Incarnation and Myth: The Debate Continued

269 Pages·1979·3.219 MB·English

by  M.D. Goulder

IncarnatainodnM yth:
TheD ebatCeo ntinued
Editbeyd
MichaeGlo ulder
SCM PRESSL TO
EditsoF ro'rewoarndda rrangem©e Mnitc haGeolu ld1e9r7 9
Remainimnagt er©i aDlo nC upitMti,c haGeolu lder,
BriaHne bblethwJaoihtneH ,i ckL,e sliHeo ulden,
NichoLlaassh B,a siMli tchCehlalr,l Meosu leL,e sslie
NewbigJionh,n R odwelGlr,a haSmt antSotne,p hen
SykeMsa,u riWciel eFsr,a nces You7n9g. 19
Alrli ghrtesse rved. aNno ohpfi st publication may be
reproduscteodr,ie nad r etrieval sry sttreamn,s moitted,
ina nyf ormo rb ya nym eanse,l ectrmieccahla,n ical,
photocopryeicnogr,do iron tgh erwise, without the prior
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Contents
Foreword MichaGeolu lder vii
A Surveyo fI ssuienst heM ytDhe bate MauircWei les 1
1 Are Atuhteh oofrT she M ytsht Cihlrli stians?
TheMy tahn dC hristiFaani th BriHane bebtlhwaite 15
2 AreW eS peakoifn Lgai teIrnacla rnation?
A InterpretaatnidIo mnag inationN ichoLlasahs 19
B ThIen carnaatnidoM no derTnh eologBy riHane bebtlhwa2i7t e
3 Ist hDeo ctroiftn heIe n carnLaotgiiocna lleyn tC?o her
A (i)J esuasn dt heM eaninogf' God' DonC upitt 31
(iiJ)e suasn dt heM eaninogf' God'- A Comment
NichoLlasash 4 1
B (i)M r Hebblethwoani tteIh neca rnatioDn onC upit4t3
(iiI)s t heer Dao ctrionfte h eI ncarnatioJno?h Hni ck 47
(iiiP)a radoaxn dM ystificatiMoin chaGeolu lder 51
(iv)T heL ogicCaolh erenocfet heD octrionfet heIn car-
nationB riHane bblewtathie 60
(v)C ant herbee a nyE vidence?F rancYeosu ng 62
(vi)W hats orotf E vidence?N ichoLlasahs 63
c Mytha ndT rutihn S cientEinfiqcu iryJ ohRno dwell 64
4 DoA lClh risDtoicatnrS itnaeansnd Fd a Tllo gether?
A IncarnaatnidoA nt onement
'
