Jason A Fout
Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, Theology, Faculty Member
- Theology, Ethics, Scriptural Reasoning, Systematic Theology, Karl Barth, Thomas Aquinas, and 22 morePolitical Theology, New Urbanism, Urban Planning, Anglican Theology, Anglicanism (Anglicanism), Rowan Williams, Postliberal theology, Architecture, Augustine, Book Reviews, Imagination, Book Review, Theological Anthropology, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Christian Ministry, Church architecture, Worship, Contemporary Theology, Sarah Coakley, Ecclesiastical Architecture, David F. Ford, and Doctrine of Sinedit
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ABSTRACTS Many commonly misunderstand "the fear of God" as a biblical trope. Systematic and constructive theologians have often left it unexamined; biblical theologians have explicated it from one of three perspectives: either... more
ABSTRACTS Many commonly misunderstand "the fear of God" as a biblical trope. Systematic and constructive theologians have often left it unexamined; biblical theologians have explicated it from one of three perspectives: either as a response to "the Holy" (drawing on Rudolf Otto), as a human emotional reaction to God, or as human obedience to God. This essay argues against the first two options and for the third as the best understanding of the scriptural term and does so on the basis of theological exploration of the Torah and the Gospel of Matthew. The account concludes that fear of God is a human disposition encouraged, learned, and grown within the covenant people of God. Fear of God might be summarized therefore as an appropriate relational disposition toward God, involving obedience to God above all others; furthermore, this obedience to God implies being just and loving toward others. Fear of God does not paralyze or overwhelm the human creature but is the ...
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One of Anglican theologian Daniel W. Hardys continual occupations was with God's ways with the world, and particularly with the human creature in God. In order to do justice to this topic, he adopted a very distinct style of writing... more
One of Anglican theologian Daniel W. Hardys continual occupations was with God's ways with the world, and particularly with the human creature in God. In order to do justice to this topic, he adopted a very distinct style of writing and speaking. He would at times develop neologisms, such as "sociopoiesis"; other times he would shape the meaning of a term through innovative (some might say idiosyncratic) use, such as "extensity" or "sociality." His motivation for this, in part, was wanting to sidestep more common technical terms in order to avoid narrowing the realities of God and world to one or another ready-made reduction, whether theological or philosophical: tidy playing fields that he found many content to play within, but much too small, he thought, to be confused with the real.He also worked to conceive of God and God's ways with the world visually as well as conceptually. Near the end of his life, inspired by analogous efforts by Samuel...
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Willard Swartley asks a provocative question: how can it be that peace and peacemaking, terms which occur 100 times in the New Testament, are so little noticed in contemporary works of New Testament theology and ethics? Calling this ‘the... more
Willard Swartley asks a provocative question: how can it be that peace and peacemaking, terms which occur 100 times in the New Testament, are so little noticed in contemporary works of New Testament theology and ethics? Calling this ‘the missing peace’ in New Testament studies, Swartley seeks to redress this surprising lacuna. Certainly for an Anabaptist – Swartley is Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary – the topic of peace is not marginal. Yet he persuasively makes his case, sifting through Scripture, exploring in detail each part of the New Testament, showing how, far from being a peripheral issue or limited only to personal or ‘spiritual’ realms, peace and peacemaking are central to the mission and message of Jesus and his earliest followers. Throughout, he interacts thoughtfully with a wide range of contemporary scholarship. The initial chapters of this study provide the foundation for the book, first showing how peace was ‘integral to the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus proclaimed and brought in his own person’ (p. 23). The author also explores the biblical terms for peace, sorting through the varied witness of the Bible to war and peace. The heart of the book comprises ten chapters analysing different aspects of the New Testament, showing how peace and peacemaking are central to these writings, and closely bound up with issues of Christology and ecclesiology. This work is strengthened by his attention to cognate