Theological Metaphysics - (T&t Clark Systematic Pentecostal and Charismatic Theology) by Ray C Robles (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Insofar as Christian theology aims to make truth claims about the nature of reality, it is necessarily involved in the enterprise of metaphysics. Pentecostals, precisely as Christians, are thus obliged to participate. In this study, Robles begins by showing that few explicit, developed, and systematic attempts have been made to construct a metaphysical vision from a pentecostal perspective. Through exploring those few attempts, it becomes evident that pentecostals aim to participate in the metaphysical discipline in the same way they theologize-that is, informed by the norms, practices, and speech acts that constitute their spirituality. Robles follows this proclivity and aim to construct a metaphysics that is at once attuned to pentecostal spirituality/theology, and deeply connected to the classical tradition of Christian metaphysics. James K.A. Smith's five elements of a pentecostal worldview provide helpful categories to accomplish this. By first sketching what pentecostal theologians have constructed within Smith's categories, what gets revealed is the tendency of said theologians to theologize from an idealized pentecostal spirituality that can no longer be assumed to be widely practiced. Indeed, Robles discovers that current popular forms of pentecostal spirituality are obstructing our ability to: (1) faithfully worship the triune God, and thus (2) coherently understand reality in relation to him in the way classical Christian metaphysics has bequeathed to us. Robles subsequently constructs a pentecostal metaphysics-once again, utilizing Smith's categories-in conversation with the classical Christian tradition which leads to a call for (re)forming pentecostal praxis. Finally, Robles closes with a proposal for pentecostals to consider liturgical renewal so that our spirituality might work with the grain of a faithful understanding of the God-world relation"--

Book Synopsis

Insofar as Christian theology aims to make truthful claims about the nature of reality, it is necessarily involved in the enterprise of metaphysics. Pentecostals, precisely as Christians, are thus obliged to participate. Through this study it becomes evident that pentecostals aim to participate in the metaphysical discipline in the same way they theologize - that is, informed by the norms, practices, and speech acts that constitute their spirituality.

This book aims to construct a Christian metaphysics that is at once attuned to pentecostal spirituality/theology and informed by the classical tradition of Christian metaphysics.

Ultimately, this work offers a constructive and critical engagement with pentecostal spirituality, and with pentecostal theology via the larger ecumenical, creedal, and dogmatic metaphysical tradition. Thus, this book is explicitly and intentionally limited to understand metaphysics in conversation with the historical Christian tradition, and to understand a pentecostal vision of it.

Review Quotes

"Faced with the relative neglect of metaphysics within the Pentecostal tradition, Ray Robles offers an in-depth and theologically astute corrective. Deeply grounded in Christian tradition, Theological Metaphysics draws from a wide range of sources, while engaging in spirited dialogue especially with Amos Yong's emergence theory. The result is a well-constructed plea for a traditional participatory or sacramental ontology that does justice to the Pentecostal experience. This book is a treasure trove, not just for Pentecostals but for anyone asking how it is that we may speak about the triune God's enchantment of a Spirit-filled world." --Hans Boersma, Nashotah Theological Seminary, USA

"Reality is... What exactly? Ray Robles in this important study disentangles the strands within reality inhabited by Pentecostals. The reader is rewarded by an intellectual journey of fascinating philosophical twists and turns, some ecumenical, some spiritual and historical and some purely theological. Fasten your seat belts!" --William K. Kay, Regents Theological College, UK

"Ray C. Robles has written a significant work on theological metaphysics from a pentecostal perspective. He presents a trinitarian, eschatologically oriented, radically open, and re-enchanted creational metaphysics. Robles does so by interacting with pentecostal theology, the Church Fathers, Aquinas, and some modern philosophical theologians. He also presents an illustrative pentecostal liturgy that flows from his metaphysical vision and thus grounds the more abstract discussion in the worshiping community. This book makes an important contribution to Christian metaphysics and pentecostal philosophical theology." --Simo Frestadius, Regents Theological College, UK and Bangor University, UK

"By making the resurrection of Jesus the key pneumatological event, Robles makes the bold move of prioritizing eschatology in his theology of creation, thereby overcoming a dualism between the natural and the supernatural. He offers Pentecostals a fruitful path for addressing the question of metaphysics. An important step forward for Pentecostal theology." --Frank D. Macchia, Bangor University, UK

About the Author

Ray C. Robles is a theologian and teacher of theology and Christian worldview at Grand Canyon University and the Northern California Bible College, USA