The Lord Is Good

Seeking The God Of The Psalter

Christopher R J Holmes

• Publisher: Apollos
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN:
  9781783596560
• eBook ISBN:
  9781783596577
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture'Taste and see that the Lord is good,' the Psalmist writes (Psalm 34:8). And to those who called him good, Jesus said, 'No one is good - except God alone' (Mark 10:18).Christopher Holmes explores the divine attribute of goodness by offering a theological interpretation of the Psalter and engaging with the church's rich theological tradition, especially with the thought of Augustine and Aquinas. He contends that in the very depths of God's being, God is goodness itself, and goodness is preeminent in God's nature. Thus, he argues, God not only does good, as seen in the person and work of Jesus Christ, but also is good. Hence, the good that God does - and that God calls us to do - is anchored in the fullness of the good that God is.Leading us on this journey through the Psalms and the church's tradition, Holmes helps us to understand what it means to make this simple affirmation: the Lord is good.'Intellectually robust and theologically astute, this is a book that is also spiritually enriching and devotionally stimulating. Careful study of it will lead its readers to see hidden depths in the book of Psalms and, even more significantly, to encounter the God who is good.' Derek Tidball, former Principal, London School of Theology'Crammed with suggestive ideas, well-resourced from the great tradition, and deeply edifying in tone and intent, this book reinstalls divine goodness at the centre of theological concerns.' Fred Sanders, Professor of Theology, Biola University'Readers who desire an able guide through the terrain of classic Christian metaphysics, Barthian misgivings about this tradition, and theological interpretation will welcome this volume.' Mark S. Gignilliat, Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University'Testifying to the goodness of God, this book places Holmes among the handful of living theologians whose books should be read by anyone doing Christian theology today.' Matthew Levering, James N. and Mary D. Perry Jr. Chair of Theology, Mundelein Seminary

Notes

Introduction

1. Interestingly, one commentator on Thomas notes that the Summa Theologiae is about one thing above all else, “[the] reception and mediation of God’s goodness.” See Ghislain Lafont, Structures et Method dans la ‘Somme Théologique’ de Saint Thomas d’Aquin (Paris: Éditions du Cerf, 1996), quoted in Tyler R. Wittman, “Confessing God as God: Thomas Aquinas, Karl Barth, and the Relation Between Theology and Economy” (PhD diss., University of St. Andrews, 2016), 47n88.

2. See Christopher R. J. Holmes, Revisiting the Doctrine of the Divine Attributes: In Dialogue with Karl Barth, Eberhard Jüngel, and Wolf Krötke (New York: Peter Lang, 2007); Colin Gunton, Act and Being: Toward a Theology of the Divine Attributes (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002); and Wolf Krötke, Gottes Klarheiten: Eine Neuinterpretation der Lehre von Gottes ‘Eigenschaften’ (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2001).

3. Katherine Sonderegger, Systematic Theology, vol. 1, The Doctrine of God (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2015).

4. Thomas’s commentary has been subject to very little scholarly scrutiny. There is one study in English that I am aware of, namely, Thomas F. Ryan’s Thomas Aquinas as Reader of the Psalms (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2000), and only a few articles that engage his commentary, the most recent being a helpful piece by Gabriel Torretta, OP, “Rediscovering the Imprecatory Psalms: A Thomistic Approach,” The Thomist 80 (2016): 23-48. In addition, James R. Ginther provides an extremely helpful introduction to Thomas’s commentary “as a Textbook for Theology.” Ginther discusses how the Bible functioned as the basis of theological education and also “the integral role the Psalter played in medieval culture.” The reason for the popularity of Psalms as a primary text for teaching theology was, not surprisingly, its comprehensiveness. Accordingly, Ginther notes that Thomas’s commentary provides “an ideal test case for how a master of the sacred page utilized the Psalms as a textbook for teaching theology.” See James R. Ginther, Omnia Disce: Medieval Studies in Memory of Leonard Boyle, O.P., ed. Anne J. Duggan, Joan Greatrex, and Brenda Bolton (Aldershot, UK: Ashgate, 2005), 215-16.

5. It is not far off to the mark to suggest that Thomas’s treatment of the one essence of God in advance of his tr...

Table of contents

• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• ONE
• TWO
• THREE
• FOUR
• FIVE
• SIX
• SEVEN
• EIGHT
• NINE
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Notes
• Search items for authors and subjects
• Search items for ancient and biblical sources