The views expressed in this article are of the author only and do not necessarily represent those of the Center for Pastor Theologians.
Beholding the Triune God: The Inseparable Work of Father, Son, and Spirit
Matthew Y. Emerson & Brandon D. Smith
Crossway (2024). 125 pp.
In this book, Matthew Y. Emerson and Brandon D. Smith (both professors at Oklahoma Baptist University and cofounders of the Center for Baptist Renewal) team up to offer a (very) brief introduction to the dogmatic affirmation that the opera trinitatis ad extra indivisa sunt.
The purpose of the project is to introduce readers to the doctrine of inseparable operations and “to bring [it] to bear on the most important doctrines of Scripture” (p. 12). They do this by first posing a question to readers, “How do we speak in meaningful trinitarian terms about what happened on the cross?” As they point out, many answers common in the American church today reflect less than careful thought on the question. And so they walk readers through a series of topics—revelation, providence, creation, salvation, mission, communion, sanctification, judgment—to show that God works indivisibly. Each chapter first explains how Scripture reveals God’s works to be from the one God and then turns to use the language of appropriation and order to show how Scripture also reveals the work of, say, creation, to be that of Father, Son, and Spirit.
The book is fast paced. At a mere 125 pages, each chapter has very little space to offer in-depth analysis. The authors do well to maintain a similar pattern in each chapter and offer a glossary to give further definition to the technical theological terms used throughout the book (i.e. “missions,” “taxis (order),” “person”). Despite the limited space, Emerson and Smith offer enough description to alert their readers that common ways American evangelicals describe the works of God do not do justice to the biblical witness. Their project thus serves as a two-fold challenge: first, to think carefully about how we speak of God and his works; second, to ask questions about language used in liturgical settings.
While they make good use of their few pages, the brevity of this work poses challenges. I here offer three critiques. First, there are numerous points along the way where further doctrinal clarification is necessary. For example, while discussing the common refrain “the Father turned his face away,” they argue against patripassianism based, in part, on God’s immutability (p. 68). While the argument is theologically sound, the authors assume a familiarity with the doctrine of immutability without offering either exposition or definition of the term in the glossary. An introductory work will, by necessity, leave much unsaid. However, in a setting where theological literacy is lacking, terms need defining and defense.
Second, individual chapters and the book itself end rather abruptly. There is no conclusion given. The final chapter (on judgment) is followed directly by the glossary. This is a missed opportunity. Conclusions give authors the opportunity to tie threads together for readers who have just finished the work of laboring through the various strands of thought. Introductory theology books, usually written for the average reader in the pew, ought not leave the reader treading water. Furthermore, the chapters would have been strengthened by posing a question or two for readers to ponder after reading the material, especially since the authors began by pointing out how frequently American evangelicals fail to recognize the doctrinal import of common church parlance.
Third, very little instruction was offered by way of how to proceed further. There are certainly some helpful pointers: a few footnotes point readers to resources in the tradition (Athanasius being the most frequent); a few more to contemporary treatments of inseparable operations, the introduction concludes with the Apostles’ Creed. But, recognizing the brevity of their own project, why not include a “suggested reading” section at the end of each chapter to point readers towards resources within the tradition? Building theological literacy in the church requires broader reading, especially of those whose works have continued to guide the church in her confession.
Pastor theologians want to see the flocks they shepherd grow in maturity towards the measure of the fullness of the stature of Christ (Eph 4:13). They want them to weather storms of false doctrine without getting tossed to and fro (Eph 4:14). This requires theological instruction. Emerson and Smith have offered up a helpful introduction to a topic which, when carefully exposited, might reveal functional tritheism or modalism in many churches. This book is a good starting point for pastor theologians to reflect more deeply on how they might thoroughly teach their people to recognize the triune works of God and lead their people to worship him in truth.
Seth Porch (ThM, Bethlehem College & Seminary) serves as the Publications Coordinator for the Center for Pastor Theologians.
