Trinitarian Self and Salvation

An Evangelical Engagement with Rahner’s Rule

Scott D. Harrower

TRINITARIAN SELF AND SALVATION

An Evangelical Engagement with Rahner’s Rule

Copyright © 2012 Scott D. Harower. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

Pickwick Publications

An Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers

199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3

Eugene, OR 97401

www.wipfandstock.com

ISBN 13: 978-1-61097-674-9

EISBN 13: 978-1-62189-442-1

Cataloging-in-Publication data:

Harrower, Scott D.

Trinitarian self and salvation : an evangelical engagement with Rahner’s rule / Scott D. Harrower.

xviii + 172 p. ; 23 cm. Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 13: 978-1-61097-674-9

1. Rahner, Karl, 1904–1984. 2. Trinity. 3. Economy of God. 4. Bible. N.T. Luke—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 5. Bible. N.T. Acts—Criticism, interpretation, etc. I. Title.

BT111.3 H35 2012

Manufactured in the U.S.A.

Table of Contents

• Title Page

• Foreword

• Acknowledgments

• Abbreviations

• Chapter 1: Contemporary Evangelical Rahnerianism

• Chapter 2: The Rahnerian Background

• Chapter 3: The Messianic Office of God the Son in Luke-Acts

• Chapter 4: God the Father and God the Son

• Chapter 5: God the Son and God the Spirit

• Chapter 6: Conclusion

• Bibliography

“Based on Luke-Acts Scott Harrower has mounted an exegetical challenge to the strict realist reading of Rahner’s rule that evangelicals would be foolish to avoid. The biblical accent does not fall on the imitation of the Trinity’s inner life but on the imitation of Christ in the economy of salvation. The onus is now on those who champion the rule or something like it in its strict form to meet the challenge.”

—Dr. Graham A. Cole

Anglican Professor of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School, Samford University

Author of Do Historical Matters Matter to Faith? (2012)

“The book leverages its investigation of Luke-Acts to lodge a protest against a widespread, highly influential, but seldom critically examined movement in modern Trinitarian methodology. . . . I commend this book as an excellent piece of research theology, the kind of solid work that captures the theological moment, advances the next few steps into new territory, and indicates where future progress lies.”

—Fred Sanders, from the foreword

Associate Professor in the Torrey Honors Institute, Biola University

Author of The Deep Things of God (2010)

“‘Rahner’s Rule’ has exercised massive influence over recent theology. To this point it has not, quite surprisingly, been subjected to adequate biblical scrutiny. In this insightful work, Scott Harrower takes important steps to provide such scrutiny. The result is a book that will repay careful study, and even those who are not fully persuaded by all the arguments will benefit from ...