Engaging Nicene Trinitarianism: Historical Analysis, Theological Exploration, and Contemporary Relevance

Twelve original studies on Trinitarian theology and its enduring capacity to shape theological discourse, ecclesiology, and society today. The doctrine of the Trinity sits at the heart of Christian identity, shaping how Christians think about faith, worship, and community. The Nicene Creed, recited in churches across the world, invites not only a shared confession but also a deep and ongoing conversation about who God is and how God relates to the world. The Council’s articulation of the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father laid the foundation for Trinitarian doctrine and safeguarded the mystery of salvation. It continues to serve as a rich source of interdisciplinary exploration and inspire fresh theological inquiry into the mystery of divine communion, the incarnation of Christ, and the unity and identity of the Church. On the 1700th anniversary of this historic event, the essays in this volume collectively re-examine earlier debates, introduce fresh perspectives, and renew dialogue around doctrines as vital today as in the fourth century. Emphasising the value of constructive engagement between traditions and exploring how Trinitarian theology continues to inform Christian witness in a complex and changing world, this volume offers essential reading for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of a foundational aspect of Christian faith and history.

Table of Contents:
Introduction (Matthias Grebe, St Mellitus College, UK; Nadine Hamilton, University of Regensburg, Germany; Christian Schlenker, University of Tübingen, Germany) I. Historical Analysis 1. Interpreting Nicaea: Historical and Contemporary Contexts (John Behr, University of Aberdeen, UK) 2. One in Being as One in Goodness: Re-reading Nicaea with a Third-Century Interprative Key (Pui Him Ip, University of Cambridge, UK) 3. Arguing with St Basil about Taxis: On Modern Agreements About Fixing Nicene Pneumatology (Isaac Frisby, University of Durham, UK) 4. The Reception of the Creed of Nicaea-Constantinople in the Christological Controversy (David Burkhard Janssen, University of Tübingen, Germany) II. Theological Exploration 5. The Procession of the Holy Spirit: Revisiting the Filioque through the Intra-Trinitarian Relations of Origin and Economic Missions (Matthias Grebe, St Mellitus College, UK) 6. The Filioque Controversy: A Historical and Theological Analysis from the Perspective of Vladimir Lossky (Tijana Petkovic, University of Tübingen, Germany) 7. From One to Three? The Viability of Emergent Social Trinitarianism (Johannes Grössl, University of Paderborn, Germany) 8. Re-Orientating 'Ontological Receptivity': Grounding the Son's Receptivity to the Human Jesus on Passive Generation (Alex Irving, St Mellitus College, UK) III. Contemporary Relevance 9. The Relevance of the Nicene Creed (Christian Schlenker, University of Geneva, Switzerland) 10. An Ontology of God’s Threefold Name: Rediscovering Christological Foundations (Nadine Hamilton, University of Regensburg, Germany) 11. Trinity and Empathy: The Modern Renewal of Trinitarian Ontology and the Experience of Empathy in the Phenomenology of Edith Stein (Katrin König, Heidelberg University, Germany). 12. Believing in One God: The Nicene Creed and the Shema (Mark W. Scarlata, St Mellitus College, UK) Cumulative Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Matthias Grebe is Centre Lead and Lecturer at St. Mellitus College, UK. He is also Associate Vicar of St Edward, King and Martyr in Cambridge and the Church of England’s Adviser for European Church Relations at Lambeth Palace. Nadine Hamilton is Akademische Rätin and teaches Systematic Theology at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg, Germany. Christian Schlenker is Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at the University of Geneva, Switzerland.

Review :
In this engaging and important volume, the editors have assembled a distinguished group of scholars representing a variety of perspectives to think about and beyond the Council of Nicaea. It offers biblical engagements, historical engagements, doctrinal engagements and philosophical engagements. Anyone interested in the significance of Nicaean theology should be engaging with this valuable volume. This volume does a splendid job of showcasing the extraordinary vitality of the Nicene trinitarian tradition. It engages Nicaea in a way that not only honors historical reflection at its finest, but also receives the Nicene tradition as a living and dynamic gift that invites us to engage creatively and faithfully with the challenges of our time. Fresh scholarship and deep thinking about issues at the heart of Christianity by well-chosen contributors: this is a superb response to the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea. Whether summarising key themes, reopening major questions, showing the twenty-first century relevance of the early centuries of Christian thought, or adventurously proposing new ways through classic dilemmas and disputes, this is a collection for anyone interested in engaging with lively, profound, and very intelligent Christian faith.