Perfection & Presence:

God With Us, according to the Christian Confession

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In the inauguration of the Kantzer Lectures series, distinguished Professor John Webster delivers a rich reflection upon the perfections and presence of God. The question at the center of this lectures series is the nature of human fellowship with God. The Investigation of the nature of this fellowship entails for Webster, a comprehension of the divine perfections and their relation to the Trinitarian relations and missions. From the nature of God, the Trinitarian relations and the nature of Divine presence more generally, it can then be understood more clearly what scripture means when it speaks of the Word becoming flesh. Webster offers, therefore, an extensive reflection upon the human history of the divine Word and the nature of his presence in the flesh. Finally, Webster moves to discuss the nature of the resurrected and exalted Lord’s presence, a presence manifest in his Lordship over his creatures and in the practices and Sacraments of the holy church.

Lectures

Lecture 1: Introduction  | Listen

Lecture 2: God’s Perfect Life  |  Listen

Lecture 3: God Is Everywhere but Not Only Everywhere  |  Listen

Lecture 4: Immanuel  |  Listen

Lecture 5: The Presence of Christ Exalted  |  Listen

Lecture 6: He Will Be With Them  |  Listen

Biography:

John Webster (University of Aberdeen) is a notable contemporary British theologian of the Anglican Communion writing in the area of systematic, historical and moral theology. Born in Mansfield, England on 20 June 1955, he was educated at the independent co-educational Bradford Grammar School and at the University of Cambridge. Professor Webster is the author or editor of more than 20 acclaimed books, and a vast number of articles, essays, and papers on a very wide array of themes in modern theology, constructive Christian dogmatics, moral theology, and the nature and interpretation of Christian Scripture. His major publications include:Eberhard Jüngel: An Introduction to his Theology; Barth’s Ethics of Reconciliation; The Cambridge Companion to Karl Barth; Theology after Liberalism: A Reader;Word and Church; Holiness; Holy Scripture: A Dogmatic Sketch. He is also founding editor of the International Journal of Systematic Theology, and an editorial board member of numerous other journals and a series editor for several monograph series.

Special thanks to Tony Reinke for remastering this audio file.