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Confessing the Impassible God: The Biblical, Classical, & Confessional Doctrine of Divine Impassibility Paperback – October 16, 2015

by Ronald S. Baines (Author), Richard C. Barcellos (Editor)

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The book is structured as follows. The Introduction presses home the importance of the doctrine of divine impassibility. Readers will be challenged to recognize that tinkering with divine impassibility as classically understood has implications that always end up compromising other fundamental articles of the Christian faith. The main argument is contained in seven parts. Part I addresses vital issues of prolegomena. Prior to providing a positive explication of the doctrine, we outline our theological method. Chapter 1 discusses the theological grammar of the doctrine of divine impassibility. Important concepts such as biblical metaphysics, act and potency, and the analogy of being are discussed. These are basic and crucial concepts to understand at the outset. Chapter 2 offers an introduction to the hermeneutical method employed throughout. These two chapters together reflect our commitment to the traditional language of classical theism and the hermeneutics of the Reformed tradition as articulated in the English Reformed Confessions of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. As readers will become aware in reading the subsequent sections, the issue of method is crucial and foundational in this discussion. Part II (chapters 3-7) covers the Old and New Testaments. Though all potential passages of Scripture are not discussed, the most important texts on the subject of divine impassibility are addressed. The order of these chapters reflects our hermeneutical method: we consider texts on the nature of God first, texts which speak of immutability and impassibility next, concluding with those texts that appear to indicate some sort of passibility in God. Each testamental section ends with a brief conclusion. Part III (chapters 8-9) surveys the history of the doctrine of divine impassibility. We seek to demonstrate that what was once a catholic doctrine has become muddied as scholars of various theological traditions have reformulated, modified, and in some instances rejected classical theism’s commitment to divine impassibility. Part IV (chapters 10-12) offers a systematic-theological approach to the subject. It assumes Parts I-III and builds upon them. Careful discussion is provided on such issues as the relationship of divine impassibility to the essence and attributes of God, the divine affections, and the incarnation of the Son of God. Our goal is for readers to realize the significance of divine impassibility in relation to many other essential doctrines of the Christian faith. It is part of the system of doctrine contained in our Confession; tinkering with impassibility has far-reaching ramifications. Part V (chapter 13) offers an overview of the doctrine of divine impassibility as contained in the Second London Confession of Faith (1677/89). This confessional document asserts the same doctrine as the Westminster Confession of Faith (1647) and the Savoy Declaration (1658) on the issue of divine impassibility. The place of the doctrine in the Confession as well as its relationship to other confessed truths is presented. Part VI (chapter 14) seeks to explicate the practical theology of divine impassibility. It draws out implications of the doctrine under the topics the saving knowledge of God, the Christian life, worship, and pastoral ministry. Part VII (chapter 15) offers closing comments and a list of affirmations and denials in light of the entire study. Additionally, we have included two appendices, containing book reviews of contemporary attempts to modify the classical doctrine of divine impassibility. Foreword by Paul Helm. Endorsements by James Dolezal, J. V. Fesko, Ryan McGraw, and Fred Sanders.

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Product Details

Paperback: 466 pages
Publisher: RBAP (October 16, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0991659929
ISBN-13: 978-0991659920
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #914,417 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #739 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Theology > Systematic
- #20027 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Theology

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An Extraordinarily Important Book

By David Pitman on December 8, 2015

The importance of a book rests upon two pillars: first, the subject of the book and second, the style of the book. Of what significance is the book’s message? How well does the book provide that message to the reader? Confessing the Impassible God is an extraordinarily important book. Its subject is of the highest importance – The Doctrine of the Impassibility of God. Its style is exceptional: in a coherent, comprehensive and compelling manner, it guides the serious reader toward a holy and helpful understanding of this truth.
Addressing the Biblical foundation of this doctrine, the Classical formulation of this doctrine and the Confessional framework of this doctrine, this book excels in each aspect. The ten contributors handle each section well and the overall integration of these is a credit to the six editors. Biblical, Historical, Systematic, Confessional, and Practical Theologies are unpacked with considerable attention to detail but with a crucial appreciation for how they serve together to teach one great doctrine. There is a decided polemical thread throughout that deals with departures from this truth. This further emphasizes this book’s vital role in refuting errors that oppose the truth of God’s impassibility.
This book would serve well as a seminary textbook, but it deserves a reading by every Pastor and Preacher who stands to proclaim the Doctrine of God. The indices and the glossary will allow the book to serve as an encyclopedic manual on the subject. I give this book my highest recommendation.

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This work was determinative for my understanding of God - A must read for the classical view of divine impassibility

By Pascal Denault on March 6, 2016

When I first heard about the impassibility controversy, I thought this was about splitting hairs by entering the highly speculative enterprise of talking about God’s emotions. Not so much so now that I have delved into this book and familiarized myself more with the doctrine of God in general and his impassibility more specifically.

It is no secret that this book is controversial because of the ecclesiastical matter from which it emerged. I am personally an outsider looking at this crisis among Reformed Baptist brothers that I love and respect. I understand the heartache that brothers went through (are going through) and I feel compassionate about it. However, I didn’t come at this book in order to judge hearts and intentions in this matter, but in order to understand what it means to confess the impassible God. I now put down this volume, extremely thankful for the authors who wrote it. I not only learned what it means to confess the impassible God, but also what it doesn’t mean.

One can be in disagreement with the classical doctrine of divine impassibility (and its corollaries), but one cannot disagree that there is a historic meaning tied to the affirmation that God is “without body, parts, or passions.” An honest reader will have to admit that this work attains its aim of presenting the classical Christian doctrine of God and distinguishes it from old and modern deviations.

Not only have I discovered the depth of classical theism, I have been convinced of the necessity to maintain it strongly as the robust foundation of all our theology and practice. Don’t we confess that the doctrine of God and the “doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on him” (2.3)?Read more ›

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a good jumping off point for further independent study

By Cheryl Cali on December 8, 2015

As I read Confessing the Impassible God something struck me. It wasn’t just the importance, weight, or substance of the topic or the far reaching implications of the doctrine of Impassability. What initially drew me in was the structure of the book itself. The content of each chapter, as well as each part, has the strength and coherency to stand alone and be read and understood independently. However when you take these collection of essays together you end up with a robust picture of this doctrine. This picture in turn guides and directs pathways to possible further and in more detail study. CIG capitalizes on each individual author’s expertise, their personal and professional study, and their ability to articulate their research in a digestible manner for the average layman. The synthesis of these component essays shows a seamless and logical move from one chapter to the next; from one part to the next, each building on the summation of the previous with the cumulative effect of seeing the up close detailed beauty of this doctrine without losing sight of the grand macro view painted concerning this aspect of theology proper. The editors, in the preface, outline the structure, content and movement of the book. From the preface alone the books development becomes apparent.

Why is a proper view of the doctrine of Impassibility so important?
What is the theological methodology and hermeneutic employed?
What is a proper exegesis of the most relevant texts?
What is the history of the church’s definition of classical theism?
How does Impassibility fit in systematic theology?
What are the implications and effects on an understanding of other truths outlined in the confession?Read more ›

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