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Re-Imaging Election: Divine Election as Representing God to Others and Others to God
In Re-Imaging Election Suzanne McDonald offers a fresh approach to the doctrine of election from a Reformed perspective, first by seeking greater acknowledgment that election is not only �in Christ� but also �by the Spirit,� and second by building on the scriptural and theological links between the doctrines of election and the image of God. McDonald here combines an analysis of John Owen and Karl Barth with those links to develop a constructive proposal that posits representation (representing God to others and others to God) as a fruitful category for understanding the nature and purpose of election. In doing so, she seeks to restore the robust pneumatology characteristic of the earlier Reformed tradition without losing some of the central insights from Barth�s christological re-orientation of the doctrine.
While Re-Imaging Election is firmly rooted in the Reformed tradition, the re-expression of the doctrine presented here opens up new possibilities for dialogue across the theological spectrum and offers suggestive directions for reclaiming an often-divisive doctrine in the life of the church.
While Re-Imaging Election is firmly rooted in the Reformed tradition, the re-expression of the doctrine presented here opens up new possibilities for dialogue across the theological spectrum and offers suggestive directions for reclaiming an often-divisive doctrine in the life of the church.
- GenresTheology
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 7, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 19, 2021
McDonald puts John Owen and Karl Barth in conversation with regard to the topic of divine election. She argues that Owen's double predestination fails to situate election 'in Christ' and as such militates against any universal application of election; yet she takes Barth to task for not having a sufficiently pneumatological approach to election and thus one that does not take into account the role of faith for salvation. Moving beyond both Owen and Barth, she argues that God elects a community to represent him to the world and the world to him thus election, while particular, has a universal purpose, namely, to be a blessing to the world. One main criticism would be that she seems to, even if ever so slightly, favor Barth over Owen and the tradition (Reformed Orthodoxy) which he represents and as such neither Barthians nor traditional Reformed may in the end be persuaded. As for me, I find her overall argument compelling and worthy of consideration, even if one disagrees with some of the nuances.
April 5, 2016
Working as a chaplain in an Alzheimer’s unit, I once met an older man, James, who used to wander up and down the halls all day muttering to himself—he spoke nothing but gibberish. When one day I invited James to hear a jazz saxophonist play, he was delighted. While the nurses resisted my taking him, when the music started he stood up, began dancing to the music, and invited several women to join him. More importantly, he began speaking in complete sentences and engaged in real conversation: the music helped him center and he remained cogent for several weeks. For me, the story of James is both a resurrection story and a metaphor for our election—in Christ we are reminded (awakened) of the person who God created us to be.
In her book, Re-Imaging Election, Suzanne McDonald expands on a story similar to James’ story to illustrate how our identity is, in part, relationally held (159). She writes:
“…the parable of dementia has raised three fundamental concepts that pertain to the election to representation: that the reality of our true personhood may be quite radically beyond our knowing; that it may be partially and provisionally held representatively for us by another in ways that have ontological significance; and that this does not compromise our personal particularity, but rather allows another person to become the space in which both who we presently are and the truth about who we are is beyond us may be held.” (164)
McDonald launches into her exploration of election with a question: “Why propose yet another way of thinking about election, and why do so from a Reformed point of view?” The answer follows shortly thereafter: because the “Reformed approach to election [is] fundamentally correct” (xiii). Her exploration builds on the issues and questions posed by John Owen (1616–1683) and Karl Barth (1886–1968) and pays special attention to the role of the Holy Spirit (195).
McDonald views Owen as a “representative of the historic Reformed orthodoxy in the Dordt Tradition” (xviii) and sums up his concept of election in the phrase: “in Christ by the Spirit” (11). She explains:
“The image [divine image or imago dei] having been separated from human nature [in the fall] in all save Christ, it is therefore for the very purpose of revealing and restoring the lost image of God that the eternal Son and essential image of the Father takes our nature as the Mediator of the outworking of the covenant of redemption in the covenant of Grade for those elect in him.” (20)
For Owen, the Holy Spirit plays an instrumental role by renewing in us the divine image (14).
