Christ the Key (Current Issues in Theology, Series Number 7) 1st Edition

Tanner devotes chapter 3 to comparing her theology to what she represents as "contemporary Catholic thinking about the relationship between nature and grace" but she never cites the Catechism of the Catholic Church.Catholic teaching on grace and human nature is located between the extremes of her theology and what she represents as Catholic theology. One of her sources is Karl Barth (cited on page 110). Karl Barth said "I could gladly and profitably set myself down and spend all the rest of my life just with Calvin".Following are Catholic teachings on human nature and God's grace.CCC 35 Man's faculties make him capable of coming to a knowledge of the existence of a personal God. But for man to be able to enter into real intimacy with him, God willed both to reveal himself to man and to give him the grace of being able to welcome this revelation in faith. The proofs of God's existence, however, can predispose one to faith and help one to see that faith is not opposed to reason.CCC 153: Faith is a gift of God, a supernatural virtue infused by him. Before this faith can be exercised, man must have the grace of God to move and assist him; he must have the interior helps of the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and converts it to God, who opens the eyes of the mind and makes it easy for all to accept and believe the truth.CCC 161: Believing in Jesus Christ and in the One who sent him for our salvation is necessary for obtaining that salvationCCC 169: Salvation comes from God alone.Catechism of the Council of Trent chapter viii: But the grace of justification, which signs us with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance, transcends all His other most ample gifts. It unites us to God in the closest bonds of love, lights up within us the sacred flame of piety, forms us to newness of life, renders us partakers of the divine nature, and enables us to be called and really to be the sons of God.Tanner says (page 118) that humans are so corrupted that we might as well be rocks, as far as appreciating what God originally intended to give us.Tanner says (page 119) that humans are open to God no more than the way the ocean is open to the pull of the moon. At issue here is a purely passive capacity.People familiar with TULIP Calvinism will recognize her statements in alignment with the T and I respectively.The book gets 3 stars because she acknowledges that humans have free will and capacity for self determination (page 1), humans were created for fellowship with one another and God (page 2), and the Trinity (page 3).People who would like to learn "contemporary Catholic thinking about the relationship between nature and grace" should read Catechism of the Catholic Church: Second Edition  instead of Tanner.Tanner makes multiple statements about the Holy Spirit working with Jesus and then Christ being the key. Yet, she does not take that truth to its ultimate conclusion. I believe Tanner herself is victim of Protestant Scholasticism and therefore does not recognize the possibilities available to her.The statement at the bottom of 283 appears to be Tanner's (I am not certain because other times she seems to be speaking rhetorically). If she does accept private revelation then she is on the right track while the volume of ink she gives to the opposing view is mind boggling.The thesis of the book is hidden on page 296. The Spirit works in much the way God works in Christ. Christ becomes the key to it.Tanner's observations on page 296 provide the foundation for hope:1. God does not evacuate the human or push it aside.2. God does not form in humans competing powers like water and fire that extinguish or evaporate one another.3. Humanity and divinity are present together in Christ.4. Lack of competitiveness from God's side is the prerequisite of incarnation.5. Lack of competitiveness from our side is the prerequisite of the incarnation's point: if we are to be fulfilled by God's intimate relationship with us in Christ then the human cannot require independence from God to be itself.Tanner seems to assume that those who believe that the Spirit works immediately with individuals are anti-authoritarian (page 277, 278, 285, and 291). While believers will oppose man-made institutes of the Christian religion, there is no opposition to Scripture and no conflict with authority that acknowledges true Church history and the working of God today.

Current Issues in Theology strives to exhibit cutting-edge and thorough theologies by the finest minds in the league. Kathryn Tanner easily tops the list. Her academic credentials, superb; her writing, sublime; and her theological clarity and import, magnificent. Yet these were discovered not by a third-party voice but in her work in Christ the Key. I cannot stress this enough: this is one of the best theological reads I have ever read. Ever. Although not the most accessible reads–hard work and full concentration are needed–the fruits of one’s tireless efforts profit richly. Tanner’s insistence on Christocentric theology (hence, her tagline: “Christ the key”) is refreshing and high valuation of humanity is astounding. Mysteriously wonderful is the God-Man Jesus who took on flesh to heal and elevate humanity to participate in the life of the Triune God. Hallelujah. Amen.cf. [...]

Dr. Tanner’s theology is both interesting and fair. It crosses the bridge between what is old and what is new without having to ignore or dismiss any thought but to fairly critique it and promote what is useful and what does God and God’s creation justice to the best of her knowledge (which is enormous ). Her work is Christ-based and scriptural. I believe her rationale is convincing to both liberal and conservative Christians. The incarnation model of atonement is very inspiring as well as her explanation of the ways of how the Spirit works. With tons of writings on Theology, I found Kathryn Tanner to be a genuine intelligent authentic voice to be heard.

Once in a while a recommended book for a course turns out to be a pleasant surprise. Kathryn Tanner's articles are clear, thoughtful and profound. Fine scholarship that will truly add depth to one's understanding of the Trinity. This is an important book.

This is an important work of contemporary constructive theology. If you're interested in contemporary constructive theology, this should be near the top of your reading list. If you prefer flaky, thin theology that is faddish, confused, and inconsequential, you may want to look elsewhere.

Great book, well worth the read, excellent author