Write a paper (7-10 pages, 12 point font, double spaced, standard margins, times new roman) on one of the following two prompts. As this is the final paper, not a “3 hour” writing assignment, I’ll be grading for style, grammar, etc. – though the heavier g

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1. Use your interpretation of Jenson’s understanding of the doctrine of God as Trinity to enter into conversation with and interpret at least two of the three figures we’re investigating in section 3: Augustine, Francis, Day.

Jenson’s theology is one that can be simply described as Tritarian. Jenson’s book entitled the “Story and promise” illustrates his view about trinity. The book carries that there is no distinction between the God the father and God the son. Jensons doesn’t see any difference in the eternal God and God who personified himself that is Jesus Christ. This view brings up one critical aspect about trinity. The aspects is time. jenson’s stipulate that characterizing God or trinity as timeless is unbiblical (Jenson, 1995). Secondly Jenson states that defining the nature of God as timeless is incompatible with the story of creation of the universe. In other words jensons stipulates that God is not a being that is immune to time as many people think. From jenson’s perspective God has a history which has a beginning and end. This history encompasses the story of creation and salvation. Given that there is no significant difference between God the father and Jesus Christ it implies that it’s the trinity which was involved in creation that was also involved in personification for the purpose of saving the human beings. This means that God new from the beginning that man would fall and He would save him hence had set time to do it. This clearly show that trinity is not time immune (Jenson, 1997).

Entering into a conversation with Augustine carrying the ideas of jenson several similarities between the two theologians are evident. Augustine in his book took first rejects the idea of human immortality which was widely embraced by Egyptians as well as Greeks. On the issue of creation Augustine takes the view that God created everything in a simultaneous manner. Augustine negates the fact that God created the world in 7 days and instead he asserts that the 7 days time available in genesis is just a logical framework. To be precise the theologian argues that the 7 days is a typical logical framework and not an actual time frame or passage of time. This shows a departure of thinking on the concept of time pertaining the trinity between the two theologians.

The foundations or reference of Augustine’s argument is found in Sirach 18:1 which states that "He created all things at once". According to Augustine this is enough evidence that the number of days presented in Genesis were non-literal. Additionally, Augustine have the idea that the creation process is beyond human comprehension hence arising the need of translation. This view when taken discussed in a conversation entailing the jensons ideas about trinity shows a deviation in thinking. Jenson asserts that trinity is creation and thus the notion that God is omnipresent or he is everywhere.

Jenson and Augustine at some point have similar ideas about trinity. Jenson writings shows that he believes that God has a history but which is predetermined. The history starts from creation and ends up at with the judgment day where sinners will perish and the righteous will be saved. Given that God is all knowing it’s apparent that God knows the end of things and those individuals who will perish in hell. Augustine’s ideas are similar to those of jenson. This stems from the Augustine’s teachings where he taught that there was only one church and in the church there are two kinds of realities. One reality is the observable and tangible one which consists of things like the sacrament, laity as well as the church hierarchy. The second reality is the intangible aspect which are souls of the Christians. In this second category of reality Augustine believes that the souls are made up of the dead, sinners who are in the church and the righteous who are predetermined to enter heaven. Augustine supports his teachings with the book Matthew chapter 13 versus 30. The chapter stipulates that the church will be made up of genuine believers who are referred as wheat and sinful members who the bible refers as tares. From this teaching it evident that both agree on the point that God has his own elect people who will enter the kingdom of heaven. In other words there are people who are predetermined to enter the kingdom of heaven. This is evident that the God who is trinity has history and can also be said not be immune to time.

Francis of Assisi seems not to share the same thought and ideas pertaining to trinity with the jenson and Augustine. The doctrine and ideas about trinity of Francis are contained in the prayer he developed in 1224 which showered praise on trinity. Francis in the prayer acknowledges that God is three in one. He puts more emphasis on God the son. He stipulates that God the son is the humble form of God dedicated to save the humanity. Francis does not incorporate the time aspect about trinity that was key in jenson’s ideas.

Address the question: What does a “Jensonian” Christian spirituality/ethics look like, as it is manifested in these lives and writings? Go beyond Jenson’s words, and engage the writings by/about those figures, to offer your own “Jensonian” interpretation of the core of Christian spirituality/ethics in relation to their lives/writings. For example, how do the lives of Augustine, Francis, and/or Day manifest a human response to or participation in the life of the Trinity as described by Jenson?