McDonald views Barth likewise holding a high view of the Holy Spirit’s role in election. She writes:
“…in Christ we see the whole predestination of God, such that Jesus Christ alone is the [whole and universal] election of God. Election is ‘in Christ’ because there is for Barth only the one predestining act: God’s self-election to be God-for-us in the person of Jesus Christ.” (60)
Yet…
“As those, ‘without the Spirit,’ the rejected continue to live in futile rebellion against their election.” (61)
At this point, McDonald pivots. A key verse in her doctrine of election is:
“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Gen 12:3 ESV)
In other words, we are blessed to be elected to bless others. What is this blessing? The blessing takes the form of the imago dei—the divine image—which the community of faith partakes of and represents to the non-elect (97). Here she offers 3 scriptural principles of election:
1. “…election entails the setting apart of one clearly delineated community in a unique relationship to God and the world, and it is the Spirit who creates, sets apart, and shapes the new covenantal community in Christ.”
2. “…the spirit constitutes and shapes the unique perichoretic personhood of the elect that binds together the elect community and the rest of humanity.”
3. “…election is the expression of—and the chosen means to further—the triune God’s purpose of blessing.” (190-191)
In so many words, the instrumentality of the divine image reflected in the community of faith accordingly allows participation in God's work without impinging on God's sovereignty.
Suzanne McDonald is currently a professor of historical and systematic theology at Western Theological Seminary. She is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church. Her doctorate is from University of Saint Andrews in Scotland and she is a native of Australia. Re-Imaging Election summarizes her dissertation and is the first of her two books. Her other book is: John Knox for Armchair Theologians (Westminster John Knox Press, 2013).
McDonald writes Re-Imaging Election in 7 chapters proceeded by an introduction and followed by an epilogue, as follows:
Introduction
Posing a Pneumatological Problem.
1. Election, the Image, and the Spirit: John Owen.
2. Election, the Image, and the Spirit: Karl Barth.
3. Election ‘in Christ’ in Barth: Some Pneumatological Queries.
Re-Presenting the Image; Re-Imaging Election.
4. Sketching Some Scriptural Contours.
5. Election, the Spirit, and the Ecclesial Imago Dei.
Election to Representation in Dialogue.
6. Some Problems, a Parable, and the Parousia.
7. Owen and Barth: Beyond the Impasse.
Epilogue: Glancing Backward, Looking Forward
Bibliography
Index of Names and Subjects
Suzanne McDonald’s Re-Imaging Election is a captivating read. The doctrine of election is a logical necessity in developing a systematic presentation of the Gospel which makes election interesting to anyone who eschews incoherence. Pastors, seminary students, and armchair theologians in the reformed tradition will accordingly benefit from this book.
In her book, Re-Imaging Election, Suzanne McDonald expands on a story similar to James’ story to illustrate how our identity is, in part, relationally held (159). She writes:
“…the parable of dementia has raised three fundamental concepts that pertain to the election to representation: that the reality of our true personhood may be quite radically beyond our knowing; that it may be partially and provisionally held representatively for us by another in ways that have ontological significance; and that this does not compromise our personal particularity, but rather allows another person to become the space in which both who we presently are and the truth about who we are is beyond us may be held.” (164)
McDonald launches into her exploration of election with a question: “Why propose yet another way of thinking about election, and why do so from a Reformed point of view?” The answer follows shortly thereafter: because the “Reformed approach to election [is] fundamentally correct” (xiii). Her exploration builds on the issues and questions posed by John Owen (1616–1683) and Karl Barth (1886–1968) and pays special attention to the role of the Holy Spirit (195).
McDonald views Owen as a “representative of the historic Reformed orthodoxy in the Dordt Tradition” (xviii) and sums up his concept of election in the phrase: “in Christ by the Spirit” (11). She explains:
“The image [divine image or imago dei] having been separated from human nature [in the fall] in all save Christ, it is therefore for the very purpose of revealing and restoring the lost image of God that the eternal Son and essential image of the Father takes our nature as the Mediator of the outworking of the covenant of redemption in the covenant of Grade for those elect in him.” (20)
For Owen, the Holy Spirit plays an instrumental role by renewing in us the divine image (14).
