Date of Award

2020

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Theology

Abstract

John Henry Newman (1801-90) did not write any systematic treatise on the doctrine of the Trinity, yet it consistently pervades his theological writings. Not only does he frequently treat the doctrine directly, but it also influences how he writes about other areas of theology, so that there is arguably a Trinitarian €œframe€ around all of Newman's thought. Yet there has been surprisingly little scholarship on Newman's theology of the Trinity. This is problematic because it leaves unexplored a major component of his thinking, one that seems essential to a fuller understanding of his theology. in this dissertation I provide a systematic study of Newman's Trinitarian theology. by drawing from his various writings that treat the topic both directly and indirectly, I construct a comprehensive €œNewmanian theology of the Trinity€ that synthesizes and clarifies his disparate writings on the topic. in particular, I argue that the key to grasping Newman's Trinitarian thought is how he understands the economy of salvation€”i.e. the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ, and the sending of the Holy Spirit€”as divine condescension, which both reveals the inner life of the Triune God and draws humanity into that life. Such a study contributes to the field by (1) filling in a major gap in Newman studies, (2) aiding a deeper understanding of the inner logic of Newman's theology, (3) providing a more accurate picture of Trinitarian theology in the nineteenth century, and (4) outlining some ways that Newman might speak to contemporary discussions on the doctrine of the Trinity.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

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