(i)E vialn d IncarnatiJoonh Hni ck 11
(iiA) Commento n ProfessHoirc k'Csr itiqoufe A tone-
mentD octrineC harlMeosu le 85
(iiiT)h eM oraaln dR eligiVoaulsu oef t he Incarnation
BriaHne bebtlhwa8i1t e
(iv)G odS uffreeda ndD ied FrancYeosu ng 101
B AW ideFrr amework LeslHioeu lden 140
C The Incaransat thieFo onu ndatoifot nh eC hurch
StephSeynk e1s1 5
5 Ist he TNeeswt aEmveindte Cnlceeoa rrA mbiguous?
A (i)T hrePeo inotfsC onfliicnt tChheri stofilcoaDle bate
C ariMeosu le1 31
(iiI)n carnatoiroE nsc hatologyM? ichaGeolu lder 124
(iiiA) C omment ChraleMso ule 174
B (i)I ncarnatiCohnriaslt oloignyt heN ewT estament
Graham Sta1n5t1o n
(iiP)r ofessSotra ntonl nocna rnatiLaonngaula gien t he
NewT estamentD onC upin 166
(iii)M r CupiottnI nacrnationCahlr istoliontg hyeN ew
TestamentG rahaSmt anton 107
c TheF inaloiftC yh ristF ranYcoesu ng 147
6 Chriasntd Ctlhaeio mfOs t hFeari ths
(i)T heU niquenoefsst heI nacrnation
BriaHne bblethwa1i98te
(iiA) RespontsoeH ebblethwaiJtoe hHni ck 129
7 CanW eB eliienv eIt nhcea rnation?
A (i)T heC entraloifJt eys us Hfiosrt oryL esslNieew bigin1 79
(ii)C ommenotn L esslNieew bigsiE ns'saMya uriWciel es2 11
B RelatiivniS scmi enacned T heologyJ ohRno dwell 214
C Christoglyao ndt heF uturoefT ruth NicholasL ash 224
A Summing-uopf t heC olloquMyy:t ho fG odD ebate
BasiMli tchel2l3 3
Appendix
(i)S amaritIannc arnatiCohnriaslt ologyG?r ahaSmt ant2o4n3
(iiT)h eS amaritHaynpo thesisM ichaGeolu lder 241
Indeoxf S ubjects 253
Indeoxf N ames 255
Foreword
MichaeGlo udler
TheM ytohf G od Incwaarsnpa utbel iisnJh ueld1y 79,7 a,n d it
immedisaetotef tlfhy be i ggteehsotl ogciocnatlr oivnBe rristya in
sinHcoen etsot Gfiofdt een eayrelaIirtpes rr o.v ohkoesdt ile
reviienmw oss tt horefe ligainsodeu csu plrae;ris wtsa asn swered
witshiiwxne ebkysT heT rutohf G odI nacrnataen,ld a tbeyGr o d
Incarnaitsteo; l tdh itrhtoyu scaonpdii ents h fier seti gmhotn ths,
twentyt-hfoouusoraf tn hde imnB ritaaniadnc ;a wlalms a dbey
thCeh urocfhE nglaEnvda ncgaeCllo iun(cTirlu etrhrr,a o nd
discipilnit nhceeh ur)fc ohtrh fiev Aen glican toa utrheosrigsn
theoirrd eOrnsl.iy nt hceo urosfte i mdei mdo rree asocnreidt i­
ciscmo mteot he fore.
Thep uzzliesw hyt hbeo oskh ouhladvc ea usseosd t roan g
reac.tT ihoenrceab ne n od outbhtai tt s messoafgtbeee neh na d
stabteefdo arnesd,o metbiemtestste art aendd; thaotf stohmee
essiaynts hb eo owke ruen readbaymb alneoy f twhhoosb eo ught
itT.h ep rovoctaittcilevere t ainilnpy a rtwtha rese asfoonir t s
'uscce,fs osmr'a npye opmlies stehdde o ubelnet enidnrtee ;n ded
betwmeyetnah sa s toorfy promfeoaunnbidyn w gh imcehn g uide
theliirv aensd, maysat f ha yi-rtanlotetr, u Teh.ed istinction of
somoeft hees saywiassat lssa of a ctfoorPr:r ofeWsisloweras s
RegiPurso fesDsiovri anotOif xt fyo arndhd,a bde eCnh airman of
thCeh urocfEh n glaDnodc trCionmem issDirNo inn,e hhaamd
beenR egiPurso feosfDs iovri antCi atmyb riadnwgdee i gihntt hye
churscc ho'uncCialnsoH,no uldenb ehePanrd i ncoifRp iaplo n
CollCeugded,e sadl oena,dA innggl itcehaonl ogcioclalPler goe­,
fessHoirc k bheaedan n o utstadnedfienngodf te hrfe a iitnh
philosowprhiitciaannlgdM s r, Cupitat n atwiaoskn naolwlny
spokesfmotarhn ce h urocnth h tee levDirs iYoonu.n Igw earned
lewsesl l-kbnuotw net:sh sea ywiesrpetl sa irnelsyp eEcntgeldi sh
chuhrmcenn,or ta diGcearlm atnh eoloIgti haiansrst d.od eny,
howevera,n i mtphoartpt aarnotftt hsec anwdaasdl u et ot he
primfaac ipel ausiobfti hlbeio toyk t'hse sTihsep. o ssiobfi lity
doubttihtnerg u otfCh h rsid sitv'iwnaiist nty h aei nro,ot n ly for
fricnhgeu rchbmufeton ar n umboefr rewgourlsahri Ipa pme rs.
viiFior eword
notth oen lcyo ntritbowu htoomirh t a bse esna i'dWe,' vteh ought
thfiosyr e ars'.