concepts such as reconciliation and non-retaliation. Particularly illuminating in this section is Swartley’s examination of Paul’s (nearly) unique phrase ‘God of peace’ (p. 208f.). The book concludes with three thematic chapters. The first explores imitating Christ, a discussion leavened by the work of René Girard. The penultimate returns to the issue of peacemaking as reflecting the deep reality of God. Finally, Swartley turns to how the substance of this book might inform moral formation among Christians. Two appendices close the volume, the first of which is particularly significant. It examines standard works of biblical theology and ethics to evaluate their treatment of peace and peacemaking, an evaluation which quite reinforces Swartley’s thesis that such themes have been neglected. Although his book is intended as a scholarly work, Swartley writes accessibly. He does not assume familiarity with biblical languages, as Greek and Hebrew terms are always transliterated in the body of the text, and nearly always in the footnotes as well. He also enriches his
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David F. Ford (b. 1948) served as Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge from 1991. He became emeritus in 2015; given his many continuing activities, one hesitates to say that he “retired.” Prior to his time at... more
David F. Ford (b. 1948) served as Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge from 1991. He became emeritus in 2015; given his many continuing activities, one hesitates to say that he “retired.” Prior to his time at Cambridge, he taught at the University of Birmingham (from 1976), and it is from that era that this essay comes. Originating in a paper delivered at the American Academy of Religion conference in Chicago in 1984, this is one of Ford’s first published essays. In it, he explores a typology of three categories: system, story, and performance. He contends that these perspectives on Christian and human identity are each important for systematic theology, but that “story” has a key role in relation to the other two. Ford’s onetime teacher Hans Frei lurks in the wings, as Ford suggests that the “middle distance” perspective on reality afforded by “realistic narrative” provides the most basic context for the other two perspectives: the biblical narratives, and es...
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Introduction In our own time, we are well aware of the imperialism of earlier claims of the Church of England to speak for the whole Communion. Gone are the days when a book written only by members of the Church of England and (at most)... more
Introduction In our own time, we are well aware of the imperialism of earlier claims of the Church of England to speak for the whole Communion. Gone are the days when a book written only by members of the Church of England and (at most) two representatives of the Scottish Episcopal Church would dare to use the subtide "By Members of the Anglican Communion." But the poor choice of subtitle does not invalidate the important contribution that Essays Catholic and Critical made to Anglican theology in 1926.1 The present writers do not claim that the three theologians whose works are reviewed in this essay, and who currently teach in England and Scotland, speak for Anglicanism worldwide. But we do claim that each has made an important contribution to Anglican theology. By keeping Scripture as well as ecclesial practices (and disagreements) in mind, they exhibit a characteristically Anglican approach to their academic work. Although all three were Oxbridge-educated, we are also n...
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to this phenomenon. Guy does more than describe the class struggle that raged in Uptown along with the concomitant evolution in the perspectives of the planners and architects involved. Throughout the book, he puts a human face on... more
to this phenomenon. Guy does more than describe the class struggle that raged in Uptown along with the concomitant evolution in the perspectives of the planners and architects involved. Throughout the book, he puts a human face on individuals such as Hutchinson, Geary, the Wrights, VISTA architects Jim Pfeiffer and Arnie Lerner, and to a lesser extent Uptown Community Conservation Council chairperson Urania Damofle. Lifelong commitments to communities as clients were made, reputations as well as friendships were made and broken, and political strategies and counterstrategies were formulated and deployed. The author’s enthusiasm for the many levels on which this compelling narrative unfolds complements his academic rigor in getting the details right. He points out that, although Hank Williams Village was not built, Harry S. Truman City College was subsequently restricted to a much smaller footprint in the community. He shows how incredibly difficult it is to do community organizing i...