McDonald views Barth likewise holding a high view of the Holy Spirit’s role in election. She writes:
“…in Christ we see the whole predestination of God, such that Jesus Christ alone is the [whole and universal] election of God. Election is ‘in Christ’ because there is for Barth only the one predestining act: God’s self-election to be God-for-us in the person of Jesus Christ.” (60)
Yet…
“As those, ‘without the Spirit,’ the rejected continue to live in futile rebellion against their election.” (61)
At this point, McDonald pivots. A key verse in her doctrine of election is:
“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Gen 12:3 ESV)
In other words, we are blessed to be elected to bless others. What is this blessing? The blessing takes the form of the imago dei—the divine image—which the community of faith partakes of and represents to the non-elect (97). Here she offers 3 scriptural principles of election:
1. “…election entails the setting apart of one clearly delineated community in a unique relationship to God and the world, and it is the Spirit who creates, sets apart, and shapes the new covenantal community in Christ.”
2. “…the spirit constitutes and shapes the unique perichoretic personhood of the elect that binds together the elect community and the rest of humanity.”
3. “…election is the expression of—and the chosen means to further—the triune God’s purpose of blessing.” (190-191)
In so many words, the instrumentality of the divine image reflected in the community of faith accordingly allows participation in God's work without impinging on God's sovereignty.
Suzanne McDonald is currently a professor of historical and systematic theology at Western Theological Seminary. She is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church. Her doctorate is from University of Saint Andrews in Scotland and she is a native of Australia. Re-Imaging Election summarizes her dissertation and is the first of her two books. Her other book is: John Knox for Armchair Theologians (Westminster John Knox Press, 2013).
McDonald writes Re-Imaging Election in 7 chapters proceeded by an introduction and followed by an epilogue, as follows:
Introduction
Posing a Pneumatological Problem.
1. Election, the Image, and the Spirit: John Owen.
2. Election, the Image, and the Spirit: Karl Barth.
3. Election ‘in Christ’ in Barth: Some Pneumatological Queries.
Re-Presenting the Image; Re-Imaging Election.
4. Sketching Some Scriptural Contours.
5. Election, the Spirit, and the Ecclesial Imago Dei.
Election to Representation in Dialogue.
6. Some Problems, a Parable, and the Parousia.
7. Owen and Barth: Beyond the Impasse.
Epilogue: Glancing Backward, Looking Forward
Bibliography
Index of Names and Subjects
Suzanne McDonald’s Re-Imaging Election is a captivating read. The doctrine of election is a logical necessity in developing a systematic presentation of the Gospel which makes election interesting to anyone who eschews incoherence. Pastors, seminary students, and armchair theologians in the reformed tradition will accordingly benefit from this book.
September 27, 2021
Though the first couple chapters are very thick theology-wise, the payoff is worth it as Suzanne tackles one of the most controversial Christian doctrines: election. She sidesteps the whole argument by opening up a whole new and compelling argument: that election was never meant to be individual “insurance” of salvation, but a gift to be spread with others. Christians are chosen or “elect” to share with the world the gift of salvation through God’s grace. Will certainly read again.
April 5, 2015
What is presented here is a well articulated, Reformed and fresh approach to election.
McDonald, in arguing for 'election to representation', seeks to uphold a robust pneumatology within a throughly christological framework of Trinitarian soteriology, whilst avoiding the pneumatological and scriptural pitfalls of Barth.
She presents election to representation as the means by which God furthers his purpose of blessing beyond the elect community itself. She presents this on the basis of three scriptural principles:
1. The Spirit alone brings about union with Christ and transformation in Christ-likeness in accordance with New Testament pneumatology.
