In this podcast, Jordan and Brandon talk with Richard Cross about the communicatio idiomatum and its significance in theological debates. They discuss the perspectives of Lutherans, Calvinists, and the Council of Chalcedon, as well as the sharing of properties between divine and human nature. They explore the work of Tim Pawl on Christological semantics and its relation to the Reformation debates. They also delve into Luther and Zwingli's contrasting views on the communication of attributes and the complexities of Luther and Svingley's debate on Eucharistic matters. Additionally, they discuss the historical importance of John Duns Scotus in philosophy and theology, the dominance of Aquinas, and the challenges of reading Scotus' works.
The communicatio idiomatum refers to the sharing of properties between the divine and human natures of Christ and was a subject of debate among theologians during the Reformation period.
Luther believed in the ontological bearing of human attributes onto the divine person, while Calvin saw it as a linguistic relationship, leading to different interpretations of the communication of attributes.
The Reformation period witnessed the dominance of Scotus's approach and the subsequent rise of Aquinas's influence in shaping the discourse on the communication of attributes.
Deep dives
The Communication Idiomatum
The podcast episode delves into the concept of the communicatio idiomatum, which refers to the sharing of properties between the divine and human natures of Christ. Luther and Calvin had different views on this doctrine, with Luther emphasizing the ontological bearing of human properties onto the divine person, while Calvin saw it as a linguistic relationship between the divine person and human attributes. The podcast explores how this debate played out among various theologians of the Reformation, with some theologians highlighting the participation of the human nature in divine attributes and others adopting a more minimalist approach. The episode also touches on the semantic challenges faced in predication and the ways in which theologians attempted to reconcile these issues within theological frameworks.
Metaphysics and Semantics in the Reformation
During the Reformation, theologians grappled with the metaphysical and semantic intricacies of the incarnation. Aquinas and Scotus were influential figures in shaping the theological discourse of the time, with Scotus's emphasis on the union between the divine person and the human nature gaining prominence. Following along these lines, Luther and Calvin developed their own perspectives on the communication of attributes, discussing whether human attributes could be ontologically borne by the divine person. While Luther argued for the ontological bearing of human properties, Calvin viewed it as a linguistic trope. The episode highlights the theological developments and philosophical debates surrounding the metaphysics and semantics of the incarnation during the Reformation period.
Luther's View on Communication of Attributes
Luther held a strong view on the communication of attributes, perceiving the need for the divine person to ontologically bear human attributes. He believed that true predications required an ontological relationship, and denying this would lead to the view that Christ had two parallel subjects. Luther's perspective differed from Swengli, who considered Christological predications to be linguistic tropes and did not recognize an ontological bearing of human attributes onto the divine person. This difference in views led to significant debates and reformational discussions on the nature and implications of the communication of attributes in Christology.
Calvin and Swengli's Perspective on Communication of Attributes
Calvin aligned with Swengli's view on the communication of attributes, considering it to be a linguistic relationship between the divine person and human attributes. Asserting that human attributes were merely predicated of the divine person, Calvin avoided the ontological bearing of human properties onto the divine person. The podcast explores how this perspective differed from Luther's, leading to different theological interpretations and understandings of the communication of attributes. The episode highlights Calvin's emphasis on the supernatural gift of life-giving conferred by Christ's human nature, particularly in his Eucharistic theology.
Reformational Debates and Later Developments
After Luther, Swengli, and Calvin, the podcast delves into how the debate surrounding the communication of attributes progressed throughout the Reformation and beyond. It examines the dominance of SCOTUS's theological approach during the period up to 1500 and the subsequent rise of Aquinas's influence. The episode also touches on the 17th-century Lutheran theologians' responses to metaphysical and semantic challenges. It concludes by noting the complexities and historical nuances in understanding the contributions of different theologians and the evolution of the discourse on the communication of attributes during and after the Reformation period.
Jordan and Brandon talk with Richard Cross about his new book on the "communicatio idiomatum." They ask questions like: What does the communicatio idiomatum mean? What does the council of Chalcedon require for understanding the communicatio idiomatum? What does the union of the two natures in Chalcedon mean? How was it understood by the various theologians? And more.
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