Research Interests: Art and Urban Affairs
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Found Theology: History, Imagination and the Holy Spirit. By Ben Quash. London: Bloomsbury TT it can bring new perspectives to the given. This illumination can also show the Triune God as present and active not only in the given but in... more
Found Theology: History, Imagination and the Holy Spirit. By Ben Quash. London: Bloomsbury TT it can bring new perspectives to the given. This illumination can also show the Triune God as present and active not only in the given but in the contingencies of history.Quash is clear here that both the given and the found are the work of God: this is not a matter of the divine (the given) versus the created (the found). Rather, that which is found is also seen as a gift of God, as the Holy Spirit "unfolds all the riches that are in Christ" (p. xiv). It is significant that he terms it "the found" rather than "the made" (or a similar term). Rather, like the inspiration of an artist or the discovery of a new idea, the found is, in a sense, received, while yet also involving human searching, finding, creativity, and imagination in their fullness (p. 4). And so, in part, Quash provides an account of divine and human agency.Quash elaborates this thesis through three sections. Each section begins with an engagement with a specific historical and artistic episode: the translation of the Bible into English from the Vulgate, two paintings by Vittore Carpaccio in the context of Renaissance Venice, the poetry of Henry Vaughan in the midst of the English interregnum. Each of these chapter-long case studies is then followed by a theoretical chapter. In light of the difficulties of translation, Quash turns to Jewish scholar David Weiss Halivni's account of "maculation" (the imperfections, contradictions, and lacunae in the text of scripture) to argue that the gaps and tensions that are created in the translation of the Bible into other languages and contexts might be understood as an historical occurrence of the gaps and tensions found within the untranslated canonical texts themselves. …
The notion of the fear of God – as found in Exodus 20.18–21 for example – is often misunderstood as either a visceral response to God's overwhelming presence or an emotional reaction to God's anger. But fear of God is better... more
The notion of the fear of God – as found in Exodus 20.18–21 for example – is often misunderstood as either a visceral response to God's overwhelming presence or an emotional reaction to God's anger. But fear of God is better understood as obedience to God, involving a person in the good and the right. One who fears God is not fearful in a conventional sense, but opened to act boldly before another, obeying the commandments which God has given.
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Willard Swartley asks a provocative question: how can it be that peace and peacemaking, terms which occur 100 times in the New Testament, are so little noticed in contemporary works of New Testament theology and ethics? Calling this ‘the... more
Willard Swartley asks a provocative question: how can it be that peace and peacemaking, terms which occur 100 times in the New Testament, are so little noticed in contemporary works of New Testament theology and ethics? Calling this ‘the missing peace’ in New Testament studies, Swartley seeks to redress this surprising lacuna. Certainly for an Anabaptist – Swartley is Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary – the topic of peace is not marginal. Yet he persuasively makes his case, sifting through Scripture, exploring in detail each part of the New Testament, showing how, far from being a peripheral issue or limited only to personal or ‘spiritual’ realms, peace and peacemaking are central to the mission and message of Jesus and his earliest followers. Throughout, he interacts thoughtfully with a wide range of contemporary scholarship. The initial chapters of this study provide the foundation for the book, first showing how peace was ‘integral to the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus proclaimed and brought in his own person’ (p. 23). The author also explores the biblical terms for peace, sorting through the varied witness of the Bible to war and peace. The heart of the book comprises ten chapters analysing different aspects of the New Testament, showing how peace and peacemaking are central to these writings, and closely bound up with issues of Christology and ecclesiology. This work is strengthened by his attention to cognate concepts such as reconciliation and non-retaliation. Particularly illuminating in this section is Swartley’s examination of Paul’s (nearly) unique phrase ‘God of peace’ (p. 208f.). The book concludes with three thematic chapters. The first explores imitating Christ, a discussion leavened by the work of René Girard. The penultimate returns to the issue of peacemaking as reflecting the deep reality of God. Finally, Swartley turns to how the substance of this book might inform moral formation among Christians. Two appendices close the volume, the first of which is particularly significant. It examines standard works of biblical theology and ethics to evaluate their treatment of peace and peacemaking, an evaluation which quite reinforces Swartley’s thesis that such themes have been neglected. Although his book is intended as a scholarly work, Swartley writes accessibly. He does not assume familiarity with biblical languages, as Greek and Hebrew terms are always transliterated in the body of the text, and nearly always in the footnotes as well. He also enriches his
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... Abbreviations CCh CCCM CCSL csco CSEL CSS Dorries, DSS Kelly, Creeds Kelly, Doctrines MS PG PL SC Corpus Christianorum Corpus Christianorum Continuatio Medievalis Corpus Christianorum Series Latina Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum... more
... Abbreviations CCh CCCM CCSL csco CSEL CSS Dorries, DSS Kelly, Creeds Kelly, Doctrines MS PG PL SC Corpus Christianorum Corpus Christianorum Continuatio Medievalis Corpus Christianorum Series Latina Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium Corpus ...
