Essential Trinitarianism: Schleiermacher as Trinitarian Theologian

2017 | Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences

Many scholars believe that Friedrich Schleiermacher relegates the doctrine of the Trinity to an appendix at the end of his magnum opus, The Christian Faith (1830/31). For many, his alleged disregard for the Trinity is the death knell for taking his work seriously within the history of Christian thought. This volume shows that Schleiermacher not only calls for the doctrine's revitalization but also makes it the centrepiece of Protestant Christianity. Following Schleiermacher's own thought experiment, Poe presents his doctrine of God in reverse order of its original presentation. The examination centres on the Trinity, treating it as the keystone of the entire work, and then examine the divine attributes: love and wisdom, justice and holiness, eternity, omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. When viewed from the standpoint of the conclusion, the Trinitarian shape of Schleiermacher's theology comes to the fore. What emerges is a middle way between merely economic Trinitarianism and a full-fledged development of immanent Trinitarianism.

The central thesis of this work runs boldly counter to the prevailing dogmatic account of Schleiermacher's doctrine of the Trinity and offers an innovative and constructive reading on the subject

Shelli M. Poe (Author)