need eo afr ourselves in the tere to secure ‘emu aginst non-beng With God and Ged lone, we ma 390 C0 OX feepst vaca pre gift Rowan Walbans mas hs pine beau, fu wth explicerelerence 9 ati x i “To sy eit along withthe whole of my environment) at God il Tam uncondionlly depend upon Gos! mean [at] ~- my existence in he world, iain ny need to nage th 5 personal active nd gv tng. ib ‘of Gas my euch fran wens smeehing rooted in Gods freedom, which ground the ser theren ofthe shared wor fs fn Bebe the teal inconceale fact ofthe divine diference an che isin ibersy we have no wor except shank tat. Becise Gods life eka 1, we ate The contemplation of God which among fle things the sage to become the kind of person who can without fear be open othe divine act, would not be pose if Gon were een iS agenccarcning power ener others, being hex othe divine al26 Bean D.Robiete Contemplative prayer clsiclly find is focus i the avarenes of Gol a the centre of the praying person’ being ~ and simulaneousty, God athe cenit ofthe whele works being 2 wldiity in cenuines,™ 4. Love without a why "There ae two Features ofthis quotation dat I woud ke to highlight by wy of conclusion, The fist that i appeal to contemplate prayer provides an tndapemable reosre fr gaining a lived seme of eto mid fom the Imside si wee By zelingsnto ou ceatuelins hough the surrendering, ‘ofthe deeply embedded restances we hive towards ie do not negate ou freatrly identi of capacities for ation but ia Bet alow them #0 grow ‘open tothe inefible source and ground of one creatures, to the erator (God wo give us the jf of beng an who alos uo respond ota it in fieom and love. ur creatures som nothing’, which to wholly fom Gon and his ple no contradiction with tr iy crests We ane really atu ‘other than God, and oue distinction Bom God +g, fot a onto ropete fom an orginal, abiorbing unity we nk ve to recover And et ur ‘others? nota bares to God uncondsoned presence, Goal my infinitely ensced al created ea bur this wanscendence 6 dhe most immanent realty of our es, which means that Go and creation ae not wo", Contemplative pace i ceiscally important to help ws ain 39 fnancel seme ofthis inexhathle fit not ee besa teal ting go of various ways we might regard God aa Kind of objec I 3 on hal ‘nua hats the hllack of contemplative practice, and it cultivation i ‘way of knowing by unknowing. “The second feature of Willanss quote worth highlighting isthe shee wonderment that comes when we rcngnie tat creation doesnot have to bbe and ye its Cato ex io realy a contemplative sight Is a insitation to dscover our creature contingency a an inexhaustible ga Bit that is more orginal than ay wolence, dsteacio, or despa that might be fill ws. And node how i ses this invitation: dnough a breathe eu Pethaps we are not accutomed to thinking of the theology of cree ‘ion 14 work of spopass, ie. way of unsying’ or ‘unknowing’. but we sot. In fc, he theology of creation fom nothing 3 thoroughycing 3 eral as one can fn in Chris theology. For although does decd fie that creations gif fom Gaal ~ an expresion of Gad’ boule feedorn fund love an ‘ovedlowing’ of Gods use I, cc dei hat ees Finally mace of comprehension. We cannot ly ci co the depts of eur ‘wn cretuelines, fr they spring Rom God's on unithomabe fedom, “The creature doesnot sand out fom ise alae, or even she sum of cetarly selon, fr cresturelines self docs not have t be In thi ses, ceo Swithowe awa Meier Eckhare was fond of syn, There reason! ‘why t must be No logical or metiphysiel neces undergo we ‘may come to ea a ea dea bout the proceed mesa of lations that Undeig set fo ahing 27 coneibue 1 its history of becoming che Sry fat that anything exis tall, father than nothing not amenable to comprehension, evn 2 evokes Out ‘less nonstmente "Ad we old athe thiswithow why very een oe ay i tc itorprestion that regal the nonr-necessty of creation a abs. On the ontay, pot to the shes dln there being anything al Lp ‘mordally gd to be, and this goodaes has wo do withthe Creator wo fey “hes to pat he goodness of Bengt others for their nen sake Creston $Hloveoxspoured to eal Lat ple an such loves unconditional ga pei becate ts given without compulsion, without reere, without troe Inotive and without any need t regan what lowes a a aa es hal fo {he oer ae i hs seme loves Hom nothing” Notes Yeh tA hy nt nie senate Bh rt Sin ty Mes oft Snes cae ye pets 1 coe nin ee ety shes erg i as ius les opeajemnemti tenet ease teencte erates sure tare iSreneeng wot ea mre Seimei Ser Sear hse Ftp oe Ter ey acceler plea Ere te tite idan crit w Sea ets Seen aed ne Sif Seat ety edo ee Seah eeeshtasrcaaaiate ose eee wR Tee Reet ge Gy Hn 1 ERR eam ree emo ve Rie SPA i Cn om Eeiteancion whet ince RE og rote Been he uw BEA iormae a Seng28 Bran D Raine © ny tn, kt GoD Fe Sn «Hr i Yi 19 AbD Tuner reminds wits a mst to oppose conten iknce an peck ‘Boma whe ppc apap and aps ger Wi eee toute etd Diya arp and coments oe ry of Che Tico he noc ats sop