From Nothing

Ian A. McFarland is Associate Dean of Faculty and Academic Affairs and Professor of Theology at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He is the author of several books, including In Adam's Fall: A Meditation on the Christian Doctrine of Original Sin and The Divine Image: Envisioning the Invisible God.

"Acknowledging forthrightly both the exegetical and philosophical problems posed by the church's doctrine of creation from nothing, this well researched and cogently argued study makes an impressive case for why faith in the trustworthiness of the triune God who creates all things in Christ may be shown to provide a deeper understanding of what creation entails than either its ancient or recent alternatives. Once again McFarland has demonstrated how a first rate critical engagement with the sources of Christian doctrinal traditions can constructively address some of today's most vital issues." --Christopher Morse, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Professor Emeritus of Theology and Ethics, Union Theological Seminary, New York "This is a masterful account of God as creator, the world as creation, and how the 'as' in each case shapes how to live both in God and in the world. This is 'doctrine of creation,' not from the perspective of a defensive crouch before scientific skepticism on one side or 'rational design' on the other, but from the perspective of the fundamental importance of the idea of creation for faithful living and thinking. God creates from nothing; Ian McFarland constructs theology of creation out of a rich mix of conversations with Scripture, the history of Christian thought, debates about science and theology, and an ecumenical chorus of theological voices. McFarland's superb theological craftsmanship always keeps the book clear, engaging, and wonderfully illuminating." --David H. Kelsey, Luther Weigle Professor Emeritus of Theology, Yale Divinity School "Ian McFarland has produced one of the most substantial contributions in recent times to the theology of creation. Rooted in Scripture and church tradition, yet always alert to contemporary challenges, his study offers an important defense of the classical ex nihilo doctrine. By describing its vital function for Christian thought and action, he shows how it is not a quasi-scientific hypothesis but an essential part of an account of the ways in which all creatures are sustained and loved by God." --David Fergusson, Professor of Divinity and Principal of New College, University of Edinburgh "McFarland's monograph is arguably the most serious retrieval of the doctrine of creation ex nihilo in recent systematic theology. He successfully dispels the accusation that the doctrine necessarily implies an arbitrary God, and convincingly argues, through christological refocusing, that this key affirmation of Christian faith proclaims how the Creator is 'not only inexhaustibly rich in God's self, but also endlessly profligate in sharing this divine plenitude with creatures.' Through careful rereading of biblical texts and lively conversation with patristic and other sources from the Christian tradition, we are treated to a fresh and incisive analysis of divine transcendence, freedom, providence, and love for the contingent, created 'other.' McFarland furthermore tackles a wide array of philosophical and theological challenges facing the doctrine of creation in modern and postmodern thought, and will thus stimulate many conversations of its own in areas as diverse as ecological theology, sacramentology, and theological aesthetics, to name a few." --Paul M. Blowers, Author of Drama of the Divine Economy: Creator and Creation in Early Christian Theology and Piety (Oxford, 2012)

• 1. Introduction 2. God - God as Transcendent, God as Living, God as Productive, God as Present 3. Creates - The Basic Characteristics of Creatures, The Diversity of Creatures, The Unity of Creatures4 From Nothing - Nothing but God, Nothing apart from God, Nothing Limits God5. Evil - Is Evil Nothing?, Is God Evil?, Is Evil a Creature?, In Place of a Theodicy 6. Providence - Conservatio and the Problem of Occasionalism, Concursus and the Problem of Determinism, Gubernatio and the Problem of Meliorism7. Glory - The Glory of Heaven, Icons: Seeing Heaven's Glory, The Eucharist: Tasting Heaven's Glory 8. Conclusion