Over the next few weeks and/or months, I will be reviewing Scripture and Metaphysics: Aquinas and the Renewal of Trinitarian Theology by Matthew Levering, Ph.D., professor of theology at the University of Dayton. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, I was challenged by my friend Alan Mostrom, a Ph.D. student of Levering, to read this book thoroughly. Of course, the only way to do that is to interact with it. Secondly, I lack understanding of the theology of Aquinas; Levering’s work will help me this area, particularly as Aquinas’ theology relates to the Trinity. From the book description:

Levering’s argument rests upon St. Thomas Aquinas’s understanding of theology as contemplative wisdom. Taking us through Aquinas’s theology of God as One and Three, he demonstrates that Trinitarian theology should be a spiritual exercise assisting our movement from self- to God-centeredness.

Lastly, Levering is one of the few Catholic theologians of whom I know to interact with major Protestant and Evangelical, as well as Jewish and Orthodox, scholars. For instance, in chapter 4, Levering devotes a section to N. T. Wright and Richard Bauckham. In chapter 3, the interaction is with Jewish scholar Jon D. Levenson. In chapter 7, Levering interacts with John Zizioulas and Reinhard Hütter. This interaction alone with broader Christianity makes Levering’s work valuable.

The format of review I take will be to review Scripture and Metaphysics as I tackle it chapter-by-chapter.