Its eemteoPd r ofeHsiscoakrn mdy setlhfat thi en tewrheiscth
thbeo ohka sdp arkesdh oounflofbdt e a llotwose pde intds ienl f
heatpeodl emainctdsh ,ai wtto ubleda goioddet aoh oladc ollo­
quy,c oonrv er,sb aettiwoetnehsnee ven easnsadag yriosoutfps
theliera dcirnigtT ihceps o.s siobfifi lniatnycs iuncaghc olloquy
arose tfwrfooa mc tsC.a dTbhuTerr yuh satd alsrheoawidnty s elf
generionsu usp poprrteivnicgoo nufse rwehnicPcerhso feHsiscokr
haodr ganainzwdea dws,i lltiosn pgo ntshoeirns t eraplrsiaosn;ed
thDee partment ofS tEuxditinrte hasUem n uirvaelor fsB iitry­
minghwahmo,s e StaifnTf h eToulItoa ogmrye, x itsopt rso mote
publdiics cuosfsj isuotsn u cihs suWeesw .e raeb lteh eefrotroe
holads eroifem se etiinnBg isr gmhianfmr olmO ttho1 t2hJ uly,
1798s,e voeftn h ebme ipnrgi vsaetses eiaocnlhsa staibnogu t two
hourasnt,dh ereo ft hebme ipnugb lic odfse ibmaitlleeasnr gi tnh
the eveniantgtse,n idnee adcet hvh eebn yta boua th undred
peopIls eh.o ullidtk oer ecoorudar p prechieartbeio otfnho r the
finanbcaicaklwi enr ge ceivetdh Tefr ruoasmntf ,do r ftrehined ly
co-operwaet hiaodnf romm embeorfst heB irmingham
ExtramDuerpatalmr enatnf,dr oGma rHtohu sweh,e rtehc eo n­
versawteirohene sl d.
Thper incdfiifipcaulwl et yf awcaiesdnt hceh oiocf'cer i,t iscos 'I
circultahrMeiy tzehes ds afyoitrsh teasid rv iacned,l iaws atps r o­
duceNda.t urnaoletlv ye ryionnveiw taesd atboal tet eanndwd,e
werees pecdiiaslalpyp nooittnoh t aevdPe r ofeJsoshMonar c quar­
riaen Fdr H erbMecrCta bbeo,to hf whhoamwd r ititnetne resting
reviHeowwse.v weewr e,r dee ligthhtPaertdo feBsassMoiirl t chell
ofO xford taoga rcaetsCe hda irman, krneopwuitnfagot rih oins
fa-imrdiendnaess swa eshl iilsm porwtoarnkt ipnh itlhoeso ofp hy
reli;g iaonnd the finsaealvclecyne pawthspeo ad r ticeiiptahnetrs
werdei stingourwi esrhee db,e dciosmtiinngg austi hsehoeldo,g ians
leantionwga orrdtsh odTohxroyefe.t hewme rfer om Cambridge:
MrB riHaenb bletthhwDeaei atne ,o f CQouleleaenngsode'c ca­
sioannatla gtoonM irCs utp iotntt e levDirsN iiocnh;oL laasash ,
RomaCna thoalnidrc e ceenltelcyNt oerdr is-PHruolfsees sor of
Divi;n iatPnyrdo feCshsaorrMl oeusl deo,y eNne wT estament
schoalnaadru thooftr h ree cepnutbllyi TshehO erdi goifCn hr ist­
olo.gP yrofeSstseoprSh yeknoe fsD urhhaamd bjeoeiennd tir t o
of vao luomfe esosnoa uysrsu bjCehrcistt,Fa, i tahn dH istyo.r
ProfeGsrsaohra m Sotfat nhtUeon niv,e orfsL iotnyd Koinn g's
Collweagssee ,c reotfta hrieyn ternaStoicoinoeafNtl ey w T esta­
ment Staunaddui tehso,a rs touofdft y h Nee wT estament preach-
ForeworIXd
inogfJ esBuiss.h Loeps sNleiweb icguirnr,e ntly oMfto hdee rator
UnitReedf orCmhedu rhcahd,b eeand istingmuiissshieodn ary
anadu thDorJr o.h Rno dweolftl h,Ue n iveorfLs aintcya wsatse r,
ay ounger thtehoilnaokngedairr c easle airncbh ieorl osgciic­al
enceWsef. e vletr sya tibsofitethdh aatlt lh Mey tehs saywiesrtes
ablteoc omaen tdh at asnau bclahen idn tergersotouifpon pgp o­
nenwtesr teh etrode i sctuhsiess swuietsth h eEmv.e rywoanse
invittope rde paap raep ienar d vanacnecd,o e psiw ercei rculated
to staivmee d ifsocru astts hiCeoo nl loiqtusye lf.
