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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Outline and Introduction
Submitted to Dr. Todd Buck
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
THEO 626
Doctrine of God
by
Harold C Hanson
June 25, 2021
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Research Project: Outline and Introduction Assignment
Statement of Topic:
Understanding God’s Doctrine through his wrath and love
Outline:
I. Introduction (1 page)
II. Historical Development of the God’s Doctrine (2 pages)
A. The Biblical Doctrine of God’s Wrath
B. The Biblical Doctrine of God’s Love
III. Theological Paradigms with Regard to the Connection between God's Love and
Wrath (3-4 pages)
A. The Divergent Account
B. The Unitary Account
IV. Implications of God’s Portrayal on the Doctrines of Wrath and Love (4-5 pages)
A. God’s Wrath
1. The Inconsistencies of God’s Wrath Portrayed in the Old Testament and the
New Testament
2. Wrath as a Divine Attribute
3. Wrath as a Prerequisite for Justice
B. God’s Love
1. God’s Holiness
2. Love as a Prerequisite for Justice
V. Application for Church (2 pages)
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VI. Conclusion (1 page)
A. Strengths and Weaknesses of Varied Positions
B. Implications for the Interpretation of the Tenets of Christianity
Project Introduction:
The doctrine of God is fundamental to understanding the canons of the Christian
Church. The concepts of the Almighty's love and wrath are integral divine attributes that can
be interpreted differently but are equally critical to discuss to unravel this Biblical
conundrum. In this regard, the historical development of God's doctrine suggests that his rage
and mercy are fundamentally interconnected components of his holiness1. As per the
divergent account, anger is opposed to love, while the unitary account views God’s
punishment as an expression of love2. The inconsistency in the interpretation is reflected in
the depiction of the divine wrath in the Old Testament and the New Testament, and the
burning rage against sinners in the Old Covenant frequently prevents people from perceiving
such a response as a loving gesture3. At the same time, both rage and mercy are viewed as the
divine attributes deriving from God’s holiness and striving for justice4. As a foundation of
Christian theology, God’s doctrine should be examined through his wrath and love as
intertwined components, equally critical to be understood for a relevant interpretation of the
tenets of Christian faith.
11. Jordan Wessling, Love Divine (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020), 15.
22. Jordan Wessling, "How does a Loving God Punish? On the Unification of God's
Love and Punitive Wrath," International Journal of Systematic Theology 19, no. 4 (2017):
421, doi:10.1111/ijst.12246.
33. Donald Arthur Carson, “God’s Love and God’s Wrath,” Bibliotheca Sacra 156
(1999): 387.
4. Michael McCarthy, "Divine Wrath and Human Anger: Embarrassment Ancient and
New," Theological Studies 70, no. 4 (2009): 845. doi:10.1177/004056390907000405.
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Bibliography
Carson, Donald Arthur. “God’s Love and God’s Wrath.” Bibliotheca Sacra 156 (1999): 387-
398.
Holmes, Stephen. The Quest for the Trinity: The Doctrine of God in Scripture, History, and
Modernity. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2012.
McCarthy, Michael. "Divine Wrath and Human Anger: Embarrassment Ancient and New."
Theological Studies 70, no. 4 (2009): 845-874. doi:10.1177/004056390907000405.
Wessling, Jordan. "How does a Loving God Punish? On the Unification of God's Love and
Punitive Wrath." International Journal of Systematic Theology 19, no. 4 (2017): 421-
443. doi:10.1111/ijst.12246.
Wessling, Jordan. Love Divine. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020.
Zahnd, Brian.ISinners in the Hands of a Loving God: The Scandalous Truth of the Very Good
News. New York: Crown Publishing Group, 2017.