2. Drawing from at least two of the three figures we’ve read in Part III (Augustine, Francis, Day) and any other course materials/readings you’d like, offer your own theological argument about what is central in the practice of Christian spirituality/ethics: What’s the heart of Christian spirituality/ethics, and how does it organize/pattern lives lived in response to it?

Augustine ethics

Augustine’s works such as the “city of God” presents a number of Christian ethics. One of the ethics is about slavery. Augustine during his time influenced many clergy men in his city to lead the move of freeing up the slaves. In his Personal capacity he wrote a letter to the emperor whereby he urged the leader to enact harsh laws restricting slave trade (Braaten & Jenson, 2011). This stem from the fact that he believed that slave trade was unethical. Additionally the motivation to write the letter was motivated by the love of children who were one of the commodity of slave trade. During his time children whose parents were unable to bring up were sold in slavery to earn the parent some income. Augustine was disgusted by this and termed it unethical. In his work he notes that it was not the intention of God to have man who is a rational being enslaved by others. He argued that in the primitive times or the old days God made the man or the righteous persons present then shepherds of cattle and never made them kings to rule of others. Augustine identifies that the origin of slavery is sin (Gunton, 2011). As a consequence of sin man was subject or God allowed slavery. However, he stipulates that that it’s unethical to carry out slave trade and enslave other.

One of Augustine’s central beliefs is on the sacrament. Augustine places a lot of emphasis on sacrament. The genesis of sacrament is Jesus Christ. Before Jesus was crucified he left some instructions to his disciples on what they should do after he leaves them. One of the instructions was that the disciples would have to take the sacrament which comprises of the bread and wine. It’s the significance of the bread and wine that makes sacrament a central belief of Augustine. The bread represents the body of Jesus Christ while the wine represents the blood. Given that Jesus exist in trinity taking the sacrament means faith in the trinity. This significance of sacrament makes Augustine argue that it’s a central belief of Christianity.

Francis

Francis central believe of a Christian and ethics is primarily enshrined in the prayer he developed. First and foremost as a believer it’s central to believe in the trinity. This is the foundation of Christianity. Anyone who does not believe in trinity as Francis puts it does not love God and cannot be saved (Fiorenza, 1986). This stem from the fact it’s in the trinity that Jesus is found. Jesus is the savior of humanity and the beginner of Christianity in the world. Jesus ass evident in other works of Francis is personified God or God in a human nature and body. What this means is that without trusting in trinity it’s hard to believe in forgiveness of sins that God the son offers. Francis idea is supported by the bible whereby Jesus claimed that he is the way and life and anyone who has to reach the father must pass through him. (John 14: 6) this simply shows that Jesus acknowledged also that God exist in trinity and to get to eternity

The second central believe of Christians according to Francis is the belief of life after death. Any Christian who does not believe in life after death will not be saved and do not have the foundations of the Christian faith. It’s basic that trinity exist and was personified to come save humanity primarily for the purposes of life after death. The Righteousness that humanity tries to achieve is for the purpose of eternal life. Additionally, the motivation behind believing in Jesus Christ and the trinity is the reward of eternal life. The eternal life is gotten after death that is one is transformed into spirit which is either kept in purgatory, goes to heaven or hell. The implication of this belief is that if one doesn’t believe in life after death he cannot live a life according to God’s command since he has no reward to expect after the physical body dies. The evidence of life after provided that Francis provides is in the boom of Luke chapter 23 versus …. Whereby when Jesus was being crucified he told the thief on his right hand that today he will be with him in paradise on the right hand side of God the father.

References

Braaten, C. E., & Jenson, R. W. (2011). Christian dogmatics. Augsburg Fortress Publishers.

Fiorenza, F. S. (1986). Foundational Theology Jesus and the Church.

Gunton, C. E. (Ed.). (2011). Trinity, time, and church: A response to the theology of Robert W. Jenson. Wipf and Stock Publishers.

Jenson, R. W. (1995). Essays in theology of culture. Isi Books.

Jenson, R. W. (1997). Karl Barth. The Modern Theologians: An introduction to Christian theology in the twentieth century, 1, 23-49.