Seveproasls piebrlcieol usbl edf roeesenF.i rtshtwe h otlhei ng
wasse utpi nu nhappy stioamS ielvaerni-taRy-u SgbiMyda et ch,
witPhr ofeMsistocrht oeb lllot wh weh isatnldte h,e mrieg bhet
strfoenge lainnadgb sa adt mospOhnet rhee. ohtahnuednr i versal
goomda nnersa saunpdpo lfty h bee sUtn iverwsinimeti yg ht
resiunalf ta iltuocr oem teog riwpistt hhh ea rd issfuaecst. The
thante itohfte hre tshei nocgcsu rwraesd duaec onisni derable
degreteo tChheam iar'nss kiTlhlem. e egtsiw nereex tremely
frietnhdrloyu gbhuostut tr,ot nhgi wnegrsse a iadn,dt hewraes
somceu atn mdu cthh ruAs lte.ss usc cessfully waavso ided threat
thpeo ssitbhitalhtie t yp waopuelrdso vneortel naopu tgomh a kae
commocno nverpsoastsiiofbnot lrhe e:wr eer feo urtsepeena kers
fotrh tee sne ssiaonsndos m,oe ft hpea irwienrgiesn evimtaarb­ly
riaogfel se tshsa onb vicoounsv eniNeenvceer.t hiwetal fsee slst
thtahtde si cushsaimdoa nd aen umboefvr a lupaobilneat nstd,h at
imti gbheto fi ntetroae l satr cgierroc flp ee opilfaep ublisher
coubledf ounHde.n ctehp er esveonltu me.
Bookosfe ssaayrse often itnhrdeei agdeiessart s iktbeold e :
takien tthhoeu ogfah d to zoernm orseu bmtilneed asc sht arting
froamd iffeproeiannntthd ,e fisnovd asr iaod uishe atr tdoa ssimi­
latIhe a.v teeh refboereesn ob oladst od oa c ertaamionu onft
regoarnizsihnugffl;it nhgoe r dedri,v isdoimnpega peirnts w o,
inviCtoimnmge natnsRd e pltioCe osm menatdsd,ia ns ge roife s
briehfe adianngnds o,t oefms y o wnI.h opteh aitnt hwiasyt he
readweirfil nltd h ceo mplaenddxfi ficsuulbtj percetd igiensttoe d
somoefi tcso mpeonntto piacnstd,h uesa stioem ra stTeort .h is
enIdh avbee egnr eahtellypb eyPd r ofeWsiseloser's s'a ySA,u r­
veoyf t hIes suiens Mtyhtedh eba.Tt hei'psa piesro ltawtoe s
perlimiqnuaerys tainofidnv mse a iins suesh awvbheei ecdnhi scus­
seidnr eviaenwds commeInh tasvt,ea katenhnde s seev heena ds
ast hoeu tloiftn hebe o ko.Th e queasrtei:o ns
1.A ret haeu thoofTr hesM ytsht Cihlrli stians?
2.H owf ahra 'sni carnacthiaonngi'etm dse aniinnmg o dem
discuassnido wnae,rs ep eakoifan ' igtle rianlc'a rnation?
x Foreword
3.I st hdeo ctorfit nhieen carnlaotgiioccnoa hlenlrtye?
4.D o aClhlr isdtoicatnrs itnaeansndf d a tlolg ether?
5.I s NtehweT estameevnitd eonftc heie n carncalteoiaror n
ambiguous?
6.I sas aftaicstcoormyp ropmoisssebi ebtlwete hene centrality
of Charnitdsh ctel aiomfos t hfeari ths?
