LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Thesis and Summary
Submitted to Dr. Todd Buck
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
THEO 626
Doctrine of God
2
Research Project: Thesis and Summary Assignment
Statement of Topic:
Understanding God’s Doctrine through his wrath and love
Proposed Thesis Statement:
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.
Project Summary:
The doctrine of God can be viewed as the foundation of Christian theology and a
rudiment of the Christian faith. This study seeks to examine the concepts of the Almighty's
love and wrath and consider different perspectives on this subject. There are
misconceptions that must be addressed as they can distort the view on these divine
components.
1
. Two opposing theological paradigms, such as the divergent account and the
unitary account, can be considered to study the connection between God's mercy and
rage.
2
. Such an approach will allow for a more informed view of the doctrine of God.
Furthermore, it is essential to examine how God's wrath is portrayed in the Old
Testament and the New Testament. There are inconsistencies that contribute to the
confusion in some people concerning divine punishment.
3
. At the same time, a detailed
look at the holiness of the Almighty can clarify the perception of his rage and love.
4
.
1. Robert Oakes, "The Wrath of God," International Journal for Philosophy of
Religion 27, no. 3 (1990): 129, doi:10.1007/BF00143573.
2. 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.
3. Donald Arthur Carson, “God’s Love and God’s Wrath,” Bibliotheca Sacra
156 (1999): 387.
4. Jim McGuiggan, Celebrating the Wrath of God: Reflections on the Agony
and the Ecstasy of His Relentless Love (New York: Crown Publishing Group, 2010), 23.
3
Wrath as a divine attribute is often viewed as the prerequisite for justice.
5
. It can be
viewed as a vital component of the doctrine of God.
6
Furthermore, some authors argue that
justice derives from love which interconnects the notions of rage and mercy.
7
. Overall,
considering and analyzing various viewpoints on the issue can provide a basis for a better
understanding of God through his wrath and love.
Preliminary Bibliography:
Brewbaker, William. "God, Justice and Law: Reflections on Christian Legal Thought."
Law, Culture and the Humanities 9, no. 1 (2013): 13-25.
doi:10.1177/1743872110386526.
Carson, Donald Arthur. “God’s Love and God’s Wrath.” Bibliotheca Sacra 156 (1999):
387-398.
Kinghorn, Kevin, and Stephen Travis. But What About God's Wrath? The Compelling Love
Story of Divine Anger. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2019.
McCarthy, Michael. "Divine Wrath and Human Anger: Embarrassment Ancient and New."
Theological Studies 70, no. 4 (2009): 845-874. doi:10.1177/004056390907000405.
McGuiggan, Jim. Celebrating the Wrath of God: Reflections on the Agony and the Ecstasy
of His Relentless Love. New York: Crown Publishing Group, 2010.
Oakes, Robert. "The Wrath of God." International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 27,
no. 3 (1990): 129-140. doi:10.1007/BF00143573.
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.
Bibliography Summary:
Brewbaker: This article focuses on theological particularity and supports the
5. Michael McCarthy, "Divine Wrath and Human Anger: Embarrassment
Ancient and New," Theological Studies 70, no. 4 (2009): 845.
doi:10.1177/004056390907000405.
6. William Brewbaker, "God, Justice and Law: Reflections on Christian Legal
Thought," Law, Culture and the Humanities 9, no. 1 (2013): 14.
doi:10.1177/1743872110386526.
7. Kevin Kinghorn and Stephen Travis, But What About God's Wrath? The
Compelling Love Story of Divine Anger (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2019), 17.
4
statement that the doctrine of God provides a foundation for the concept of justice in
Christianity. It explores the notions of mercy and punishment and considers the theological
accounts of law.
Carson: This work examines the distinction between the immanent Trinity and the
economic Trinity. The author discusses how God’s wrath is represented in the Old
Testament and the New Testament to inform the readers about the common
misconceptions of his love and anger for humankind.
Kinghorn and Travis: This book takes a closer look at divine love and wrath from
the philosophical perspective by studying relevant biblical texts. The authors argue that
God's love is a critical attribute, while justice derives from love.
McCarthy: This work relates to the thesis as it studies how the divine wrath is
represented in recent times as opposed to the past when portraying the Almighty's rage as
a sensitive subject. Furthermore, it examines the differences observed among the
perspectives of the believer and non-believer writers and emphasizes the idea that God's
wrath is an integral component of divine justice.
McGuiggan: In this book, the author suggests that suffering is an integral part of
God's work to redeem his creations. A challenging look at the holiness of the Almighty
provides a better understanding of his rage and love.
Oakes: This article scrutinizes the wrath of God and disagreements associated with
this concept. It examines and contrasts the philosophical perspectives on Christianity and
Judaism on the Almighty's anger and punishment.
Wessling: This article relates to the thesis as it discusses two contrasting
theological paradigms examining the connection between God's love and wrath: the
divergent account, which opposes anger to love, and the unitary account, which views
God’s punishment as an expression of love. A communicative theory of divine punishment
oe
5
is developed based on the unitary account and further applied to the Christian doctrine of
hell.
6
Bibliography
Brewbaker, William. "God, Justice and Law: Reflections on Christian Legal Thought."
Law, Culture and the Humanities 9, no. 1 (2013): 13-25.
doi:10.1177/1743872110386526.
Carson, Donald Arthur. “God’s Love and God’s Wrath.” Bibliotheca Sacra 156 (1999):
387-398.
Kinghorn, Kevin, and Stephen Travis. But What About God's Wrath? The Compelling Love
Story of Divine Anger. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2019.
McCarthy, Michael. "Divine Wrath and Human Anger: Embarrassment Ancient and New."
Theological Studies 70, no. 4 (2009): 845-874. doi:10.1177/004056390907000405.
McGuiggan, Jim. Celebrating the Wrath of God: Reflections on the Agony and the Ecstasy
of His Relentless Love. New York: Crown Publishing Group, 2010.
Oakes, Robert. "The Wrath of God." International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 27,
no. 3 (1990): 129-140. doi:10.1007/BF00143573.
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.
