Scripture and Metaphysics

Matthew Levering is Assistant Professor of Theology at Ave Maria College in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He is the author of Christ’s Fulfilment of Torah and Temple (2002), coauthor of Knowing the Love of Christ: An Introduction to the Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas (2002), and coeditor of Reading John with St. Thomas Aquinas (forthcoming). He is the coeditor of the English edition of Nova et Vetera, and serves on the editorial board of the Catholic University of America’s Thomas Aquinas in Translation series. He has most recently edited and introduced On the Priesthood: Classic and Contemporary Texts (2003).

“Levering’s Introduction did not fail to stimulate my interest. Probably of greatest interest will be interactions with some of the renowned Jewish and Christian exegetes in the chapters to come.” (AMAIC Philosophy, 8 February 2013)"… lucidly written, thoroughly documented, an astonishing achievement." Fergus Kerr OP, Blackfriars, Oxford  "A substantive contribution to Trinitarian theology, and an exemplification of how theology ought to be done." William T. Cavanaugh, University of St Thomas  "Matthew Levering is not content with merely explaining the genuine teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas but also makes him an active partner in today's theological debate. With both a critical mind and a deep sense of Christian tradition, Levering offers the most stimulating introduction to Aquinas's Trinitarian theology available today." Gilles Emery, OP, Professor of Dogmatic Theology, University of Fribourg"...in eloquently and clearly setting Aquinas over against many of the most influential voices in theology today, and showing his relevance by liberating him from stereotypicals dismissals, Scripture and Metaphysics lays a path for further investigation that will be fruitful for those who follow it." Journal of Ecclesiastical History

• Acknowledgments ixIntroduction 11 Setting the Scene: Theological Ends 12Chapter 1 Sacra Doctrina: Wisdom, Scripture, and Metaphysics 231 Wisdom 282 Theologizing as a Wisdom-Exercise 343 Isaiah and St. John the Evangelist as Contemplatives 39Chapter 2 YHWH and Being 471 R. Kendall Soulen's Post-Supersessionist Trinitarian Theology 532 Aquinas on Being and YHWH 57Chapter 3 Scripture and Metaphysics in the Theology of God's Knowledge and Will 751 Jon D. Levenson on the God of Israel 772 St. Thomas Aquinas on the Knowledge and Will of God in His Unity 83Chapter 4 The Paschal Mystery and Sapiential Theology of the Trinity 1101 N. T. Wright and Richard Bauckham on Jesus and the Identity of God 1122 Hans Urs von Balthasar on the Cross as Analog for the Trinity 1203 The Paschal Mystery as Revelatory of the Trinity in Aquinas 132Chapter 5 Scripture and the Psychological Analogy for the Trinity 1441 Aquinas and the Psychological Analogy 149Chapter 6 Biblical Exegesis and Sapiential Naming of the Divine Persons 1651 The Person of the Father 1692 The Person of the Son 1793 The Person of the Holy Spirit 185Chapter 7 Essence, Persons, and the Question of Trinitarian Metaphysics 1971 Trinitarian Ontology in Clarke, Zizioulas, and Hütter 2022 Trinitarian Ontology and Aquinas's Approach 213Conclusion 236Index 242