"Eschatology is the explication of what must be true of the end, both of history and of the individual, if God is to be the God of the biblical faith. All eschatological statements can finally be reduced to, and their validity tested by, sentences beginning: 'In the end, God . . .'"
J. A. T. Robinson
The God revealed in Israel's story is the Lord of history--a God with good purposes for his creation and a God capable of bringing those purposes to pass. All biblical eschatology arises from this fundamental theological insight. If God is this God then what shape must the future have?
John A. T. Robinson explores biblical eschatology with an eye both to the text and to contemporary culture. Revealing the foundation of eschatology to be the experience of God by the community of faith, he calls readers to embrace the eschatological vision of the Bible, but to do so in a way that is alert to its mythic character.
In the course of these explorations Robinson also lays bare his own theology of universal salvation. But, contrary to what one may expect, this universalism is one that seeks to take both human freedom and the reality of hell with the utmost seriousness.
This special edition of John A. T. Robinson's classic text also includes a debate between Robinson and Thomas F. Torrance (played out across three articles from the Scottish Journal of Theology in 1949), an extended introduction by Professor Trevor Hart (University of St Andrews, Scotland), and a foreword by Gregory MacDonald (author of The Evangelical Universalist).
John A. T. Robinson was a New Testament scholar who served as Bishop of Woolswich, England as well as Dean of Trinity College, University of Cambridge. Among his many writings are Redating the New Testament, Honest to God, and Wrestling with Romans.
Robin Parry grew up near Liverpool before moving to Wales at the age of ten. It was in Wales that he became a Christian. In 1991, after completing his undergraduate degree in theology and some teacher training, he got married to Carol and moved to Worcester (the original one). They have been there ever since. Robin and Carol have two daughters, Hannah and Jessica, and a cat called Monty. Having been a teacher in a Sixth Form College (1991-2001), he moved into theological publishing, first at Paternoster (2001-2010) and then at Wipf and Stock (2010-), where he works as an editor. Robin's MA and PhD were in Old Testament, both degrees overseen by Professor Gordon Wenham. Robin writes books for a hobby and is trying to learn to play the cajon.
Gregory MacDonald is Robin A. Parry, an editor at Wipf and Stock publishers.
Trevor Hart is Rector of Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church and Honorary Professor at the University of St Andrews. His recent publications include Between the Image and the Word: Theological Engagements with Imagination, Literature, and Language (2013) and Making Good: Creation, Creativity, and Artistry (2014).
"A stimulating theological reading of Scripture that puts the doctrine of God at the heart of eschatology. Robinson's little classic, whilst not without its faults, still deserves serious consideration."
--GREGORY MACDONALD
author of The Evangelical Universalist
"Of all Bishop Robinson's writings, few, if any, are more enduring and timely than this clear articulation of the contours and christo-logic of soteriological universalism. A very fine introduction and profitable appendices also help to clarify what Robinson was, and was not, championing."
--JASON GORONCY
Lecturer and Dean of Studies, Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership, New Zealand
"I am excited to see this new edition of Bishop John Robinson's In the End, God. Many evangelicals will benefit from Robinson as he grapples with questions about appropriate foundations and the role of scripture, as well as his concern to both take the reality of hell seriously and to contest sentimental understandings of God's love. Those of us who remain undecided about Universalism or who prefer to simply hope the universalists are right, will also be challenged by his insistence to put together a theological system that is a 'best fit' to the facts of revelation and Christ's accomplished work. Contemporary scholars engaged in 'theological exegesis' will also find much worthy of consideration given Robinson's intelligent and theological alert handling of scripture. While some details of his argument are dated, and other aspects remain highly debatable, it is arguably with the benefit of hindsight that the best of Robinson's arguments can be appreciated. This new edition also has a number of added features, such as Trevor Hart's insightful introduction, new subheadings, and three appendices."
--Chris Tilling
New Testament Tutor
St Mellitus College & St Paul's Theological Centre
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