The Trinity in German Thought

The Trinity in German Thought describes the three ideas that govern modern German Trinitarian thought: the ideas of reflective selfhood, of revelation, and of history. ‘Reflective selfhood’ designates the attempt at finding an analogy between the Trinity and the structure of the human self. Such attempts, following the lead of Augustine, typically see the structure of self-consciousness as an especially apt analogy of the Trinity. ‘Revelation’ points to two questions: what is the Word of God? and can the idea of the Trinity be derived from the Word? From Martin Luther to the present, Trinitarian thought has depended on the way in which theologians conceived of the Word. ‘History’ designates the impact that historical modes of thought have had on Trinitarian thought. For some, ‘history’ has meant a critical approach to Scripture and creeds; for others, it has meant God’s own participation in history.

• Timely: the doctrine of the Trinity is currently experiencing a revival of interest. The time is ripe for a historical analysis of the backgound of modern Trinitarian thought. • Deals with highly significant figures in modern thought, including Barth, Hegel, Moltmann, Pannenberg, Schleiermacher • Thematic approach: not just a description of individual theologians and philosophers, but interprets the trends of modern Trinitarian thought and identifies its unique dynamics

Foreword; Introduction; 1. Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon; 2. Between scholastic theology and enlightenment; 3. The critical enlightenment; 4. Hegel; 5. Liberal theology; 6. The twentieth century; Conclusion.