opps ee sep“) the sree die lene othe gine yin eho oy ate pe Schl sow God fates coun? Apophis andthe Clie Rowen Soc Agus Thay ad ars ve Ds Deny Tore (Cage Cabenge Unieaty Pes 200318. ‘Stroh of te Cm Sys ip sd Le Th Cd te of [BC oe vie Rep OUD snd Ora Reger OCD (iso, eT Paoanon eo 151 55 79 21 Mad 34a vf wt Cin at of tain nbn 3 fp, 533 Rowan Wilms, Ov Cin Tey (Onn: Blckvel Pubes, 2000, pp. 4, 3. The Trinity as our ascetic programme Nikolai Sakharov This chapter presets the spniuaity ofthe Orthodox monastic tadition ait 5 practi the monic conimnoiy of St John the Bape Fst. Any ‘stor who enters te relectory of the Morisery will, wahout il. noice {linge mural psineng represeating the Holy Trt. which & based on the felebrated Ruble’ icon ofthe eee angele at brabus ble The fico was puts by the founder of dhe monastery ~ Fe Sophoay Saka. He spent fret 20 yar at 1 anouk on Me Athos in Greece and hen moved to Exrope iu finally tothe OK, where he etablhed the monastery sn 1959, and then ‘piritlly nourded the constant wot his death i 1993, hi pang there a emutkable deta the iseption that quotes the Book of Genesis (1.20; "Let wr create man in our own snage and ae ou kes ‘ormoaasti pinyin the Orthos tation th ison of human lay eae inthe image ofthe Hey Ts) someting ha as noe abays teen expr so explitly In Chriendom as whole, spd Protea partic here os been a tend apy samenarize by Rabin Paty For auny Chitin the Trinity has become voting aki to an appen- dx i i there, bot theyke ot sure whats funtion hey ge By In |e without doing very much, and they bad o have i remove they ‘wouldnt be too dtd {04,4 Peer Taon sy ‘there isa gener ling that the Tenis bot ticle and vnimporant* "Homever i Chastity there has boon a welcome devopment made ‘wich the pate sine year we may allt reasance of trintaran thought in {he acaenic word Ia Western Christy valable inpete comes eater Sion Kal Barth (1932), who reemplaazed the importance of dogina in gee and ofthe doctin ofthe Trin in arcu, Inthe UK, as we know he Tate 1976 there were some valuable ceumenia contributions mae 2 eis ‘of books under the ule The Fate Tit The founder of the Monstery of St John the Baptist (a Eses) — Fr Sophrony~ wat very mach aware oF dase developments ahs own eheologicaThe Practice of the Presence of God ‘Theology as a way of life Edited by Martin Laird and Sheelah Treflé Hidden R foutledgeRode "a Snip On CARN Fd en Ne ak, SY 407 ian io ib Font Can ao es Po me Mad an See hi ct ures ar es taba pt et nn wh etn 77 8 fhe Cope, Dog al Pac Ac 9 oy rear by my sets necro wenn now tows ober remedied ar ay aan Ci Beh sed Tea of Ane Frances Young, is te former Fawn Cadbury Posor of Tsogy at the ‘Univesity af Birmingham, wher ake ao served a Pro Vice-Chancellor, Sh ‘mee ofthe Bish Academy andthe autor of tay books sick Fro [Nese © Cader: Bree and Bling Tower «Bl Stay, Bd eg and the Fomaton of Criton Cae, Galt Pes” A Contemporary Recpaton of Ely Chany Preface “The sie ofthis volume, Tsay 2 Hy of Lif aot an allsion to Piero Hades famous wae, Pisphy ac « Hy of Life nor i ceded wo be 2 theological counterpoint or complement to Had. Hever the fie ofthis time sine a exc seerence. The Prt of the Prem of God by the CGrincie fin, Brher Lawtence of the Rewrecton (1614-1691), whose lid theology whcther by working he tchen ofthe Feach priory where elie mast of his feo by counseling and conoing the many people who Sought hs cous ovr many year “ice an suber, The Paci of he Pes of Cd They si of Lif inser express what we sip petted the ancien and medieval Sos there no goal of Ui apat om wy of ft a ea wo eaten lence ther mast be somthing ewe tothe practice of theaogy that an Tend to theology as away of That event soncthing isthe role of per Inthe life of the sheologun Only the prayer fe ofthe theologian the deal tas pectic ofthe presence of God! brady speaking, bear un what cn ‘gly be cle theology 22 way of feo dis end the chapters that lle ‘brs ths theme ftom dene perspectives and wih varying methodologies {tnt ae grouped unde he allowing tenes: Fourtional Sounding, Personal ‘Accounts of Theological Lif and Theological and Liturgical Rees, in is brian insuction, janes Alison states powell thatthe wa sion of the cheuloga i learning to survive shout mediate recognition "Walnut sap fr deere secogmitn there no theology Sence sl, the enotmousspasiusess dat comes from the One for whom death i ot an enemy gives birth to thology The prem forthe deoogian i that no ‘oe tewands sence’ ofthe many yets of lence taker‘ make headway in tein the tu. ln her coneribution, Rachel Smith, who makes the case forthe contimation ofthe legacy of St Aten in dhe writing of Hadi ff Brabant, say theology ie not 4 theoriing that nde ata stance Bom God, but sitnship tht ransforas dase and provides the very poss ths of theology’, For St- Atel and Hadewjch thei "prayed theology 3 Snih pute practice of gaming ito the nes of God of whom ‘hom and in whom one speak” Coming fom a dierent sng aleogeter