2. The Spirit forms the unique perichoretic personhood of the elect which joins together the elect community and the rest of humanity.
3. Election entails the setting apart of 'one clearly delineated community in a unique relationship to God and the world, and it is the Spirit who creates, sets apart, and shapes the new covenant community in Christ' (p.190).
I personally really enjoyed McDonald's election to representation. She set Owen and Barth as a theological backdrop and sought to engage with their distinct and similar approaches to election (at different stages in their theology) and brought clarity as to how this new emphasis would be engaged by them.
Having said this, I remain hesitant in fully endorsing this approach. Whilst representation to election circumvents Barth's problematic contradictory pneumatology within a Reformed context and strong scriptural underpinning, and whilst she also challenges us in considering the outworking of election not as a sole end in and of itself, she admits, however, her formulation inclines more towards apokastasis, even though the possibility of individual double predestination is maintained. For this reason, whilst she has successfully removed the mystery from why God has determined to save some and not others, she has replaced it with another: 'if election signifies the bearing of rejection for the sake of God's intention to bless, how is then possible for any to fall outside of God's purpose of blessing?' (p.193)
She argues 'we will not know...what the final unfolding of election for the sake of wider blessing will untimately entail, until the parousia brings the dynamic of God's electing purpose to its fulfilment and consummation' (p.194). Whilst this demonstrates eschatological humility, I would love to have had her more fully define and outline the implications of what constitutes 'blessing' to wider humanity by the elect community of God. If blessing leads to apokastasis, I sadly cannot see how this can be upheld scripturally.
A great Trinitarian and pneumatologically robust work by McDonald, and very much worth reading! But one which, for the above reasons, I cannot whole-heartedly endorse scripturally without further detailed explication.
McDonald, in arguing for 'election to representation', seeks to uphold a robust pneumatology within a throughly christological framework of Trinitarian soteriology, whilst avoiding the pneumatological and scriptural pitfalls of Barth.
She presents election to representation as the means by which God furthers his purpose of blessing beyond the elect community itself. She presents this on the basis of three scriptural principles:
1. The Spirit alone brings about union with Christ and transformation in Christ-likeness in accordance with New Testament pneumatology.
2. The Spirit forms the unique perichoretic personhood of the elect which joins together the elect community and the rest of humanity.
3. Election entails the setting apart of 'one clearly delineated community in a unique relationship to God and the world, and it is the Spirit who creates, sets apart, and shapes the new covenant community in Christ' (p.190).
I personally really enjoyed McDonald's election to representation. She set Owen and Barth as a theological backdrop and sought to engage with their distinct and similar approaches to election (at different stages in their theology) and brought clarity as to how this new emphasis would be engaged by them.
Having said this, I remain hesitant in fully endorsing this approach. Whilst representation to election circumvents Barth's problematic contradictory pneumatology within a Reformed context and strong scriptural underpinning, and whilst she also challenges us in considering the outworking of election not as a sole end in and of itself, she admits, however, her formulation inclines more towards apokastasis, even though the possibility of individual double predestination is maintained. For this reason, whilst she has successfully removed the mystery from why God has determined to save some and not others, she has replaced it with another: 'if election signifies the bearing of rejection for the sake of God's intention to bless, how is then possible for any to fall outside of God's purpose of blessing?' (p.193)
She argues 'we will not know...what the final unfolding of election for the sake of wider blessing will untimately entail, until the parousia brings the dynamic of God's electing purpose to its fulfilment and consummation' (p.194). Whilst this demonstrates eschatological humility, I would love to have had her more fully define and outline the implications of what constitutes 'blessing' to wider humanity by the elect community of God. If blessing leads to apokastasis, I sadly cannot see how this can be upheld scripturally.
A great Trinitarian and pneumatologically robust work by McDonald, and very much worth reading! But one which, for the above reasons, I cannot whole-heartedly endorse scripturally without further detailed explication.
July 9, 2015
Dense but helpful understanding of election in new ways that seem more reasonable than some dated and offensive paradigms for understanding the subject.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews