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Document Details :

Title: The Current Renaissance of the Theology of the Trinity
Subtitle: A Reconstruction
Author(s): RIKHOF, Herwi
Journal: Bijdragen
Volume: 70    Issue: 4   Date: 2009   
Pages: 423-457
DOI: 10.2143/BIJ.70.4.2044777

Abstract :
In this reconstruction of the recent renaissance of the theology of the Trinity, the starting point is Rahner’s influential contribution in Mysterium Salutis. Rahner diagnoses how the isolation of this central topic from the rest of theology and spirituality occurred and proposes a therapy with the axiom ‘the economic Trinity is the immanent Trinity and vice versa’. Generally speaking, one can observe a consensus with regard to both diagnosis and therapy. But there are also discussions about the negative evaluation of the western tradition and about the precise meaning of the axiom, especially about the importance and need of the ‘immanent’ Trinity. With regard to the therapy one can notice an almost exclusive concentration on the life, death and resurrection of Christ as the basis for a reflection on the (economic) Trinity. The recent development of the Spirit-christology seems to meet the criticism that the (work of the) Spirit is forgotten. But more attention to the theology of the Spirit is required to overcome the limitations that in fact are put on the therapy.