Revisoning the Christian Doctrine of God
by Allan Coppedge
InterVarsity Press, 2007
As we contemplate the incarnation, we would do well to look beyond the cute baby in the manger to see the revolution that came with the Son of God. Dr. Coppedge understands this. At the beginning of chapter one of his book The God Who Is Triune, he explains one major change that Jesus’ birth ushered in. “The coming of Jesus at the incarnation, coupled with the work of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, made it possible for the apostles to lead the New Testament church into an (sic) triune understanding of God” (p. 24).
A few pages later he gives a short explanation of the expression of the Trinity in Luke’s birth narrative. “Jesus’ divine nature is confirmed by the angel’s statement to Mary that Jesus will ‘be called holy’ (Lk 1:35). Luke also adds that the Father’s essential name/nature is also holy. (Lk 1:49) The Lukan birth narrative demonstrates that Jesus shares in the essential nature of a holy God and that Jesus’ holiness is shared with both the Father and the Spirit” (p.30).
So begins a book that makes Jesus the center of the discussion of the Trinity. Dr. Coppedge begins with a chapter on the biblical basis of the Trinity. This chapter is rich with biblical references, many accompanied with insightful commentary. The author then presents a short history of the development of the major church documents on the Trinity, the Nicene Creed and the Council of Constantinople. These chapters are informative, though due to the quantity of material he tries to cover, necessarily lack some depth.
In the remainder of the book, Dr. Coppedge explores theological issues with regard to the Trinity. He covers such issues as the economic Trinity, how the triune God relates to the world and the ontological Trinity, how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit relate to one another. Having laid the groundwork for understanding God as triune, he further explores the attributes and nature of God. These chapters include references to historical theology and include numerous diagrams and illustrations.
In the last portion of the book, Dr. Coppedge makes several applications that flow from his perspective about the mystery of the Trinity. He looks at such issues as the problem of evil, free will, and open theology.
If you would like to explore the nature of the incarnated Jesus as a person of the triune God during this Christmas season, this book would be a good place to start.