7. Granted ctohned ictouifalo ltnCluihr nragil s tians, including
ourseclavwnee sb ,e liientv heie n carnation?
Thee xtteonwt h itchhe tsoep wiecrse diasttc hues sCeodl loquy
naturvaalrliayen ddt, h beo orke fletchtaistm balaWnhceeer .
theirase sicnognlter itboauq tuieosntI hi aovnse,i mpplryi nitte d
undethrne u mbaenrdh eadifnoigrn: s taonncley, H eMbrb le­
thwahiatmsea daes hocrotm meonn1t I. no thcears tehse mraey
bet wion depecnodnetunrttii boansis n2, ,w h ehraeol ffD rL ash's
origina2lAa pnaadc p oemrm ebnyMt r H ebblet2hBwd aiistceu ss
thies swuiet hroeufte rteoen acceoh t heWrh.e rteh ceo lloquists
areei ther aonnseaw neortihonergar r,de e alinagl iwmiitthe d
sub-tIoh paivce, intdhibicysas tmeaRdlo lm annu mbers: thus
ProfeHsisciokn6r (iiris)e plyMirnH ge btbol etihn6w (aiai)nt,de
theref oaurrree l actoemdm eonnt4 sA ',nI carnaatnAidto onn e­
men,nt u'mebre4dA (eit)Ic,h . o pteh tahtni usm ebrisnygs tweiml l
beo fh eltpot hree adienrr e latiensgs atyehsae.co thto h Seorm.e ­
timeesss ahyasv e bneolto ncgoemdf ortaabnlyoy n eo ifmn y
Prorcustbeeadnas n,Id h avhea tdo c hoobseet wceheonp poifnfg
thefierle tit khee goifo alnadtn,l d e avtihneagms thweiyt ahanr e
apolaongadyc ross-nrceeIf.ne rseucIhh acvaleset eths re e ader
knoawsb esIct a n.
Itm ighhatv e seemetdof onlalatoc uwhr raoln oloorgdiecra l
antdo t ake theq ubeisbtfilirioscbntaus;Ilt h avhee ld them over
for rtewaos oonnsel, o gitchael ,o ptrhaecrt AiscP arlo.f essor
Mitcwhreiltl'fe Ii sit,ts r uteh athtde o ctorfit nhieen carniast ion
incoehnettrh,a ste ttiltIe.fis it s t ruteh atth eirsneo c ontinuous
idenotfdi otcyt rtihnaseet,t titlto eoIs.f h, o wevtehdreo, c tirsi ne
nofto urneda mdayd e iNne wTt ehset amieitnss t tp,io lsls tiob le
argue itishm aptl tiihcteis rtoet ,hd aote ssne'ttit. tl .Teh .em ore
geneqruaels tsihoonucslo dm fier sTth.ep' r actriecaasilost n h at
bibldiiccsuasls iinovno lvetse cmhonarirecg aeulnm wth,i mcahy
bef orimdatbolte h e general reader.
Twofi naplo isnhtosu blemd a dTeh.efi risst rtehgeor fea tl l of
us tDhrNa itn ehhaabmse eunn abtlope r esaew nrti tctoennt ribu­
tioHni.'ss a toniasnhiden dt'e rceosmtmienngt sam awjeforerea ­
turoeft hCeo lloaqnuidyw t,a ssa tdh ahtim sa ncyo mmitments
have comhpiemtl owl ietdh dfrraoawmp aritnt hpeu blication.
Forweordx i
SeconIad mlm yo st grtaoat lelfc uotlnh ter iwbhuoht aovrmesa de
myt asakse diats oirm polnee;b y t hepiurn ctuiansl eintdyi ng their
essaiynfs a coefo thuerrg ewnotr bky;t heir witlorl eivnigsnee ss
anrde wirt;ae nbdy t heiinrv argioaobhdlu em oeuvre,in n ftahcee
oft hteh eolodgiivciasWlie oh nasvf.ea caec do mmotnh eological
tasikne lucidtahdteoi cntgr oift nheie n carnaantwdie oh na,v e
donweh awtec ouwlidti htt o gethhaeprp,i ly.
Spetemb1e9r7,8 MicHAGEoLu LDER