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... Narrative theology, on the other hand, by drawing back from realism, is reduced to melodrama when it comes to good and evil. In the fifth chapter, Murphy interrogates McCabe and Jenson as both, in their own way, valuing language over... more
... Narrative theology, on the other hand, by drawing back from realism, is reduced to melodrama when it comes to good and evil. In the fifth chapter, Murphy interrogates McCabe and Jenson as both, in their own way, valuing language over bodies. ...
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... Ecstasy and Intimacy: When the Holy Spirit Meets the Human Spirit Edith M. Humphrey. Jason A. Fout. Article first published online: 9 NOV 2006. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9418.2007.00326_3. x. Issue. ... Author Information. Selwyn College,... more
... Ecstasy and Intimacy: When the Holy Spirit Meets the Human Spirit Edith M. Humphrey. Jason A. Fout. Article first published online: 9 NOV 2006. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9418.2007.00326_3. x. Issue. ... Author Information. Selwyn College, University of Cambridge. Publication History ...
... Creation Regained: Biblical Basics for a Reformational Worldview Albert M. Wolters. Jason A. Fout. Article first published online: 9 NOV 2006. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9418.2007.00329_2. x. Issue. ... Author Information. Selwyn College,... more
... Creation Regained: Biblical Basics for a Reformational Worldview Albert M. Wolters. Jason A. Fout. Article first published online: 9 NOV 2006. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9418.2007.00329_2. x. Issue. ... Author Information. Selwyn College, University of Cambridge. Publication History. ...
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... He examines, in turn, Nicaea and Chalcedon on Christology and the Trinity, the Marian dogmas, and papal infallibility, and finds that it does ... this edition was issued in 2009, there are no works cited later than 2007 (and at that,... more
... He examines, in turn, Nicaea and Chalcedon on Christology and the Trinity, the Marian dogmas, and papal infallibility, and finds that it does ... this edition was issued in 2009, there are no works cited later than 2007 (and at that, it omits Adonis Vidu's Postliberal Theological ...
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Book reviewed:After the Spirit: A Constructive Pneumatology from Resources outside the Modern West, Eugene F. Rogers Jr, Eerdmans Press 2005 (0-8028-2891-4), xi + 251 pp., pb $22.00/£12.99
Book reviewed:Cross-Shattered Christ: Meditations on the Seven Last Words, Stanley Hauerwas, Brazos 2004 (1-58743-131-9), 108 pp., hb $14.99/£9.95
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... God's Gift Giving: In Christ and through the Spirit By R. Kevin Seasoltz. Jason A. Fout. Article first published online: 26 JUN 2009. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9418.2009.00433_28.x. ... Author Information. Selwyn College, University... more
... God's Gift Giving: In Christ and through the Spirit By R. Kevin Seasoltz. Jason A. Fout. Article first published online: 26 JUN 2009. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9418.2009.00433_28.x. ... Author Information. Selwyn College, University of Cambridge. Publication History. ...
... Faithful Performances: Enacting Christian Tradition Edited by Trevor A. Hart and Steven R. Guthrie. Jason A. Fout. Article first published online: 26 JUN 2009. ... Author Information.Selwyn College, University of Cambridge.... more
... Faithful Performances: Enacting Christian Tradition Edited by Trevor A. Hart and Steven R. Guthrie. Jason A. Fout. Article first published online: 26 JUN 2009. ... Author Information.Selwyn College, University of Cambridge. Publication History. ...